How to Make Beeswax Candles - You and the Kids will Enjoy this Activity
Making Beeswax Candle Tips - Candles with the Kids
The warm illuminating glow it emits. That sugary-sweet smell as the candle wanes. Sigh! Many are surprised at how enjoyable producing beeswax candles could be!
Making candles out of beeswax is a fun “hands on” activity for the little tykes. Since there is no melting of wax, the kids do not need to be near a hot stove. You won’t need to worry about obtaining the necessary materials or long hours of cleaning up with a beeswax candle making project.
Creating Beeswax Candle Tips - Items that You Do Need
- 8 inch by 16 inch sheets of beeswax
- Primed wick sliced for a one inch candle
- A small paring knife from your kitchen
- Flat open surface
- Lay out your sheet of beeswax
- Slice wick approximately 3/4 inches longer than wax sheet (allowing excess on both sides of candle)
Leaving available wick at each ends allows you the choice to decide which side of the candle you prefer as the top and which side the bottom.
After laying the wick on the sheet’s edge, fold over an eighth of an inch of wax before you start rolling it. The wick will be be securely enclosed by this seam.Always use your fingertips as you roll the beeswax round the wick and don’t forget to push it from side to side. This is arguably the hardest part in the entire process of beeswax candlemaking.
Another option would be flipping the wax then folding it down to form a seam—about 1/8 inches—with a counter corner or perhaps a cutting board. Whether you go with the first or the latter, do be sure your efforts produce a textbook-quality seam.
As you make your candle, at some point in time you must decide how thick of a candle you desire. You’ll have to add more beeswax if you want a thicker candle. Do this by placing the additional wax sheet edge to edge with the original, melding the pieces together with your thumb. Rolling beeswax into a straight line can be tricky so make sure you only stop when it’s wrapped around itself completely.
Press the edges gently down with your thumb once you have reached the end of the beeswax. Continue going along the whole length of the candle creating an invisible seam.
Determine which part would work well as top for your candle then slash half an inch off the wick above the beeswax. Do not forget to start from the bottom as you remove the rest of the wick.
Your children might be too young to recognize the little pleasures in this craft project but you no doubt do. So go ahead, ceremoniously light your glorious achievement, inhale the exotic perfume and enjoy this splendid moment! But for kids? Gee - they made their own candle!
And while you are learning to make wax candles keep in mind that the makings of candles have been here for centuries. Originally, the goal was to have a source of light…a critical requirement in those instances. Now-a-days however, learning how to make wax candle is mostly a hobby. Other reasons may also apply of course. If you recall, we’ve said before how some consider candlemaking a leisurely activity. There are also occasions when they can serve as the ideal gifts. A craft project like wax candle making is considered kid-friendly by most parents. Of course, let’s not forget about the money you could make. A number of individuals take up candle making for money-making purposes.
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