Flower with Plaid

General info

flower_with_plaid 1 flower_with_plaid 2
  • I have carved this example with improved knife (click here to find out how to improve carving knife)
  • Difficulty: Intermediate

What you will need

supplies
  • Soap
  • Carving or Exacto knife
  • Paring knife
  • Scooping tool e.g. binder clip
  • Toothpick (or other pointed tool)

Optional

  • Beads
  • Craft glue

Soap info

Ichigo Milk soap

Used in tutorial

ichigo milk soap
  • Available
  • Milk and strawberry scented
  • Diameter: 6.8 cm (2-3/4")
  • Thickness: 2.8 cm (1-1/8")
  • Weight: 80g (3 oz)

Persimmon soap

persimmon soap
  • Available
  • Sweet Fruity Scent
  • Size: 8.8 cm (3-1/2") x 5.5 cm (2-1/8") x 2.8 cm (1-1/8")
  • Weight: 100 g (3.5 oz)

Instruction video

Note: Instructions on how to carve flower with plaid (pretty flower) begin from 5:39.

Instructions

1. Thinly cut off the top of the soap with a paring knife.
step 1
2. Draw a 1.5 cm (5/8") diameter circle for a center bud with a toothpick.
step 2
3. Deeply cut the circle.
step 3
4. Remove soap around the circle.
step 4
5. Trim the edge of the circle.
step 5
6. Mark the short lines with a toothpick to divide the circle into 8 equal parts.
step 6
7. Carve 8 round petals of the first row.
step 7
8. Trim the soap inside the eight petals into a dome shape.
step 8
9. Carve eight round petals of the second row in the same way and trim the center into a small dome shape.
step 9
10. Mark with the toothpick 8 equal parts as shown.
step 10
11. Carve a shallow indent in each part.
step 11
12. Cut a round petal in each part.
step 12
13. Remove the soap under previously carved petals.
step 13
14. Carve 8 shallow indents for the second layer.
step 14
15. Carve 8 petals of the second layer.
step 15
16. Remove soap around the petals.
step 16
17. Carve 8 shallow indents for the third layer.
step 17
18. Carve 8 wavy petals.
step 18
19. Carve regular petal under each wavy petal. Remove soap under each regular petal.
step 19
20. Thinly cut off the soap around the flower to create a flat surface.
step 20
21. Draw 2 leaves with a toothpick.
step 21
22. Remove soap around leaves.
step 22
23. Carve the midrib on each leaf.
step 23
24. Carve side venation on each leaf.
step 24
25. Smooth the blanks.
step 25
26. Draw a grid on soap with a toothpick to carve a plaid pattern.
step 26
27. Carve the thick grid.
step 27
28. Using the point of the knife, cut a thin grid. Done!
step 28