Making Your Own Jar Candles
It’s easy to make your own candles, if you know where to look for instructions and supplies. You can go to your local craft store and purchase wax, wicks, fragrance oil and dye, but they are usually not of the best quality, and you may get candles that don’t burn properly or don’t have a strong scent.
There are many candle suppliers out there, and a quick internet search will help you find one. You can compare prices, scents and shipping. My personal favorite is the Bitter Creek Candle Co. (www.candlesupply.com) Their site is very user friendly and they have reasonable prices. Other suppliers include Lone Star Candle Co. (www.lonestarcandlesupply.com) and Candles and Supplies.com (www.candlesandsupplies.com)
What do you need to make a jar candle? Wax and jars obviously. There are as many types of wax as there are stars in the heavens. For beginners I recommend a pre-blended wax. It’s more expensive than plain wax, but with plain wax you will have to purchase other things to allow the oil to blend with the wax, so it evens out. Any type of jar can be used, as long as it is clean and able to withstand heat. If you don’t care about looks, or like the country look, canning jars are perfect to use. You also need wicks. Read your suppliers’ recommendations about what size and type of wick to buy. I prefer zinc cored wicks because they burn cooler in the softer, one pour wax that I use. Others like paper core or plain cotton. You also need fragrance oil. What scent you use is a personal preference. And you need dye. Dye comes in many forms, from block to chip to liquid. Some like liquid because it is easy to use. I use block dyes, because they are fun to work with, and I can get the most unusual colors.
Now you have all of your supplies, what do you do with them? The most important thing to remember when making candles is NEVER melt the wax in the microwave or in a pot set directly on the stove. Doing so can start a fire. Use the double boiler method; a pot with the wax in it set inside another pot with water. If you purchase a pouring pot, putting the wax inside it and setting it in a pot with water will work. You will also need a thermometer. A candy thermometer will do, or you can purchase a candle thermometer when you get the rest of your supplies.
Weigh your wax on a scale. If I’m making something new, I usually will only melt one pound at a time. Put the wax into your pot and turn on the heat. Heat the wax a few degrees above the recommended pouring temperature, and when it is completely melted add the dye until you get the color you want it. I always put a few drops of wax on a white piece of paper to check the shade. Next add your fragrance oil. Depending on the wax and how strong you want your scent, you can add as little as a half an ounce of oil, or as much as a whole ounce. Weigh your oil, just like you did the wax. Use a glass container to weigh your oil! Most fragrance oil will eat through paper and plastic, so also make sure you clean up any spills right away. Pour the oil into the wax and dye mixture and stir thoroughly. If the wax isn’t hot enough or you don’t stir enough, the oil can settle on the bottom of the container when you pour, leaving you with a candle that will smoke when the oil burns. But don’t allow the wax/oil mixture to go above 200 degrees, or you run the risk of burning off the oil.
At this point I usually turn down the heat, and allow the wax to cool to the proper pouring temperature, stirring occasionally. Pour the mixture into a warm, pre-wicked jar. You can use glue dots or hot glue to secure the wick tab to the bottom of the jar. Some places also sell “wick-stickums” which I think are great. Tap the jar to release any air bubbles. Once the jar is full, give the wick a gentle tug to make sure it is straight in the jar and secure it in place. I find that long bobby pins work well. Slide the wick into the pin and center it, laying the pin across the mouth of the jar. If you are not using a one pour wax, make sure you have enough wax left over to do a “repour” – to fill the jar after the wax cools and shrinks. Repours should be done when the candle is almost completely cool, and you may have to do two or three.
Once your candle is ready, it’s time to test it out. Even if you’ve done everything right, your candle may not be perfect. Some oils and waxes require bigger wicks to burn correctly, called “wicking up”, and some require smaller, “wicking down”. If your wick drowns in the melted pool or burns too slowly, you probably need a bigger wick. If your candle burns too quickly or smokes when it is lit, you might need a smaller one. To test it out, burn your candle and watch. The rule is one hour for every inch in diameter of the jar. A three inch diameter jar, burn for three hours. After that time, look at your candle. There should be a pool all the way across the jar, ¼ inch deep. Testing is the key to making a great candle. Every scent you make, you should test, in every size jar. It sounds like a lot of work, but it will be worth it in the end.
If this all sounds so confusing, there is a great solution. Many suppliers sell starter kits, complete with everything you need and directions. My favorite supplier, Bitter Creek, sells wonderful kits for both jar and votive candles. I recommend that you purchase one of these.
Happy candlemaking!
