How to Make Soap Shapes With Your Own Soap

Carving shapes out of ordinary bar soap makes a good craft project.

For a fuss-free craft idea, carving bar soap into various shapes is an inexpensive project. This craft requires the use of sharp objects such as knives and should only be used by children with adult supervision. The project is a fun way to teach kids about different shapes, allowing them to use their imagination. Finished projects can be used at bath time or displayed in groups in a bathroom.

Things You'll Need

• Bar of soap
• Small kitchen paring knife
• Permanent marker
• Potato peeler or handheld rotary tool
• Scissors
• Two small towels
• Cutting board or non-scratch surface

Instructions

1. Take a wrapped bar of soap from its packaging and set aside. Using a small kitchen paring knife, remove any design on the soap by laying the knife flat on the soap and cutting away from your hand. Sketch your desired shape onto a piece of paper, then cut out using scissors. Place this pattern onto the bar soap and use a small point permanent marker to outline the shape onto the soap.

2. Lie the soap down on a flat surface such as a cutting board. Holding down with your left hand, begin carving an outline of your design using the paring knife with your right had. For left-handed individuals, reverse the order. Start whittling or cutting away the area around your design by shaving away small pieces so the soap does not split or break.

3. After the desired shape is carved into the soap bar, smooth its edges and outer surfaces using either a potato peeler or small handheld rotary tool with adult supervision. Next, use the paring knife to cut any detail, such as facial features into your bar soap. Finish by eliminating the bar of soap of any loose particles by running it underwater briefly and drying with a clean, dry towel. Buff the soap with another dry towel to add shine.

Tips & Warnings

• For first-time soap carvers, start with an inexpensive, store brand soap bar for practice.

• For the actual project, colored and marbled bar soaps can be found in supermarkets.

• When using knives or other sharp objects, always cut away from your body and hands to avoid an accident.