Soapmaking 101

Miss T and I went to a soapmaking class in Medway on March 23rd, so I am a little late with this post. Can I tell you how much fun we had? Who knew? I think I have found yet another hobby to take time away from cleaning the house! *LOL*
Apparently, up until WWII, pretty much everyone made their own soap. And it isn't hard to make, either.
We learned the cold process method, which means that you don't add any heat from an external source, ie. no cooking. We made 4 1/2 pounds of soap, which equals 15 bars. Mine are a citrus blend of pink grapefruit, lemon and lemongrass. The whole house is lightly scented with citrus. I love it!
I have to wait about 3 weeks (4/13!) to use my soap, as it takes that long to "cure" or harden. If I am impatient, and use it now, it will melt away very quickly. Patience is a virtue. (Yes, it's killing me to leave them alone!)