Candle Making

Candles have been a part of our lives for thousands of years. Although candles started as a necessary part of every day life, we now use them as decoration, to soothe our busy lives, to create a romantic atmosphere and to fill our homes with warmth.

Candles are one of the most versatile decorating items we have today. What other item fits equally well into a country setting, a traditional setting or a contemporary setting? What other item comes in such a wide variety of colors to blend with any decor? Candles are available scented lightly, scented heavily or unscented. You can choose from candles made with man made materials or all natural materials. Candles come in very large to very small sizes to fit any budget. Where else can you find this versatility?

Pillars
Pillar candles make a very dramatic statement. Group them together using different sizes, shapes, colors and textures. The possibilities are endless. To create a simple grouping of pillars, consider placing the pillars on a mirror. The mirror will reflect the shimmering candlelight and creates a beautiful effect. If you would like something a little more elaborate, try entwining vines, silk flowers and ribbons between the pillars. Or, for a more casual look, place your pillars on a plate and surround the base of the candles with potpourri, cranberries, pine cones, small ball ornaments or any other small item you can find. Use your imagination and have fun playing with different materials!

Floating
Floating candles are another option for creating a romantic or festive atmosphere. These candles are designed to float in water, which reflects the candlelight. Floating candles can be placed in clear glass or solid pottery bowls, depending on the effect you want to achieve. The candles can be placed alone in a bowl, or you can float other items among the candles such as cranberries, pinecones, pine branches or silk flowers. Try using clear tumbler-type glasses or vases. Float silk flowers, foliage or other items in the bottom of the glass or vase and place the floating candle on top. Also try slightly coloring the water with a drop or two of food coloring. The possibilities are endless, and you are sure to find items around your house to float candles. If you plan to float items with your floating candles, please watch closely that they do not float too close to the candle flame.

Votive & Containers
Are you looking for a more casual use for your candles? Votive and container candles are perfect for a more casual look. There are many different types of votive holders that can be purchased. Just make sure your votive fits tightly and completely in the holder. Since votives are designed to liquefy and fill any container they are placed in, a tight fitting holder will prolong the life of your votive by allowing all the wax to be consumed. Votives can be placed anywhere in your home. They are perfect for small rooms such as bathrooms, or places where you do not want to take up a lot of space like in the kitchen.

Making Your Own Candles
So, now you are all excited about candles. You are ready to run out and buy an armful to decorate your home. And you are thinking you finally found the perfect hostess gift for Aunt Mary when you visit her for your family's holiday dinner. But hold on...if a candle is the perfect solution, wouldn't a candle personally made by you be even better? Of course it would!

Good idea, but how do you make your own candle? It will take some time and patience, but it will also be fun. And won't your friends and relatives be impressed! Let's start with what you will need to make your candles. First you need to determine what type of candle you wish to make. Votives, floats or containers work best for beginners. Pillar candles can be done, but will require some items that are not always easy to find.

What you will need:

1. A tin can or old metal coffee urn to melt and mix the wax in. A metal pot works best as it holds in heat longer than glass and will give you more time to work. This pot will be unsuitable for food after using it to make candles, so pick something that you can dispose of.

2. A large pot to boil water in and use as a double boiler. You do not want to melt wax over direct heat, as it is very volatile and can easily catch fire. You will be placing your tin can or coffeepot in this larger pot of water so make sure it is large enough to accommodate your can.

3. Kitchen scale. You will need to accurately weigh your wax and scent, a kitchen scale works well for this. You will also need measuring spoons.

4. Candy thermometer. You will need to keep an eye on the temperature of your wax and a candy thermometer works best. Keep in mind that the thermometer will not be suitable for food use after you use it to make your candles.

5. Spoon. You will need a spoon to stir your wax.

6. Mold sealer. If you plan to make a pillar candle, you will need some type of waterproof sealer. Plumbers putty works well, or you can purchase mold sealer made for candle making. Your local craft store may carry this sealer.

7. Two cut pieces of metal hanger and clothes pins. You will need one piece of metal hanger long enough to sit across the top of your mold or jar. You will be using this to wrap your wick around to keep it straight and centered. The clothespin will be used to clamp the wick to this piece of hanger. You will also need a longer piece of metal hanger that you will use to poke relief wholes in your candle as it cools.

8. Mold release. If you are making a pillar candle, a floating candle or a votive candle, you will need to coat your mold with a mold release to help the candle release from the mold. You can purchase specially made mold release, but any vegetable spray will work for our purposes.

