If you’ve ever looked at a soap swirl design and thought, “There’s no way I could do that…” you’re not alone. Some designs look complicated at first glance – but most of them are much easier to make than they appear.
One of my favorite examples is the Peacock Swirl.
It looks intricate and fancy, but it truly is simpler than it seems! And today I want to show you exactly how to make the little tool that creates the first step in the design – a Nonpareil Soap Swirl.
Watch on IG: How I Make My Simple Raking Tool
All you need is an index card and a few hair‑roller picks. This tiny DIY rake helps you pull clean, evenly spaced lines through your soap batter – the classic nonpareil pattern used in traditional paper marbling.
And if you don’t have the picks? A skewer works beautifully, too.
What the Nonpareil Leads To…
Now, you can leave your design as the non-pareil swirl and call it a day – it’s gorgeous as it is! Here’s a step-by-step post for Rosemary, Mint, and Spruce Nonpareil Soap.
OR, you can make the full Peacock swirl!
Once your nonpareil is in place, you transform it by adding gentle vertical S‑curves. Here’s a look at what the finished design looks like:
Want to Learn the Full Peacock Swirl?
For the January Soap Challenge Club (more on that below if you don’t know what I’m talking about), we taught the complete Peacock Swirl process- including:
- Three video tutorials, including basic and advanced versions
- A detailed PDF with tips, troubleshooting, and visual guides
- My slow‑moving swirling recipe
- How to make and use the raking tool
- How to master the S‑curve motion
The challenge is over, but the full tutorial, including everything above, is now available for you to keep!
New to Soap Challenge Club? Here’s What It Is.
Soap Challenge Club is a monthly technique challenge I co‑run with Robyn French Smith. Each month, we teach a new design with step‑by‑step videos, a full PDF, and a supportive community of makers.
And don’t let the word “challenge” scare you. Soapmakers of all levels jump in – from brand‑new beginners to seasoned swirl‑lovers – and everyone is there to learn, experiment, and grow their skills.
You can compete for prizes if you want to, but you absolutely don’t have to. Many people join just to learn the technique and practice their skills!
The best part?
You can join for just one month, a few months at a time, or whenever a technique catches your eye. No big commitments, no pressure – just fun, learning, and community.
A Few of January’s Peacock Swirl Challenge Winners
We just wrapped our very first month running the Soap Challenge Club, after Amy Warden (founder) passed her soap stick to us. The entries were absolutely stunning! Here are a few of the winning soaps:
You can see the full gallery of winners here 👉 Soap Challenge Club Peacock Swirl Winners
If you make this one, share it in our Facebook Group, Saponification Nation! I’d love to see your peacock swirls.
Happy Soaping!
Amanda
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