SMF April 2021 Challenge - Lollipop Swirl

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Primrose

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Welcome to the April 2021 SMF Soap Challenge. This month’s challenge is the Lollipop Swirl

The Lollipop Swirl was created by Mater Sam in mid-2020, and exploded across facebook soap groups and internet forums for quite some time. I thought it would be fun to see it make its way to a SMF challenge!

PLEASE READ ALL RULES for the challenge.

SMF Challenge General Rules

1. To enter you must have been a SMF member for at least one month and have a minimum of 50 posts at the time the Challenge is posted (sorry but no exceptions on this).

2. The only members eligible to vote are those with their names on the sign-up list - regardless of whether or not you have submitted an entry. The sign-up list will be posted in this thread.

3. This month’s voting will be password locked. Passwords will be sent by private message (via SMF conversations) to registered participants ONLY, so please check your messages when the voting begins.

4. A separate entry thread will be created and this is where you will post photos of your entry soap. Please do not post photos of your entry until the entry thread is opened. Post pictures of your entry soap only in the challenge entry thread.

Non-entry photos are always welcome and may be posted in the general challenge thread. The challenge thread should be used to upload pictures of any of your challenge attempts (other than your entry) where you can ask for advice and discuss the technique with other members, and provide helpful hints you learned along the way.

5. Your soap must be made after the monthly challenge has been announced.

6. You are allowed to change your entry photo until the entry thread closes. If you decide you want another try after you post your entry, and you like the second better, you can change it up until the deadline.

7. In the spirit of advancing our soap making skills, all members who sign-up for a SMF Challenge do so with the expectation that they will make every attempt to make a soap for the challenge. Writing about your experience in the challenge is encouraged. By doing so, each participant has a better knowledge of your process when voting. We do understand that sometimes things come up in our lives and throw our plans out of whack, however signing up with no intent to participate and only to vote is not in the spirit of the challenges and is not allowed.

8. Please add your name to the sign-up list if you wish to participate (you don’t have to enter a soap at the end if you don’t feel happy with what you have produced), but please do post your experiences in the main Challenge thread and be prepared to be encouraged to continue trying.

9. Constructive criticism is welcomed, but please keep your comments polite.

* * * *

  • Competition entries must be uploaded to the separate entry thread before the closing date.
  • The entry thread will open on April 21, 2021 at 11:00 pm GMT (Please follow the challenge specific rules as to what you need to enter).
  • After the closing date on April 27, 2021 at 11:59 pm GMT the winning entry will be chosen using Survey Monkey. Voting will be open from April 28-29, 2021 and the winner will be announced on April 30, 2021. There is no prize attached to this challenge.
  • If you fail to make the challenge deadline, you are still welcome to upload pictures of your soap onto the thread, but your entry will not be eligible for voting. We always love to see anything you have created.
  • Even though there is no prize, this is still a competition. If your entry is deemed not to fulfill the general rules or the rules specific to the challenge in any way, then you will be given the opportunity to amend your entry. If this is not possible, your entry will not be included in the voting.
  • All the challenge mods reserve the right to have the final say on whether a soap is eligible for voting.
* * * *
SPECIFIC RULES FOR THE APRIL 2021 CHALLENGE

The Lollipop Swirl is essentially a modified wall pour done in a column mold. You will pour alternating colours down the side of your mold in order to layer them on top of each other rather than allowing them to break through different layers. For each subsequent pour, rotate your column mold slightly so that each layer is poured slightly away from the previous one - this will create the lollipop pattern. Please see the videos linked below to show how the lollipop swirl is poured.

1. You will require a cylinder/column mold for this technique. If you do not have a specific soap mold, an empty Pringles can works very well. PVC pipes are also suitable, or anything else a similar shape.

2. You must must use a minimum of two colours (you can use many more if you so desire)

3. Your entry photo must show at least two bars from your batch.

4. You can make this challenge as simple or as complicated as you would like. You may wish to try doing a rimmed soap with lollipop swirl centre; you may wish to use multiple colours, or keep it simple with only two colours. You can embed the entire lollipop soap inside a standard loaf, or you can add embellishments to the lollipop. Let your creativity loose with this one :)

HELPFUL TIPS:

1. Choose a well behaving fragrance oil which will remain at a steady/predictable trace for the duration of the pour.

2. A light to medium trace appears to work best for this technique; however don't despair if your batter is a little too thin to start with and a little too thick at the end. You will likely find you still have some nice bars in the middle of the loaf.

* * * *

Creator of the technique, Mater Sam - YouTube video showing two colour lollipop swirls




Fraulein Winter - tutorial video showing both a two colour swirl, and a four colour swirl





For all the inspiration you ever need and more, check out the Soap Challenge Club entries from December when they did this technique!

https://soapchallengeclub.com/lollipop-swirl-winners/


Most of all, good luck and have fun!
 
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1.
2.
 
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1. earlene - I have a few days before surgery, it will probably be my last soap for at least 6-8 weeks
2. dibbles - This will be super fun or very 'exciting' - I'm in
3.
 
