Teach Soap

I tried to start a discussion in the past on felted soap and didn't get much of a response so I will try again. I have seen these at several craft fairs and they seem like the perfect way to get rid of ugly soap. Now I know there are those of you out there who will say "No hand crafted soap is ugly it is unique" Well, I have some that that are ugly! Felting seems like the perfect opportunity to use them in a productive and beautiful way. Soooooooooo.....anyone doing it? I have made one and just order some very pretty roving. I am having a little trouble getting a good lather and am thinking I didn't put enough or too much roving on.

I don't have an aswer for you since I don't make them. I prefer soap as is. I don't use a washcloth.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I've never used a felted soap, I think they look very cool. From the video I saw it's a ton of work to felt soap. Is it worth the time for what you can sell it for?

Probably not because the roving is pretty pricey. I do gift baskets for fundraisers where I live and I was thinking of putting them in those. Also gifts for family and friends. I had a quilter tell me she would use one to stick her needles in.

I make all sorts of cool things for family gifting that I don't make to sell. Ether expensive ingredients or too time consuming for mass production.

Yes, I make felted soap. One of my loyal customers at our local farm market co-op gave me a piece of my soap after felting it as a Christmas gift. She then proceeded to buy 19 bars to felt for gifts for friends. I thought it was odd, but was grateful to this kind customer for her gift and for her business. I used it and absolutely loved it. I use pretty gentle recipes and not a lot of coconut oil, but the lather came through very well. It very gently exfoliates if you rub it on your skin. I started making soap because I have a child with eczema and the gentle scrubbing does not bother her sensitive skin.

Of course, I looked into felting for the exact reason you mention. I had a handful of ugly bars. One in particular with vanilla and TD that didn't disperse well. It was dark brown with horrible white specs. I was too embarrased to give it away! I watched a youtube video on felting and never looked back. I wet felt the whole bar and needle felt designs on some. It took about 10 bars to get the technique down where I like the outcome and I can now wet felt a bar in about 5 minutes. Everyone loves their "soap in a sweater."

I would post pics if I were more computer literate.

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~Alyssa
We ascribe beauty to that which is simple; which has no superfluous parts; which exactly answers its end; which stands related to all things; which is the mean of many extremes. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

How so very interesting! I just saw my first felting things a few months back and have wondered about the soap. I looked up the directions, but was too impatient to try and figure it all out! I am glad to know that it can be so fast to do, but I am curious about the cost and the materials. I don't know if I will ever try it, but I really think that the little felted objects I've seen are so darn cute! So why not put some on soap? Whoever thinks up this stuff first is really imaginative! I too, would LOVE to see pictures, but I understand the not understanding part of the picture uploading deal, cuz I haven't figured it out here yet either!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

The materials are not that expensive. I bought some wool roving from an amish market and it is about $1-3 per ounce. The higher grade wool is more expensive. I find that the lower grade wool is easier to wet felt. Also, it does not take much wool to cover a 3-4 ounce bar of soap.

I'll ask my hubby to help load some pics. They were a best seller at my last market. I had a group of tween boys that wanted to know all about them and the mother bought a bar for each. Very cute.

I am probably using way too expensive roving. I have not heard the term wet felting. I have only done one bar and definately have some learning to do. The roving was dry as I wrapped it around the bar. I didn't have a wash board so I just mushed it around in my hands. Now that I have a washboard I will wrap the soap, put it in a nylon stocking then rub it on a wash board. Is that the technique you use summerluvin??? I also wonder if I maybe I didn't wrap enough roving around the soap. The soap was blue and in some spots I could still see the color of the soap through the roving. The only roving I find around here is at craft stores. Mucho $$$$$$. I ordered some from knitpicks that is beautiful. It would be nice to get a lesser grade for the base and wrap these bright colors around that,
I hope you will be able to get some pictures posted.

There are many videos on youtube but this is one gets straight to the point and has good quality :]

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~Alyssa
We ascribe beauty to that which is simple; which has no superfluous parts; which exactly answers its end; which stands related to all things; which is the mean of many extremes. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

I think they look so pretty and artful! It takes a talent like painting and proportion and such to look good. However to me personally it is like using the same wash cloth over and over again and it gives me an ick factor. That's just me I'm sure.

WOW. He uses a lot of roving. I need to find a cheaper source.

I've tried it in the past for soaps that were very plain and they didn't sell well for me. Part of the problem is I had to go out and buy the material to do it and then you have to add that onto your soap price and customers weren't willing to pay more for something felted.