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Sunday 18 September 2011

Trying other crafts: candlemaking (uh oh)

As part of my trying new things, I decided to revisit a previous favourite craft of candlemaking.
I purchased a cheap milk pan to melt the wax and dug out my box of supplies.
The main supplies were in the garage, but I had another in the house so started with that.
A lovely star shaped candle mold with stand and several partially used candles and block of wax were in the box. The pretty mould looked a bit like this before I started.

So I decided to make a large red star candle - great for Christmas.
............................................................................
Unfortunately things did not quite work to plan.
I melted the old candles and blocks of wax in the pan and turned the heat down when it started to make spitting noises. I fished out with a wooden spatula the various old wicks etc. The longest wick I chose to reuse for my new candle. I fitted the wick to the mould, plugged the bottom with blutack and balanced a wooden skewer across the top.
The wax was now ALL melted nicely so I poured it neatly into the mould. All looked good for about 3 seconds, but the wax must have been too hot for the mould which then softened and bent allowing hot red wax to pour onto the kitchen worksurface, running down the face of the cupboards and dripping on the floor as well as spattering me in red drips of wax.
I whipped the cotton scatter rug from the floor and used it to stem much of the flow, and poured the remaining wax back into the pan. I then threw the rug in the bin, scraped what I could off the work surface with a wooden spatula and gave a very large sigh.
'Ah' I said to myself calmly 'I think that wax was a bit hot for the mould'.

I reheated what I could of the scrapings, but not letting it get quite so hot this time. I then poured it gently into a red pot, standing this time on a tray, to make a pot candle. Unfortunately this is only half a red pot candle as most of the 'spare' wax had fused nicely with the kitchen scatter rug making it difficult to return to liquid form.

I must admit candle making turned out to be quite a lot more exciting than I remembered it being.

5 comments:

Jenni said...

Oh dear. Hope you weren't injured by the candle wax flood.

Your poor kitchen units. Hope it all came off them OK without any damage.

Hope you have better luck with your next attempt at candle making.

SewRuthie said...

Sadly there is still RED wax on the edge of the white kitchen worktop, the painted cream cupboard front and a bit on the carpet (yes stupidly carpet in a kitchen). Mother advises ironing with a bit of scraps fabric...... worth a try.

Remnant said...

Sorry Ruthie. But I admit to having a bit of a chuckle at your expense. You tell a great story!

Dixie said...

Sounds like you enjoyed this adventure, despite its derailment. Good for you, for trying something different!

Gabrielle said...

I think this is the kind of experience I would have if I tried to make a candle. I wouldn't even dare to try it!