Tami
December 1st, 2003, 03:18 AM
Candles Easy, Beautiful and Cheap
It is easy enough to make your own candles and you can have a lot of fun doing it. You also get to save money! You can scent the candles with aromatic fragrances or essential oils. You can pick the colours, and the size. It's up to you!
I have chosen a simple way to make candles and one that wont have you rushing out to the stores to buy all sorts of craft bits and pieces (You can advance to the fancy stuff later - let's keep it simple for now!)
What you need before you start
Wax
There are many different types but parafin wax is cheaper and easy to obtain so lets go with that. We will also need Stearin. Stearin will make the candles smoother and harder. 10% stearin to parafin wax. Save more money by recycling old candles - this can work well; remove the wicks and cut the candle wax into chunks. (Adding some new wax will give better results).
Wicking
This can be cut to your required size. Rather than buying a strip buy a full roll, then you have it handy.
Moulds
You don't need to go out and buy moulds - you can make them. A bucket of sand with some greaseproof paper will do if you are eager to start. You make the shape you want in the sand put the greaseproof paper into it and press it well, then its ready for your wax . Leave the impression deep set in the sand though so that you have enough room to place a stick across the top to centralize the wick later. If you would rather buy moulds, you can get glass or plastic - the glass ones are more expensive and not really for beginners.
Cooking utensils
A large pan big enough to hold some cans.
Washed and cleaned food cans
Try to funnel the cans a little to form a spout so that it will make pouring easier later. You can use food cans like soup containers, beans tins and so on.
Colours, blocks and scents
I prefer to use my own blends of essential oils.
Sticks (or needles) and some modelling clay
The sticks are to hold the wick in the centre of the mould. The modelling clay is to hold in place the wick in the hole at the bottom of the mould, and to seal the hole to keep the wax in.
Container for cooling the moulds (cold water bath)
The containers should be big enough to hold the entire mould but not too big as you don't want the mould to move too much.
Now we are ready to start.
Heat a pan of water big enough to hold all of your cans.
Prepare the wax by filling the cans and putting them carefully into the pan (a little like heating a baby dinner in a pan of hot water) don't forget the wax will shrink on cooling so make sure you make up too much rather than too little.
Melt the wax slowly. Once it is liquid you can add the stearin (if you're using paraffin wax).
If you are adding colour you can do this now. Remember the colour will be a little paler in the can than in the finished candle. Try dropping some of the coloured wax onto a cool, flat surface to get an idea of the finished colour.
Add some drops of your chosen essential oils or fragrances You only need a few drops of the oil (about 5 for a 2 inch candle) it will stay in the wax as it dries and offer slow release on lighting.
Prepare the moulds: Coat the inside with a thin layer of lubricant, a little sweet almond oil smeared onto the mould will do. Do this to make it easier to get the candle out of the mould later.
Cut the wicking to the length of the mould plus an extra 2 to 3 inches. Harden one end by dipping it into the wax and letting it cool. Thread it into the mould and secure it with the modelling clay plugging the hole as you do so. Secure the other end of the wick to a stick so that the wick hangs straight in the centre of the mould.
Put the mould on a flat surface and slowly pour the melted wax into the mould. Be careful not to get too many bubbles in the wax - the slower you pour the less likely you are to get bubbles.
Let the candle stand for a few minutes, then give the side a few gentle taps to disburse any air bubbles.
Put the candle (mould) into the water bath. The water should come to about an inch from the top of the mould. Leave the candle to cool for about 1 hour. If you are using the sand mould you will have to leave it to set overnight instead.
When wax cools it will contract, so you will have a "well" in the centre of your candle. Break the skin of the cooling wax (you can use a needle for this).
Re-heat some more wax, and carefully fill the well through the hole you just made with the needle.
Replace the candle into the water bath, and leave for another hour.
When the wax is cool, it will be solid to the touch, but may still be a little warm. Remove the modelling clay from the "sharp" end of the wick. The one you hardened with wax before. Pull the other end with care but be firm, there will be a vacuum, so you will have to pull fairly hard, but steadily. If the candle doesn't want to come out, try putting it back into the water bath for a few more minutes. Some water will seep down the sides of the mould, and can lubricate it more. If the candle is really stubborn, you can risk heating the mould up a little in a warm oven for a few minutes.
Once the candle is out of the mould, you will need to finish it. This is mostly a matter of cutting off the wick from the bottom of the candle, and trimming the main wick. You can also trim the wax at the bottom of the candle to make it flat - it depends if it's going to go straight into a holder or not!
You can then polish the candle - use some cotton for this - an old T-shirt, hankie etc. will do.