9. Paraffin wax. You should be able to find paraffin wax at your local craft store. If possible, try to find the melt point of the wax. The melt point is the temperature at which the wax will begin to melt. Generally there are two melt point waxes. Wax with a melt point of around 140* is used for pillars or any freestanding candle. Wax with a melt point of around 130* is used for votives, floats and container candles. Some people do use 140* melt point wax for votives and floats, but I prefer to use the softer wax. I would not recommend using the 140* wax for container candles, as the wax will not be soft enough to melt across your container.

10. Vybar, stearin or stearic acid. Paraffin wax and scent oil are not compatible and will not mix together. You need an additive to help bind these two materials. Vybar, stearin and stearic acid come in pebble form and all work well. Stearin and stearic acid are different names for the same product. Vybar is a little different than stearin or stearic acid. I prefer to use vybar as you use less of it than you do stearin or stearic acid. You should be able to find one of these products at your local craft store. As a general rule, you should use ½ teaspoon of vybar to one pound of paraffin wax. Stearin and stearic acid with require more and I encourage you to follow the package directions.

11. Scent oil. It is very important that you use scent oils that are made for the express purpose of making candles. DO NOT use perfumes or potpourri oils. These are very flammable, will not mix with your wax, and could cause your entire candle to catch fire. You should be able to find candle scent oils, also called fragrance oils, at your local craft store. You will need to use one ounce of scent oil per pound of paraffin wax.

12. Dye. You will also need to find dyes made expressly for candle making to color your candle. These dyes come in many different forms: liquid, powder and blocks. You will most likely find block dyes at your craft store. DO NOT use crayons. Crayons and many other forms of dye are made with pigments. Pigments do not bind with wax. They will clog your wick, causing the flame to sputter and go out. You should be able to find candle dyes at your local craft store.

13. Wick and wick tabs. Now you need to find the proper wick for the type of candle you want to make. If you are making votives, floats or container candles, you will need to find a cored wick. This means that the wick has a metal, paper or cotton core in the center. This core helps the wick to stay upright in a deep and wide pool of melted wax. If you are making a pillar candle, you will need to find a braided wick. Buy primed wicks if at all possible. You do need to use wick made for candle making, do not use string. Check the wick package for recommendations on wick size for the size candle that you are making. If you are making votives, floats or container candles, you will also need to purchase wick tabs. These are small metal clips that you will secure to one end of your wick. They help anchor the wick to the bottom of your candle. Some craft stores carry pre-tabbed wicks. If you are able to find these, they are a good alternative to tabbing your own wicks.

14. Molds. There are many things you can use for molds. If you plan to make votive candles, I would recommend using bathroom sized Dixie cups. For floating candles, cupcake tins are perfect and can be found in many different shapes. Just make sure the top is wider than the bottom, or your candle will flip over when placed in water. To make container candles, find a glass container that would be suitable for canning or a pottery container that can be put in an oven. Your container will need to withstand 200* temperatures and an enclosed flame without breaking. Do not use a container made of a porous material such as terra cotta. This type of material will soak up the melted wax and turn your container into a big torch. Molds for pillar candles are a little more difficult. You will need to find a straight-sided metal container that is watertight. You will then have to punch a small whole in the bottom of the container to thread your wick through. When making pillar candles, the candle is poured upside-down. So, the bottom of the mold is actually the top of the candle. Of course, molds for all these types of candles will be available at your craft store, if you wish to purchase them.

Preparation
Now that you have all of your equipment, lets talk about safety. Please remember that you are working with very hot and volatile materials. Paraffin wax will catch fire at about 300*, and it does not take very long for the wax to reach that temperature. This is why it is very important to melt your wax in boiling water, and not over direct heat. Scent oil is very flammable and should be kept away from sources of heat. Scent oils can also be irritating to the skin, try not to get scent oil directly on your skin. Candle making can be messy. Wear old clothing that can be stained and cover your work surface before starting. It is also a good idea to place your molds in an old cake pan to catch any spills or leaks.

Gather all of your equipment into one convenient area. Make sure to pick a time when you will not be interrupted. You need to keep a constant eye on your melting wax! Pour yourself a glass of wine or a mug of hot cocoa and play some inspiring music.

How Much
The first thing you need to do is determine how much wax you will need to fill your mold. Fill your mold with water, and then pour the water into a measuring cup that measures ounces. For every 3-½ ounces of water, you will need 3 ounces of cold wax. Be sure to dry your mold very well, as water does not mix with wax and will effect the outcome of your candle.

