Comments on: Is It Soap Yet?

By: GippyGardener

GippyGardener — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:13:20 +0000

Hello, just found your blog via Sue’s Balcony Garden and can’t wait to come back and have more of a look around! Handmade soaps seem to be very popular here at the moment too. I would never have guessed that they would be so technical to make! Looking forward to hearing the final verdict when they have finished curing

By: Noelle/azplantlady

Noelle/azplantlady — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:35:41 +0000

How interesting….I remember making soap in my college chemistry class along with nylon and aspirin.

By: Curbstone Valley Farm

Curbstone Valley Farm — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:31:13 +0000

I’m very impressed. I’ve never made soap, but have been noticing that home-made and artisan soaps are becoming all the rage. It would be fun to try to make our own, and maybe incorporate fragrances from the garden like lavender or citrus. I had no idea soap took that long to cure, but I’m sure it will be worth the wait!

By: Villager

Villager — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:12:03 +0000

Well, we took the easy way out on the lye and bought it, but it’s pretty neat that you’re trying to make it yourself. We’re having a lot of fun with the soap-making, and I think we’ve about decided on a 3rd batch to try. It will be fun to try and incorporate some herbs and flowers into the mix, as well as an excuse to grow a few more things. I’ve got some Clary Sage started already that might be nice for soap.

By: Villager

Villager — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:03:20 +0000

Liza, it’s so neat that your Mom made soap! And that you actually couldn’t wait to use it. When we first started talking about it, I had visions of the Clampetts making it out in their back yard, with Granny stirring a big pot over an open fire. Instead we’re doing it indoors wearing our rubber gloves and goggles and stirring it with an immersion blender!!!

By: LynnS

LynnS — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:47:04 +0000

Anticipation is part of the fun! Be patient!! lol

You are way way ahead of us!! We can’t get past the lye-making process. We have almost driven ourselves crazy (and wasting eggs) with the leeched ash-water, trying to make our own lye. Something is really not working for us. My only guess is that the wood stove’s catalytic converter is burning the wood too well, not leaving us with enough residue in our ashes. (These converters burn so clean that there is no need for the flue to be cleaned.) We burn oak, mostly, so it’s not the wood. The water is soft water (rainwater from our barrels). It doesn’t leave many variables to check, but this weekend, we may just burn a pile of sticks outside to get a different batch of ashes. Crazy, huh?

In the meantime, I will continue to admire your soap trials and all of those nice looking bars you’ve made. Doncha love the ragged edges?!

Good job!!