Learn to Make Different Kind of Candles

Learn to make tea lights.
Tea light candles are one of my favorites. They are easy to make and are perfect for use on any occasion. Just the thing you need to make your bubble bath complete or for setting the mood at a garden party.

Tea light cups are made of aluminum and are easy to bend so be careful when handling them.

Make tea light candles step 1
Place a pre-tabbed wick in the center of each of the tea light cups.
*Tip*
Since I make a batch at a time, I find it easier if I put tea light cups in a box lid (from a shoe box is fine) prior to pouring in the wax. Any overflows are kept within the lid, keeping your workspace clean.

Make tea light candles step 2
Melt the amount of wax you need to make these tealight candles. Scoop up some of the melted wax with a stainless steel measuring cup, hold the funnel over the tealight cup and pour wax through the funnel into the cup until it is almost level with the edges of the cup. Using a funnel allows you to pour the wax into the cups in a neater, cleaner way without the risk of burning yourself while pouring.

Make tea light candles step 3
Continue filling the tea light cups until you have the number of tea lights you wanted to make. Let cool completely until the wax has hardened. The wax may shrink when it is completely cooled so you may need to top up your candles to make them level once again. Let cool again until the additional wax is hard. Do not remove the tea lights from their aluminum container when you are ready to burn these candles.

Learn to Make Hand Dipped Candles

This time honored tradition is no longer just for exhibitions and history books. You can make candles the old fashioned way in your very own home. Keep them for yourself or give them away as gifts. Then you'll have the satisfaction and pride in saying you made them yourself.

Learn to make hand dipped candles step 1

There are several ways you can prepare your wick for dipping. You can cut pieces of wick and tie them to a wooden spoon. You can bend the wick in two and hold it at the bend while dipping, or use the method I prefer, as depicted to the right.

Learn to make hand dipped candles step 2

By using a double hitch I have 1 long piece of wick left over after I cut the dipped candles off. This is preferable to having 2 small un-useable pieces of candlewick left over had I just tied a separate piece of wick for each candle. This method provides space between the wicks so the candles won't touch while hanging between dips. Since the wicks are attached to the wooden spoon, you don't need to have your hand directly over the candle wax.

Learn to make hand dipped candles step 3

Melt the wax you are going to use to make these candles in a wax melter or a double boiler system on the stove. With the wick tied to the wooden spoon handle, dip it once into the pot with the wax.

Learn to make hand dipped candles step 4

Allow the wax to cool completely between dippings. Rest the spoon on two stacks of books so they can cool while hanging. Pull gently on the bottom of the wicks to straighten the developing candles. Remember to let the wax cool completely between dippings.

Learn to Make Twisted Candles

This is how twisted candles were made before machines were developed to make them. Make a pair and proudly display them in candlestick holders to add a unique look to your decor. Make different colors and give them away as Christmas gifts. People will wonder where you got them, won't they be surprised when you say you made them yourself!!

Learn to Make Twisted Candles step 1

Lay your still warm (but not hot) hand dipped candle on a piece of wax paper. If you have never made a hand dipped candle before, please read instructions before.

Lay a second piece of wax paper on top of the candle. Use your rolling pin to flatten the candle until it is about 1/4" thick. A word to the wise: I have a deep candle holder so I roll out the candle all the way to the bottom. If you have a traditional sized candle holder, leave about 1" unrolled at the bottom of the candle so that you will have a base to place into your candle holder, or else it may fall over!

Learn to Make Twisted Candles step 2

With your right hand hold the base and hold the candle half way down with your left hand. Using your thumb, begin twisting your candle from the bottom, twisting it slowly. Once you have a bit of a twist in the candle, cease twisting with your right hand, hold it steady and begin twisting with your left hand.