Break It Up
Once you have determined the amount of wax you will need, take your block of paraffin wax and break it into small, manageable pieces. The best way to do this is to take the wax outside, place it in a pillowcase and hit it with a hammer. Take your smaller pieces, and using a kitchen scale measure out the amount of wax you will need to fill your mold. I suggest that you melt a little more wax than you will actually need. Place the measured wax into your tin can or coffeepot and place the can or pot into the larger pot of water. You can now add the proper amount of vybar or stearin. Follow the package directions to determine how much to use. Place this larger pot of water on your stove and bring the water to a boil. Once the wax begins to melt, place the candy thermometer in the wax. KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR MELTING WAX! Once it starts to melt, it will heat up very quickly.

Wick
If the wick you bought is not primed, you will need to prime it yourself. This makes the wick easier to work with, but more importantly it seals the wick so it does not release tiny air bubbles into your wax. Once your wax has melted, but before it reaches 200*, cut a piece of wick a couple of inches longer than your mold. Place the wick into the melted wax and let it sit for a few minutes. Remove the wick from the melted wax with your spoon and lay it out straight to allow it to dry.

Preparing the Molds
You now need to prepare your molds. If you have not already done so, cut your wick a couple of inches longer than your mold. If you are making votives, floats or container candles, you will need to attach a wick tab to one end. Insert one end of the wick into the hole in the middle of the wick tab making sure that the wick does not overhang the bottom of the tab. Using pliers, pinch the tabs or tube to secure it to the wick. Place your tabbed wick into your votive or float mold. If you are making container candles, you will need to use hot glue to secure the wick tab to the bottom center of the container. Then place the container in a 200* oven and allow it to reach this temperature. If you are using a pillar mold, you will need to thread the wick through the hole in the bottom of the mold, leaving at least one inch overhanging the bottom of the mold. Using your mold sealer or plumber's putty, form a seal over the wick and wick hole. Make sure the seal is not too thin and that it is sealed very well on all edges. Turn the mold over and pull the wick taught. Place a length of cut wire hanger across the top of the mold and wrap the wick around it a couple of times. Secure with a clothespin. Do not pull too hard, or the wick will pull out of the sealer. For all other candles, you will secure the wick in this fashion after the wax has been poured and set up slightly. You will now need to lightly spray your mold with vegetable oil or mold release. If you are using Dixie cups or making a container candle, there is no need to spray mold release.

Adding Dye
When your wax has reached 200*, remove it from the large pan of water. Carefully add dye by shaving small amounts from the dye block, or squirting a few drops from the liquid dye. It does not take a lot of dye. At this time, you also want to add scent oil. Add one ounce of scent oil to each pound of paraffin wax. Stir your wax very well. It takes time for the dye and scent to mix with wax, so make sure you stir thoroughly. You will need to work quickly. Do not allow the temperature of the wax to fall below 185*.

Pouring
Pour the prepared wax into your mold or warm container by slightly tipping the mold and slowly pouring against it's side. This will reduce the amount of air bubbles caused by pouring. Be sure to reserve some wax for later. Lightly tap the sides of each mold to release any air bubbles. If you are making votive or floating candles, the wick tab may move around as you pour the wax. Using a cut piece of wire hanger, move the tab to the center of the mold. Allow the candles to sit for about half an hour, or until a film appears on the surface. This may take more or less time depending on the size of your candle and the temperature of your wax. If you are making votives, floats or container candles, now is the time to secure the wick to a piece of wire hanger as described above (see figure 1). If you are making a pillar candle, you should now straighten and tighten your wicks. Do this gently so as not to pull the wick out of the candle.

Cooling
Allow your candles to sit until they are completely set but still warm and pliable. Using a long piece of cut wire hanger, carefully poke three to four relief holes around the wick being careful not to mar the sides of your candle (see figure 2). You may want to move the wire around a little to widen the holes. What is important is to release any air that is trapped in the wax. This will also prevent your wick from being pulled to one side by the cooling wax. Now allow your candle to cool completely. This will take at least a couple of hours or over night.

Finishing Up
When the candle is completely cooled, the wax will have shrunk to create a sinkhole or well in the center. This is normal, so don't panic. Heat the extra wax that you saved to at least 200* and fill the sinkhole. Do not pour above your original pour line or you will have an unsightly line. The hot wax could also drip between the cooled candle and the mold. Allow this second pouring to cool completely, then remove your candle from its mold. If you are making a pillar candle, gently shake the candle out of the mold. Never pull the candle out by the wick as this could cause the wick to pull out of the candle. If you are using Dixie cups, simply tear away the paper cup. Allow the candle to cure for at least 24 hours before burning.

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