Candle Making

Until the discovery of electricity and the advent of electric light, candles were the only on-demand light source (other than an open fire or fireplace) and candle making at home was quite normal. Candles come from purely utilitarian roots, and they can certainly still be used that way (when the power is out, for instance), but today we tend to think of candles as décor, something that warms up the home, or is used to mark special occasions like birthdays and religious ceremonies.

The First Candles

Candles were used by the ancient Egyptians, and the Romans used the first candles that looked like modern candles. They were made of tallow (rendered beef fat), which was melted and then poured over a “wick” of hemp, flax or cotton.

These candles burned poorly (and I’m sure smelled even worse), but they were the mainstay of the Roman Empire.

During the Middle Ages, beeswax began to be used in candles, which burns a lot cleaner and smells neutral. Unfortunately, beeswax was expensive and hard to come by, so these candles were mostly limited to religious ceremonies and the homes of people who could afford them.

Candles in the Colonies

When the first colonists arrived in America, they realized that they could boil the berries of the bayberry shrub and make a nice wax that was very sweet-smelling and clean burning. Candle making as a sweet-smelling craft had arrived.

Bayberry wax is still available from some vendors like Gen Wax, but it is expensive and hard to come by because the process for making it is very labor-intensive and 15 pounds of berries are needed to make just one pound of wax.

A Whale of a Candle

Whaling brought a new kind of candle to the scene in the 18th century. Spermaceti wax, derived from whale oil, was a popular candle making base because it was relatively inexpensive because of the abundance of whale oil.

It had a strong smell but was able to withstand hot summer temperatures without melting, which was more than you could say for some of the older candles.

A Candle Revolution

In the 19th century the first machines for candle making were developed, allowing people of all classes to buy candles they otherwise would have made at home. Stearic acid, a candle additive used to this day, was isolated, which improved the quality of candles.

Braided wicks were first used in the 19th century, and the first candles made with paraffin wax were molded in the mid-1800s. Paraffin, a derivative of oil, burns clean and bright without stinking up the place. Addition of stearic acid made the wax harder, producing high-quality candles for the masses.

Candle Making Today

Many people still appreciate the beauty of a handmade candle. Candles are easy to make in many different styles, sizes, colors and scents. Specialty waxes including soy wax, vegetables waxes and gel waxes give candle makers a dizzying array of choices.

Candles are welcome in any home and make spectacular gifts for holidays, housewarmings, hostess gifts or no occasion at all.

Type of Candles

There are also many styles of candles available on the market and for home crafters to produce:

• Tea lights: These tiny candles come in their own aluminum or polycarbonate cups. They look great massed together as a centerpiece or along a mantle.
• Votives: Larger than tea lights, these candles do not sit in their own cup but must be burned inside a holder (preferably glass) to burn properly and so the wax doesn’t spill.
• Taper candles: The classic long skinny candle that fits in a candlestick. These are somewhat difficult to make at home, as they are traditionally dipped rather than made with a mold.
• Container candles: Any candle that is made in a container and stays in that container to burn. Glass jars are a popular choice for container candles.
• Pillar candles: Large, free-standing candles that can have multiple wicks. They can be all sorts of shapes and sizes, not just pillar shaped.
• Hurricane candles: A specialty candle designed so the interior part of the candle burns but the exterior (which often includes wax chunks or dried flowers and herbs) stays solid, allowing the light to shine through.