moniek Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 FOR THOSE THAT SWIRL THEIR SOAP, DO YOU SWIRL IN THE MOLD, OR IN WHATEVER YOU MIX IT IN? I AM SWIRLING IN THE MEASURING CUP, THEN POURING. SEEMS ALL THE SWIRL IS IN THE BOTTOM! THANKS FOR ANY SUGGESTIONS. IF IT MATTERS ANY I AM USING M&P SOAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsDammit Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Hmmm so far i have just swirled in the mold, but it seems to swirl just on top, maybe i need to swirl in the bowl.:rolleyes2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 CP? Here's what I do with my slab mold. Got through to the bottom on my most recent swirl. Confess that I got the idea for the hanger from another forum and it is great.1. Bend a hanger to have a flat edge that is exactly the length of my mold (slab). Bend another to have a flat edge for the width. Set aside.2. Separate out the portion to be colored into a measuring cup with a spout. I used a little more than half cup for a 2# batch. Color it when the time is right.3. Pour a layer of your base color into the mold. Don't worry if it doesnt completely cover the bottom. 4. Swirl in the colored with a tight "s" swirl back and forth the length of the mold.5. Add another layr of base color. Don't worry about completely covering the swirl.6. Repeat with your curvy line going up and down the other direction.7. Layer of base color.8. keep going like this, changing direction of your curvy colored line (next you could go at an angle) till you run out. END with the colored swirl. I have only been able to manage a total of 3 layers with color. 5 would be great though but I work too slow.9. With your hanger, press it down at about 1" intervals along the length of the mold. Down, up, move over and inch, down, up, move over... Make sure you hit bottom every time. The hanger pulls/pushes the colored portion down - the bottom seems to be the hardest part to get to!10. With the other hanger, repeat the width of the mold...11. Finish up by swirling with a chopstick on the diagonals in each direction with a final swirl in little circles on whole surface. Make sure your chopstick is allthe way to the bottom.And that's MY tutorial for the week.If you swirl in the measuring cup, make sure you pour the colored portion from a height for some of the time and from a lower height for the other half. Then do 3 cuts (no more, no less) with a spatula to stir it just a bitty bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giedre11 Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Thanks Carolgrant for those specific instuctions. I too tried the hanger method, as I understood it. I just used the hanger in the long part of the mold, and while I can't say my soap is swirled, it gave some very interesting designs in the soap. My problem is that if I even got to step 6, my soap would already be setting up and there's no way I'd be able to do this. If I pour at very, very thin trace, then all swirls fall to the bottom, but if I wait even a couple of minutes, then it sets up and there's no way I'm gonna swirl that sucker. It seems like there is a very tiny window of time to get all this done, so I guess I just haven't quite mastered it yet. It seems like you can have all these great techniques at your fingertips, but if you don't time it right and move fast enough...well. I've got to admit it's a lot of fun trying, just a bit disappointing when it doesn't come out the way you planned, yet you can get some very interesting effects anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibiscus Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Sounds like a lot of work and definitley for someone with more patience than I have:rolleyes2 it probably works nicely and I'd love to see the finished soap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc26 Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 If you were talking CP soap and swirling in the pot and all your color was sinking then I would suggest waiting until a slightly thicker trace. You said that you are trying to swirl mp..that is a much more difficult task. I have swirled mp on accident by having shavings or slices of mp(embeds) in the mold and then pouring my overpour a little to hot but not way to hot because then it all mixesThere are several threads on swirling mp..let me see if I can find them for you.http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12723&highlight=swirling+mphttp://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25632&highlight=swirl+mp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsDammit Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 so thats the trick to swirl all the way through, do it in layers-duh makes sense now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Not that I'm an expert - I've had one fairly successful swirl (and another potential in the cooler) - but I have time for the layers cause1. I soap with room temp stuff (lye water and oils)2. I use the SB for a total of like 10 seconds in the whole process (mainly I used the whisk).3. I pull out the portion to be colored while at a very light trace so I have time to get the color incorporated. Then I alternately beat the daylights out fo the base and the colored (with a whisk and a fork) till it gets to medium trace.4. I layer the base with a ladle so I can lay it down gently.Now watch me look like a fool as my next batch is a total and complete flop! Guess we'll see tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 I've finally gotten good swirls in CP. I use a slab mold and pour at thin trace if possible. Then I add the colored soap and pour it in slowly from at least 18 inches above the mold. When all of that is in the mold, I take the handle of my spatula and go back and forth width wise, then do it length wise. If the swirl isn't enough I swirl all over again. I get some really nice swirls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 oh, so you put ALL the base color in first and then pour one swirl down through it all? Gotta try that next - cause my method is way too complicated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 I like to mix things up when I soap, so sometimes I swirl ITP (in the pot) and sometimes I do my swirls ITS (in the slab). Different methods for each. ITP: Remove about a half-cup of batter ppo and add color. Dump back into the main batter portion from up high (so it hits the bottom) in about 3-4 spots. Pour into mold, using a swirling action as you go.ITS: Color your swirl portion separately as described above. Drizzle some in the bottom of the mold. Pour some of the main batter on top of that. Drizzle more colored portion on top of that. Now add the rest of the main batter on top of that. Now put the last of your colored swirl portion on the very top (drizzle all over). Take your chopstick or tool of choice and drag colored portion in one direction (say, horizontally), then do the same vertically. Make sure your chopstick is touching the bottom of the mold when you do this.Edited to add: Don't know if these methods would work for M&P ... I just use a toothpick dipped in dye and swirl it around in the just-poured bars. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamtam Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 With M&P, it's just about impossible to get the cool swirls like you see in so many CP soaps. I have found that if using part opaque and part clear, the clear seems to be 'heavier' and will always sink to the bottom of the mold. Many folks have gotten 'swirl' by pouring clear first , then pouring the opaque into the clear and letting it swirl on its own. It's very tricky getting the temperature just right between the two, the second pour can't be too hot, or it will all mix together. Do some searches in the forum for more suggestions on MP swirling. Also search on the soapdish forum, there is someone there that does beautiful MP swirls and at one time posted a tutorial showing how they do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 I read somewhere about pouring a layer and then when it cools carving grooves for the contrast swirl. Sounds challenging! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsDammit Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 I like to mix things up when I soap, so sometimes I swirl ITP (in the pot) and sometimes I do my swirls ITS (in the slab). Different methods for each. ITP: Remove about a half-cup of batter ppo and add color. Dump back into the main batter portion from up high (so it hits the bottom) in about 3-4 spots. Pour into mold, using a swirling action as you go.ITS: Color your swirl portion separately as described above. Drizzle some in the bottom of the mold. Pour some of the main batter on top of that. Drizzle more colored portion on top of that. Now add the rest of the main batter on top of that. Now put the last of your colored swirl portion on the very top (drizzle all over). Take your chopstick or tool of choice and drag colored portion in one direction (say, horizontally), then do the same vertically. Make sure your chopstick is touching the bottom of the mold when you do this.Edited to add: Don't know if these methods would work for M&P ... I just use a toothpick dipped in dye and swirl it around in the just-poured bars. LOLThanks Crafty, awesome tutorial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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