Let the candle rest for 24 hours before using it.
Tami
It is easy enough to make your own candles and you can have a lot of fun doing it. You also get to save money! You can scent the candles with aromatic fragrances or essential oils. You can pick the colours, and the size. It's up to you!
I have chosen a simple way to make candles and one that wont have you rushing out to the stores to buy all sorts of craft bits and pieces (You can advance to the fancy stuff later - let's keep it simple for now!)
What you need before you start
Wax
There are many different types but parafin wax is cheaper and easy to obtain so lets go with that. We will also need Stearin. Stearin will make the candles smoother and harder. 10% stearin to parafin wax. Save more money by recycling old candles - this can work well; remove the wicks and cut the candle wax into chunks. (Adding some new wax will give better results).
Wicking
This can be cut to your required size. Rather than buying a strip buy a full roll, then you have it handy.
Moulds
You don't need to go out and buy moulds - you can make them. A bucket of sand with some greaseproof paper will do if you are eager to start. You make the shape you want in the sand put the greaseproof paper into it and press it well, then its ready for your wax . Leave the impression deep set in the sand though so that you have enough room to place a stick across the top to centralize the wick later. If you would rather buy moulds, you can get glass or plastic - the glass ones are more expensive and not really for beginners.
Cooking utensils
A large pan big enough to hold some cans.
Washed and cleaned food cans
Try to funnel the cans a little to form a spout so that it will make pouring easier later. You can use food cans like soup containers, beans tins and so on.
Colours, blocks and scents
I prefer to use my own blends of essential oils.
Sticks (or needles) and some modelling clay
The sticks are to hold the wick in the centre of the mould. The modelling clay is to hold in place the wick in the hole at the bottom of the mould, and to seal the hole to keep the wax in.
Container for cooling the moulds (cold water bath)
The containers should be big enough to hold the entire mould but not too big as you don't want the mould to move too much.
Now we are ready to start.
Heat a pan of water big enough to hold all of your cans.
Prepare the wax by filling the cans and putting them carefully into the pan (a little like heating a baby dinner in a pan of hot water) don't forget the wax will shrink on cooling so make sure you make up too much rather than too little.
Melt the wax slowly. Once it is liquid you can add the stearin (if you're using paraffin wax).
If you are adding colour you can do this now. Remember the colour will be a little paler in the can than in the finished candle. Try dropping some of the coloured wax onto a cool, flat surface to get an idea of the finished colour.
Add some drops of your chosen essential oils or fragrances You only need a few drops of the oil (about 5 for a 2 inch candle) it will stay in the wax as it dries and offer slow release on lighting.
Prepare the moulds: Coat the inside with a thin layer of lubricant, a little sweet almond oil smeared onto the mould will do. Do this to make it easier to get the candle out of the mould later.
Cut the wicking to the length of the mould plus an extra 2 to 3 inches. Harden one end by dipping it into the wax and letting it cool. Thread it into the mould and secure it with the modelling clay plugging the hole as you do so. Secure the other end of the wick to a stick so that the wick hangs straight in the centre of the mould.
Put the mould on a flat surface and slowly pour the melted wax into the mould. Be careful not to get too many bubbles in the wax - the slower you pour the less likely you are to get bubbles.
Let the candle stand for a few minutes, then give the side a few gentle taps to disburse any air bubbles.
Put the candle (mould) into the water bath. The water should come to about an inch from the top of the mould. Leave the candle to cool for about 1 hour. If you are using the sand mould you will have to leave it to set overnight instead.
When wax cools it will contract, so you will have a "well" in the centre of your candle. Break the skin of the cooling wax (you can use a needle for this).
Re-heat some more wax, and carefully fill the well through the hole you just made with the needle.
Replace the candle into the water bath, and leave for another hour.
When the wax is cool, it will be solid to the touch, but may still be a little warm. Remove the modelling clay from the "sharp" end of the wick. The one you hardened with wax before. Pull the other end with care but be firm, there will be a vacuum, so you will have to pull fairly hard, but steadily. If the candle doesn't want to come out, try putting it back into the water bath for a few more minutes. Some water will seep down the sides of the mould, and can lubricate it more. If the candle is really stubborn, you can risk heating the mould up a little in a warm oven for a few minutes.
Once the candle is out of the mould, you will need to finish it. This is mostly a matter of cutting off the wick from the bottom of the candle, and trimming the main wick. You can also trim the wax at the bottom of the candle to make it flat - it depends if it's going to go straight into a holder or not!
You can then polish the candle - use some cotton for this - an old T-shirt, hankie etc. will do.
Let the candle rest for 24 hours before using it.
Tami