Learn to Make Twisted Candles step 3

Slide your hand up from the base while continuing to twist from the top with your left hand. Continue twisting the candle until it is twisted all the way up. Once your hand reaches the top of the candle, continue twisting to make the twist in the candle a bit tighter. Once you are happy with the number of twists in your candle, place it back on the wax paper and allow it to harden. Trim your wick to 1/4" and you are done!

Learn to Make Sand Candles
Did you ever see a sand candle in a store and think that they were nice but would be too hard to make them on your own? Well it's not! With the easy to follow instructions below you can create beautiful yet inexpensive sand candles that make great gifts or decorations for your own home.

Learn to Make Sand Candles step 1

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water in a tub full of dry sand and mix in completely. The less water you use, the thicker the outside of the sand candle will be. Since all sand is different, you will have to experiment with the volume of water to make your candle successfully.

Learn to Make Sand Candles step 2
Use a small jar or anything that is solid enough to make an impression (the size you want to make your candle) in the sand . Push the jar firmly into the center of the sand in your container until you have the size impression you wish to make your candle.

Learn to Make Sand Candles step 3
Melt some wax, scoop it up with the stainless steel measuring cup,and, pour it slowly over a spoon into the impression you made in the sand.. As the wax soaks into sand, you have to add more wax until it completely fills the impression you made in the sand.

Learn to Make Sand Candles step 4
Melt some wax, scoop it up with the stainless steel measuring cup,and, pour it slowly over a spoon into the impression you made in the sand.. As the wax soaks into sand, you have to add more wax until it completely fills the impression you made in the sand.

Learn to Make Sand Candles step 5
Dip the wick into the melted wax to coat it before using it in your candle. Set aside to harden. Insert the end of the wick into the metal wick tab and place the wick into the wax, making sure it is in the center of candle. Lay a Popsicle stick across the candle and rest the exposed portion of the wick against it.

Learn to Make Sand Candles step 6
When the wax has hardened enough for the wick to stand on its own, remove the Popsicle stick. Using a spoon, dig out the candle and lightly brush the loose sand off the candle.

Learn to Make Sand Candles step 7
Wash the remnant sand off of the candle. Be careful not to wet the wick. There will still be a layer of sand present, this is the sand that soaked into the candle when you poured the wax into the impression and it hardened in the sand. Trim the wick to 1/4" from the top of the candle. Light the wick and enjoy the candle you have created.

Learn to Make Beeswax Candles
Making beeswax candles are a simple and inexpensive way to introduce yourself and/or your children to candle making. All you need is a sheet of beeswax and a wick. No heat required! Beeswax sheets are inexpensive, they come in a variety of colors and have a pleasant, natural scent.

Make Beeswax Candles step 1
Fold one sheet of the beeswax in half and press along the fold with your hands to flatten it. This makes the edge easier to follow when you are cutting it. Using scissors, cut the sheet of beeswax in half.

Make Beeswax Candles step 2
Lay one of the cut pieces of the beeswax sheet on your clean work surface. Lay the piece of wick on the edge of the piece of beeswax directly in front of you. At least a half an inch of the piece of wick should extend past each side of the piece of beeswax. Slowly and carefully start to roll the edge of the piece of beeswax closest to you over the wick.

Make beeswax candles step 3
Tuck the edge of the piece of beeswax in around the wick. You want to seal it in so you when you continue rolling your candle it will roll up neatly and evenly.
Roll up your candle slowly and carefully with your fingers pushing the beeswax with both hands exerting even pressure at the same time. While you are rolling keep and eye your edges to make sure you are rolling straight so your candle will be straight. You want to roll a nice straight, tight candle so it will look nice and burn well.

Make beeswax candles step 4
Continue rolling at the same pace you have been until you are about two inches from the end then slow down. You want to make sure the end of your candle is rolled as tight as you did the beginning and that the edges are still straight while you are rolling up the last of your candle.

