mysticglow Posted July 17, 2005 Share Posted July 17, 2005 I really want to make a pretty swirled soap but so far I just got blobs of color in my soap. At what consistancy do you combine the colors with you soap batch? I'm thinking maybe I may be letting it get to thick. I am mixing my colors with a very small amount of oil, once I mix the oils and lye I add a bit of the mixture to my colors and mix it up. Meanwhile I stick blend my soap batch to trace and then I add the colored soap to it. Then I pour the whole batch into my mold. Give it a couple of swirls with a skewer and done. But when I unmold the next day and cut NO SWIRLS just big ole ugly blobs. What am I missing? I've seen you guys soaps so I know it CAN be done. Just not by me - yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara Posted July 17, 2005 Share Posted July 17, 2005 Say I'm swirling a 4 pound slab (swirling is best done in a slab), after bringing to a light trace, I'll take out 1lb. of soap from the batch, color that whatever color I want. Pour the soap (the 3lbs.) in the slab.Take the lb. of soap that you colored and pour it in the slab by going back and forth like a snake, back and forth while moving it along the slab. Then turn and go up and down (what you're doing is snaking it horizontal all the way across, then vertical all the way back).Vary the height of the pot you are pouring from so some of the mixture hits the top and bottom.When you're finished with that, you take a spoon or butter knife (or whatever) and snake through the slab in the same manner, or just about any way you please.Varying the pattern you pour in or the pattern you swirl in will give you different loos to your swirls. I hope that makes some sense!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticglow Posted July 17, 2005 Author Share Posted July 17, 2005 Thank you miss Sara. Makes perfect sense. I can see how it would be easier to do in a slab mold rather than the loaf mold. I have been pouring the color into my soap pot first then mold. Read about that way to do it somewhere but yours sounds a little easier to me. Now I just need to get a slab mold. What is the best brand, type etc.. Thanks, Judy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara Posted July 17, 2005 Share Posted July 17, 2005 I got mine at Upland. You can also get creative and use something you have around the house. Those flat Priority Mail boxes work well.There's a way of figuring out dimentions and batch size, but I misplaced it. Maybe someone will chime in here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie Posted July 17, 2005 Share Posted July 17, 2005 http://www.candlesandwoodcrafts.com/woodensoapmolds.htmlI got mine here. The price was very good, and the shipping was parcel post which made the shipping costs less.HTh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teercreations Posted July 17, 2005 Share Posted July 17, 2005 I am slab impaired....I got slabs just cant swirl in them. So I do in the pot swirling. I take about a lb of soap out of my pot color it .....bring it high over your head and start pouring. (the reason i put it high over my head is because I want it to reach the bottom of the pot -- and I pour on high tables). Then I pour from my big bowl/pot and pour into the mold. It usually comes out swirly ....if not stick a knife or something in it and stir lightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticglow Posted July 17, 2005 Author Share Posted July 17, 2005 Thanks guys. I really appreciate everyone's advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanessa Posted July 17, 2005 Share Posted July 17, 2005 i do like some of the others. i dont have a slab mold so i just use the log molds and i had used robins tutorial http://watersgulch.com/howtocp.shtml the instructions were awsome.i make only 2/3 plain 1/3 into one color pour the color into to the bowl from high so it sinks to the bottom. then when i pour in the log mold i just move the bowl back and forth left to right when pouring ti into the mold seems to swirl for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorrie Posted July 18, 2005 Share Posted July 18, 2005 If you have a loaf/log mold you can actually do the swirl in a bowl than pour it into the mold. That is what I do or I pour some of the uncolored mixture in the mold, pour some colored, than the uncolored and take a scourer and make my swirl. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairy_Light Posted July 18, 2005 Share Posted July 18, 2005 wow I couldn't have put it better myself... those directions were awesome... and hun once you get the swirl down I promise you will love what you create. My first swirl had me hooked for life. be sure to take pictures for us to see.HUGS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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