Sign up list:

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1. earlene - I have a few days before surgery, it will probably be my last soap for at least 6-8 weeks
2. dibbles - This will be super fun or very 'exciting' - I'm in
3.Vicki C. - My last day of work is today! Yippee! Soap studio here I come...
4.
 
Noice!

1. earlene - I have a few days before surgery, it will probably be my last soap for at least 6-8 weeks
2. dibbles - This will be super fun or very 'exciting' - I'm in
3.Vicki C. - My last day of work is today! Yippee! Soap studio here I come...
4. Tara_H - this is on my bucket list, I'm so in!
 
Sign up list:

(Please copy & Paste, add your name along with the next appropriate number.)

1. earlene - I have a few days before surgery, it will probably be my last soap for at least 6-8 weeks
2. dibbles - This will be super fun or very 'exciting' - I'm in
3.Vicki C. - My last day of work is today! Yippee! Soap studio here I come...
4. Tara_H - this is on my bucket list, I'm so in!
5.
 
Sign up list:

(Please copy & Paste, add your name along with the next appropriate number.)

1. earlene - I have a few days before surgery, it will probably be my last soap for at least 6-8 weeks
2. dibbles - This will be super fun or very 'exciting' - I'm in
3.Vicki C. - My last day of work is today! Yippee! Soap studio here I come...
4. Tara_H - this is on my bucket list, I'm so in!
5. KimW - Found and fell in love with this about the time I found SMF. Now I have a reason to finally try it!
6.
 
Sign up list:

(Please copy & Paste, add your name along with the next appropriate number.)

1. earlene - I have a few days before surgery, it will probably be my last soap for at least 6-8 weeks
2. dibbles - This will be super fun or very 'exciting' - I'm in
3.Vicki C. - My last day of work is today! Yippee! Soap studio here I come...
4. Tara_H - this is on my bucket list, I'm so in!
5. KimW - Found and fell in love with this about the time I found SMF. Now I have a reason to finally try it!
6. Jersey Girl- Yes, yes, yes! Been wanting to try this!
7.
 
Last edited:
Sign up list:

(Please copy & Paste, add your name along with the next appropriate number.)

1. earlene - I have a few days before surgery, it will probably be my last soap for at least 6-8 weeks
2. dibbles - This will be super fun or very 'exciting' - I'm in
3.Vicki C. - My last day of work is today! Yippee! Soap studio here I come...
4. Tara_H - this is on my bucket list, I'm so in!
5. KimW - Found and fell in love with this about the time I found SMF. Now I have a reason to finally try it!
6. Jersey Girl- Yes, yes, yes! Been wanting to try this!
7. I’m back! And I’m in! :D
 
Sign up list:

(Please copy & Paste, add your name along with the next appropriate number.)

1. earlene - I have a few days before surgery, it will probably be my last soap for at least 6-8 weeks
2. dibbles - This will be super fun or very 'exciting' - I'm in
3.Vicki C. - My last day of work is today! Yippee! Soap studio here I come...
4. Tara_H - this is on my bucket list, I'm so in!
5. KimW - Found and fell in love with this about the time I found SMF. Now I have a reason to finally try it!
6. Jersey Girl- Yes, yes, yes! Been wanting to try this!
7. peachymoon - I’m back! And I’m in! :D
8. amd - maybe I can pop a soap for fun into my to do list this month
9.
 
I probably shouldn't go on another Pringles eating binge... And dedicated moulds are on the pricey side. I'm thinking to buy one of these and make a hole in the bottom or cut it off entirely, for poking purposes. Any reason why I shouldn't?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MCQK...abc_2CRSVS0B9KK3EH4R61C9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
It seems to be tapered, so it will only come if push from the bottom, if you manage to remove that. Aren't there any PVC pipe over there that you could purchase, for close to the same price?
 
Sign up list:

(Please copy & Paste, add your name along with the next appropriate number.)

1. earlene - I have a few days before surgery, it will probably be my last soap for at least 6-8 weeks
2. dibbles - This will be super fun or very 'exciting' - I'm in
3.Vicki C. - My last day of work is today! Yippee! Soap studio here I come...
4. Tara_H - this is on my bucket list, I'm so in!
5. KimW - Found and fell in love with this about the time I found SMF. Now I have a reason to finally try it!
6. Jersey Girl- Yes, yes, yes! Been wanting to try this!
7. peachymoon - I’m back! And I’m in! :D
8. amd - maybe I can pop a soap for fun into my to do list this month
9. glendam - I have been thinking of trying this technique, good timing!
10.
 
Ah, it's less than a fiver, and I really like the idea of being able to see through it, at least while I'm getting the hang of the concept. I'm not sure if it's tapered or if it's just the photos, if the worst comes to the worst I'll have a new tool holder to replace the coffee mug which is currently serving that function :)
 
Ah, it's less than a fiver, and I really like the idea of being able to see through it, at least while I'm getting the hang of the concept. I'm not sure if it's tapered or if it's just the photos, if the worst comes to the worst I'll have a new tool holder to replace the coffee mug which is currently serving that function :)
In my experience with acrylic- you will want to line that. Acrylic has more give than PVC, so it's going to hang onto things a bit more.
 
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