1. Holding a carving knife like a pen, touch the soap with a ring or little finger to support the knife. To cut off the soap thinly, move the knife away from your body.
2. Thinly Cut off the top of the soap to create a flat surface. Usually the surface of the soap is dry and crumbly, so remove the surface. Then draw a 3 cm (1-1/8") circle in the center with a pointed tool such as a knife point or a toothpick.
3. Holding your knife at a right angle to the soap, deeply cut a circle along the outline. Tip: Turn your soap with the hand holding the soap, don't move your knife. Either clockwise or counterclockwise is fine. Then tilting your knife, cut the soap along the circle by turning the soap.
4. You can cut the circle either inside or outside. Then remove the soap.
5. Evenly shape the soap around the center. Trim the edge of the top of the center a bit. Divide the top of the center into five equal parts by marking five dots.
6. Cut a thin petal shape around the center. The petals is a little bigger than one-fifth of the circumference of the center. Thinly cut off the inside of the petal.
7. Smooth the soap where you will carve the second petal. Cut the second petal that overlaps the first petal.
8. Thinly cut off the inside of the second petal. Repeat the steps to make the third and the fourth petals.
9. Thinly cut off the soap where you will carve the petal, then carve the fifth petal. The first row of the center bud is done.
10. Lower the top of the center inside the five petals. Carve a first petal of the second row. The petal is placed between the petals of the first row.
11. Carve the second to fifth petals in the same way as the first row. Lower the top of the center inside the second row and shape the center into a small dome shape. Carve five petals of the third row. Less than five petals is ok.
12. If you'd like, carve the fourth row. The center bud is done.
13. Carve the outer petals. Divide the soap around the center bud into five equal parts by marking five small lines. Carve a shallow dent where you will carve the first petal of the outer layer. Then cut a petal shape in the dent. The petal is a little bigger than one-fifth of the outside of the center.
14. Cut the soap under the petal and remove the soap. Then smooth the soap where you will carve the second petal and carve a shallow dent. Cut the second petal in the dent. The second petal overlaps the first petal. Cut off the soap under the second petal.
15. Two petals are done. Repeat the steps to carve the third to fifth petals. The first outer layer is done.
16. Lower the outside of the first layer to carve the second layer. Carve a shallow dent between the first petal and fifth petal of the first layer. Each petals of the second layer is placed between the petals of the first layer.
17. Cut a petal shape in the dent and cut off the soap under the petal. The first petal is done. Carve a shallow dent and carve the second petal that overlaps the first petal.
18. Repeat the steps to carve the third to fifth petal of the second layer. The rose flower is done. Cut off and flatten the soap around the flower to carve six leaves.
19. Cut a leaf shape in the corner of the soap. Cut off the soap around the leaf. Cut a thick midrib shape in the leaf, then lightly cut off the soap around it.
20. Cut a leaf shape in the corner of the soap. Cut off the soap around the leaf. Cut a thick midrib shape in the leaf, then lightly cut off the soap around it.
21. Carve the second leaf in the next corner. Then carve the third leaf between the first and the second leaves. Repeat the steps to the opposite side.
22. Evenly cut the edge of the soap and smooth the soap around the flower and leaves.
23. Finished!
