How to Make Tartan Soap
St Andrew's Day is traditionally a festival of feasting, but these days it's just a good opportunity practice a bit of 'coorie'. Coorie is the Scottish version of Hygge and comes from the phrase 'coorie in' meaning to snuggle or nestle in and what better way to get cosy than to do a bit of crafting.
This tartan soap is such a simple yet effective project and would make the perfect gift to celebrate St Andrew's Day. Follow our simple guide to learn how to craft your own unique soap inspired by traditional Scottish tartan.
Project and instructions by Amy Buchanan.
Photo credit: John Mackie
You will need
Subtotal
Is $ 7.49
Subtotal
Is $ 15.00
Subtotal
Is $ 15.00
Weigh out 20g of clear melt and pour soap and chop into 1cm squared cubes. Put into a microwave safe container and melt in the microwave using short 10 second bursts, until liquid.
Add a few drops of purple soap dye and stir with a tea spoon to combine. If the soap begins to solidify, reheat.
Pour the soap into a soap mould and spritz the surface with rubbing alcohol to disperse any bubbles.
Repeat steps 1-3 to make both a green and orange soap. Leave these to cool for 15 minutes or until hard.
Pop them out of the mould and make 3 more exactly the same as before, so you have 6 soaps in total.
Cut the soaps into strips of different widths, no thinner than 0.5cm. For each colour cut one soap horizontal and one vertical.
Place the strips into the moulds to begin designing your tartan. Start by putting 3 of the longer horizontal strips into the bottom of the mould, I normally choose one of each colour. Then lay 1 or 2 of each colour of the vertical strips on top. Take the strips out of the mould and lay them in their pattern next to the mould.
Melt 60g of clear soap in a microwave safe container as before. You can stir in a few drops of essential oil at this stage if you wish. I added Heather fragrance to give the soap a delicate Scottish, floral scent.
Leave to cool for 60 secs (this helps to stop the coloured strips from melting), then pour into one section of your mould. Add your coloured soap strips and press down with a utensil until submerged. Spritz the surface with rubbing alcohol. Repeat this with your other soaps. It is better to do them one at a time to allow you time to work with the melted soap.
Once the clear soap is fully dry, weigh out 60g of white melt and pour soap. Melt as before. Pour a thin layer of white soap into the top of the mould. Spritz with rubbing alcohol.
Leave the soap to set for at least an hour, then carefully remove it from the mould.
Why not try cutting your soaps into different shapes using cookie cutters? Or wrapping them in brown paper and tying with string to give as a gift?
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