Thanks! Since I'm hosting, I'm not entering this month, but if I have time, I might play along and have another stab at this technique. There's something I've been wanting to try with the t&s shimmy technique 
October 2020 Challenge - Tall and Skinny Shimmy
- Thread starter szaza
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There's something I want to try also, but don't know if I'll have time - helping my daughter move this week - on hiatus at the moment, lol.Thanks! Since I'm hosting, I'm not entering this month, but if I have time, I might play along and have another stab at this technique. There's something I've been wanting to try with the t&s shimmy technique
Thank you. Even though it’s not me, it’s still stressful. Happy you are done with it.I know the feeling! I can only make soap if I manage to find my soaping gear in all our boxes after having moved last week
Thank you, it's been my pleasure chatting with you.Me too!
I guess a mom will always take on some of the stress of her children..
Syllvviiaa
Member
These all look so beautiful. I need to quit working so I can post more on the forum and make more soap.
Hahaha I feel you! If only soaping could be a fulltime, well-payed job!These all look so beautiful. I need to quit working so I can post more on the forum and make more soap.
I like that color combo!!
KimW
Well-Known Member
1. - Thank you, szaza. I've been meaning to try this again. Didn't turn out so well the first time.
2. MarnieSoapien - I'm not tall or skinny but I think I can make a shimmy!
3. bookreader451 - I tried this before but, I definitely need a second go!
4. dibbles - I'm in and hope I have time for more than one attempt! The outline shimmy continues to elude me.
5. JackieTobey - I’m already intimidated just looking at it. But I’ve learned so much with the last 2 competitions that It will be worth all the frustration and tears. I’m in.
6. DKing - I will make some time for an attempt or two as I already had an idea in my head to try something similar. Now to figure out making a tall mold!
7. AliOOp - getting some soap supplies from an SMF friend this week, so I hope to try this after we get home with all of those.
8. catscankim - ordered a tall skinny mold. hopefully it will be here in time
9.Glendam - This looks like fun!
10. sarahmarah - I’ll give it a whirl
11. linne1gi- This is a fun challenge!
12. Jersey Girl- Been admiring this technique for a while now...time to give it a try!
13. amd - hopefully lucky 13
14.GoatSoapRulz-oohhh my first SMF challenge! I’m so excited! Let’s tackle making this mold first!!
15. KimW - Did a trial run this time, so I'm sure to have something decent for the entry thread! wohoooo
2. MarnieSoapien - I'm not tall or skinny but I think I can make a shimmy!
3. bookreader451 - I tried this before but, I definitely need a second go!
4. dibbles - I'm in and hope I have time for more than one attempt! The outline shimmy continues to elude me.
5. JackieTobey - I’m already intimidated just looking at it. But I’ve learned so much with the last 2 competitions that It will be worth all the frustration and tears. I’m in.
6. DKing - I will make some time for an attempt or two as I already had an idea in my head to try something similar. Now to figure out making a tall mold!
7. AliOOp - getting some soap supplies from an SMF friend this week, so I hope to try this after we get home with all of those.
8. catscankim - ordered a tall skinny mold. hopefully it will be here in time
9.Glendam - This looks like fun!
10. sarahmarah - I’ll give it a whirl
11. linne1gi- This is a fun challenge!
12. Jersey Girl- Been admiring this technique for a while now...time to give it a try!
13. amd - hopefully lucky 13
14.GoatSoapRulz-oohhh my first SMF challenge! I’m so excited! Let’s tackle making this mold first!!
15. KimW - Did a trial run this time, so I'm sure to have something decent for the entry thread! wohoooo
KimW
Well-Known Member
Okie Dokie. Cut my little trial run and would like advice on how to do better. Do I post that here, or should I start a new thread in the Lye forum?
If you post it here you're more likely to get feedback.
I just made my first attempt today. I made OO and CO soap so had slow moving batter. I also used a 30% lye concentration. I did add sugar and coconut milk because I am not a fan of high OO soap. I mostly whisked and only hit it with the SB for about 5 short bursts. It did say liquid through the pours, but think the last couple were at a light trace. We shall see when I unmold it if I got a shimmy or shitty.
KimW
Well-Known Member
Taking bookreader's advice, here is a pic of my test run. I think it's beautimus, though it is far from the S-shimmy.
Here's what I think I need to do differently:
1. Pour more for each wall pour
2. Have batter at trace - I poured when just at emulsion
3. Tilt needs to be less inclined - I used a clothespin
Thoughts?
P.S. I so enjoy this forum. I've been soaping in a bubble (pun not entirely intended) for many, many years. The most intricate designs I've ever done are polka dots and "in-the-mold" swirls. There's a whole soaping world out there - who knew?!
Here's what I think I need to do differently:
1. Pour more for each wall pour
2. Have batter at trace - I poured when just at emulsion
3. Tilt needs to be less inclined - I used a clothespin
Thoughts?
P.S. I so enjoy this forum. I've been soaping in a bubble (pun not entirely intended) for many, many years. The most intricate designs I've ever done are polka dots and "in-the-mold" swirls. There's a whole soaping world out there - who knew?!
Attachments
Post it here
My second try is tucked in all warm and cozy on a heating pad. I'm not sure if I should be optimistic or not. I forgot to resize my recipe, so it won't look as intended anyway but I am hoping I got a decent shimmy. The first half should be good, but not sure about the rest.
My first try was using an outline. I think I finally have the amount of batter to pour for the outline look I want figured out, but my shimmies look more like anvils.
My first try was using an outline. I think I finally have the amount of batter to pour for the outline look I want figured out, but my shimmies look more like anvils.
KimW
Well-Known Member
See just above.Post it here
Thanks for sharing your experience @KimW that's a very pretty soap you got there!
I think you're right about pouring more on each side with a tad less inclination. In my experience emulsion works better than trace, so I think you could try again with your batter at emulsion. A very light trace is also fine, just make sure your batter stays at light trace all the time during the pour.
If you don't like OO soaps, you could try avocado instead. I don't use it much because it's really expensive here (and not very environmentally friendly either apparently), but I've recently been comparing 80% OO to 80% AvO and the latter was way nicer in use (at a relatively young age that is). It got a bit goopy when left wet, but I didn't get the slime threads that I got from OO at the same cure time/age and the lather was really nice as well. AvO does trace a bit faster than OO, but I think you will still be able to have a fluid enough batter for this technique.
The slowest moving soft oil for me is HO sunflower. It's less drying on my skin than OO, but unfortunately just as slimy when used at high amounts (eg. 75%).
My go-to slow trace recipes consist of CO, HOsunfl and butters.
I don't know what kinds of soap you prefer to use, but I can generally get away with using a rather high percentage of butters (refined shea or cocoa) without acceleration as long as I use slow moving oils alongside them and no accelerating fragrances. High butter soaps seem more prone to acceleration from fragrances than high oleic soaps. I once had the only FO I own accelerate a 25% cocoa butter soap (a recipe I'd used before without acceleration), but when I tried to use the same FO in a high oleic recipe to make layers, it wouldn't set up at all. (EDIT obviously it set up in the end, just waaaaay slower than I had expected)
A side note on high butter soaps - I once had a 30% CB soap crack while curing. I'm still figuring out why this happened, but someone suggested it might be the high butters and I still can't rule that out at the moment.
Hope this helps!