Make beeswax candles step 5
When you have the end of the piece of beeswax rolled up around to finish off your candle you need to seal the edge to the roll so it won't come undone. Once again you can use your body heat to warm up the wax so you can do this. Starting in the middle of the roll of beeswax, press your fingers gently along the edge of the piece of beeswax. You only need to do this lightly and briefly. You don't want to push down on the edge too hard or you will crush you candle. You are only trying to adhere the edge to the rest of the candle. Continue this until the entire edge is molded to the body of the candle.

Make beeswax candles step 6
Trim the wick at one end of the beeswax candle so it is flush with the base of the candle. Trim the wick at the other end of the candle to 1/4" long.

Cookie Cutter Candles
This is a fun way to make beeswax candles and is appropriate for children since no heat is required. For the purposes of this craft you need to use a metal, not a plastic cookie cutter. It cuts through the beeswax better than the plastic one.

Make a cookie cutter candle step 1
Lay your sheet of beeswax on a cutting board. You will need a hard surface to press down on to ensure a neat cut. Arrange your cookie cutter on the sheet of beeswax as close to the edge as possible. I used a Christmas tree for example.

Make cookie cutter candles step 2
Place a piece of cardboard over the metal cookie cutter. Since you have to press down so hard to cut cleanly through the beeswax it helps to have something on top of the cookie cutter so you don't hurt your hand. Press down on the cardboard covering the cookie cutter with all your weight (it helps if you do this standing up). Lift up the cookie cutter slightly to see if you have cut all the way through the beeswax. If not, press the cookie cutter back down until you cut all the way through. If some extra wax does come away from the sheet, do not just pull it off because you may ruin your tree shape. Instead, press down on it slowly and gently against the edge of the cookie cutter so it helps you cut it off safely. Push the tree shape gently out of the cookie cutter and set it aside. Cut out 21 more tree shapes.

Make cookie cutter candles step 2
To maximize the use of the sheet of beeswax (I was able to cut out 22 tree shapes from one sheet) you need to place the cookie cutter over the tree shape you just cut out. Since you won't be using the stem of the tree in the final candle you can overlap this part of the cookie cutter onto the top of the previous tree to save beeswax.

Make cookie cutter candles step 3
After you have cut out all 22 tree shapes from your sheet of beeswax, you need to trim off the stems of each of the trees. When all the trees are pressed together, the base needs to be flat so it will sit flat on whatever surface you decide to place it.

Make cookie cutter candles step 4
Place one wax tree shape on your cutting board. Center another tree shape over top of it and press down on it gently with your fingers to make the two pieces stick together. Continue to lay tree shapes on top of each other, centering them each time so your candle will be straight and press them together with your fingers.

Make cookie cutter candles step 5
As you add the layers and press them together with your fingers, the warmth of your hands will warm the wax and help the pieces to stick together. You could occasionally warm the pieces of wax slightly with a blow dryer on a low setting which will also help them to stick together.

Make cookie cutter candles step 6
When you have reached the half way point of sticking together the layers (in this case 11 tree shapes) you need to cut a piece of wick that is longer than the tree on both ends. Lay it down in the center of the trees. When you have it perfectly centered, press it down into the wax with your fingers. It should be fairly flush with the layer of wax into which you pushed it.

Make cookie cutter candles step 7
Continue adding layers of tree shapes on top of the wick until you have used up the rest of the pieces you cut out in the beginning. Make sure you press them together well so your candle will be flat. Use the blow dryer occasionally if necessary to help your tree shapes stick together.

Make cookie cutter candles step 8
After you have stuck together all 22 shapes you need to trim the wick at the bottom of the candle. Cut it as close to the bottom of the candle as possible because it will need to sit perfectly flat to make it safe to burn.

Make cookie cutter candles step 9
Trim the wick at the top of the candle to 1/4" from the top of the tree shape.

Make cookie cutter candles step 10
Once the wicks have been trimmed, press the base of the candle down against the hard surface of your cutting board to ensure it will sit flat before lighting. Place in a candle holder for safety.