Friday, September 11, 2015

Radiating Stripes Soap Tutorial Using Lego Bricks

Glycerin soap is an amazing medium for creating layers.  I always wanted to make a jaw-breaker soap but struggled with the process.  Then, a few years ago, Anne-Marie Faiola (the Soap Queen), was working on a layers theme post for the Bramble Berry blog and invited me to contribute a soap design.
At the time, my son was enjoying Legos (using my Legos that my mother lovingly kept), and I realized how amazing these plastic building bricks would be to build a soap mold!  Leak proof, heat resistant, and totally modular! Although this project requires a lot of time, it's not difficult.  Simply create a tiny square then embed it, building layer upon layer, rebuilding your mold as you go.  Although cutting into it is a tad nerve-racking, the thrill of seeing the layers is worth the effort!!  Here's the visual graphic, and the steps are beneath.  Come to my Facebook page to discuss or show off your version!


1. Set up first cavity, making walls enclosing 4 raised dots (or a "2x2"). Make walls 3 bricks high. You will only fill to 2 bricks high to make a cube.

2. Fill to top of 2nd brick with white soap. Allow to harden, then break walls to release white cube.

3. Trim bottom of soap to remove dot indentations.

4. Build next box enclosing 3x3 dots. Walls should be 4 bricks high. Fill with 2nd color to 1/2 brick high. Let harden. This will be the floor your white cube will sit on.

5. Put in white cube. Spray with alcohol and top off with 2nd color, to 3 bricks high.

6. Here's what it looks like with the white cube covered in red soap.

7. Break walls, pulling bricks off of soap.

8. Trim off these lego indentations.

9. Trimming...

10. Repeat and repeat, every time making your box 1 row wider and taller.

11. Here is my almost finished cube. It is 5 layers thick.

12. My last layer is white.

Main photo:  Here's the finished soap, all cut up into neat angles to show the layers.

Tip: Make sure to use non-bleeding colorants!! You don't want those gorgeous layers to go fuzzy on you.  Also, use a really sharp heavy knife to cut it up - a thin knife may bend and throw off your cut. 

Idea: wouldn't this be a fun way to make some Tetris inspired soaps?  No layers required!!  

Have fun everyone!
-Debbie

(Would you like more Soapylove projects?  Head to soapylove.com for the entire library!)

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