Candlemakers- HELP!! - Big Big Forums

Cyndee6 · 11-18-2002, 10:45 AM

Hi all!

Here is my problem. Every year for christmas I have the neices and nephews over and we do crafts that the kids give away as gifts. This year I told the oldest neice who is 17 that we would make scented candles.

I bought some containers for the candles. But when I started looking into candle making I realized I'm in WAY over my head. I had NO CLUE it would be so complicated!

So I'm hoping someone out there could give me an easy way to make a scented candle. Here is a picture of the jars we will be using for this project. I would like to make a cranberry colored candle that is cinnamon scented. I've read there there are about 2 million additives and colorings and wicks, etc. I'm so confuded at this point, I'm hoping someone can spell out exactly what I would need to buy and what I need to do to pull this craft off. Any help is appreciated! Thank You!

if4megot2Bfree · 11-18-2002, 12:05 PM

I never made candles but i looked up some info for you

http://ww4.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?s...ta/sc_1397.xml

http://candleandsoap.about.com/library/blfresh1.htm

http://www.meininger.com/ArtEdResPages/candlemaking.cfm

http://members.iinet.net.au/~campbell1/candles.htm
http://www.crafthouse.net/page4.html

http://www.craftcave.com/candle/project.shtml

Cyndee6 · 11-18-2002, 01:08 PM

Thank you very much for the links. I had already checked out 2 of them, and that's what let me know I was in over my head!

I am hoping to find someone who knows exactly which type of wick, wax, additives, colors, etc. I need for this project. All the sites say I need to experiment, it's trial and error, it's personal preference, etc. I really wouldn't know even where to begin.

Hopefully there is someone out there who has made a similiar container candle that came out well that can guide me. I honestly thought that all I would need to do this was wax, scent and a wick! Boy, was I wrong!!!

if4megot2Bfree · 11-18-2002, 08:32 PM

i talk to my mom
she said go to michaels
Scent..
buy 1 bottle of the scent... you will need 2 drops

Dye...
if you cant find the cranberry dye then you will need to buy red and blue to make the cranberry color take it in a little cup and mix it till you get the color you want.. (you will find these both in the candle making area)

wick ...
she perfers the coated wick not the stiff one.. it comes in a spool.. take a pencil put it across the top of the jar that will hold your wick while the wax dries you will need something like a washer to put on the end on the wick to make the wick go to the bottom of the the jar then wrap the extra around the pencil a few times

WAX...
they come in bars and chips... if you buy the bar you will have to make it into smaller chunks... the wax container should tell you how much you need for the size candle your making... if not post again and we will find that info for you...my mom has a book... by guessing my mom said melt 2 cups of the wax then if it wasnt enough melt some more.. and you can re melt the wax you already had...

Finishing:
the easiest way for the wax is get the wax chips place them in a plastic container and melt them in the microwave.. it doesnt take long melt in 30 sec intervals.. once the wax is melting completely add your colored dye and the scent... then stir it up and pour it in to the jar then you will add the wick as explained above...

heck after re reading this i told my mom that this was way easy... from what i have read i thought it was too much work.. but now i will be making some candles... Thanks MOM

sea-shell · 11-19-2002, 12:12 AM

I have my own business as a candlemaker. It took me almost 7 - 8 months of testing before I felt I had an awesome candle - it is a lot of hard work (much harder than one would think). If you email me I can help you make your candles

seamonkey@voyager.net

Jojess4 · 11-20-2002, 05:53 PM

Unless you are wanting a solid candle Wal-mart sells wax crystals and you just fill the jar like it was sand. You can do one color or many. Then you push the wick down into it and melt a little wax to seal the top. To add scent you just use a few drops mixes with the crystals before you put into final jar. The only problem I see is that with that size of jar you will likely need a lot of wax. It is probably cheaper to mix your own. I have made several like this and enjoy them a lot. They also have shaped accents you can place in your candle. This is really simple. Goodluck.

Cyndee6 · 11-20-2002, 09:04 PM

Thanks Everyone!

ajksmom · 11-23-2002, 09:17 PM

Here is a quick and easy recipe for candlemaking out of my Gooseberry Patch Christmas Book 4

Melt wax or paraffin in a coffee can placed in boiling water or an electric skillet (this works really well)...tent with candle dye or old crayons and add a fragrance if you like.

Warm the glasses or jar with hot water, then fill with wax and cool completely. To add wicks, heat an ice pick over an open flame: carefully poke a hole in the center of the candle, almost all the way through. Insert wick in hole and trim to 3/8 in. above the top of the candle.

Or I saw on a t.v. special that you can wrap the end of the wick around a pencil several times and then the wick down in the jar and center it in the jar and then lay the pencil on top of the jar, then fill. But with the narrow opening of the jar you are using that might not be an option.

Just to let you know, I have tried this and it does make good candles.

Good Luck.