Soap Making: The Aftermath

Well, here are the soapy results of the mad scientist get up from yesterday! After 24 hours the "loaf" was ready to be cut. I did not have anything that really made a good mold - so I used a milk carton & a mini loaf pan for the "overflow". I think, if I continue, I need to get a decent mold. I just want simple, rectangular, square or round bars. These bars still need 2-3 weeks to cure which, as I understand it from soap guru Vicki, both hardens the bars as well as produce a milder (less alkaline) bar. I used a scrap of the soap & it worked just fine - a little low on lather perhaps - but I think that improves with time as well- and I also had rubber gloves on when I tried it. This is all so mysterious - I have so much to learn ! The last picture (below) is the hand cream. It's dark because of the natural beeswax I used in it. I had to re-batch it because it separated. It is now a bit more stiff that I would like, but it works really well & it has enough beeswax in it that it really protects my hands.

Not to worry, I have not given up my fiber fanaticism for the world of soap suds. I HAVE been working on other things too! Aunties quilt is almost done (and it is a B-I-G queen size), my latest knitting project is progressing well, I have been keeping up with my paints - and mucking about with bits & pieces of fiber &fabric for an art quilt. More on all of these soon.