Making & DIY
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Candle Making

Pour, scent and wick candles worth giving away.

3levels, ending in a small candle line
38 mina Step, on average
$56to start Level 1
FreeLevel 1, always

The path

  1. 1
    Level 1Free

    First Pour

    Soy, wood wick and beeswax candles, and a gift set

    15 Steps, about 38 minutes each. Total beginners who want to make candles for their home or as gifts. No experience or special kitchen needed.

    1. Chapter 1: Your first candles. Your first candles poured, wicked, scented, burn tested and finished with smooth tops and a label.
    2. Chapter 2: More kinds of candle. A crackling wood wick candle, colored wax, rolled beeswax tapers, and a best-yet candle poured with your own choices.
    3. Chapter 3: Your gift set. A signature scent blended, a matching set of candles poured, cured, labeled and given away.
    1. 1
      Pour your first candle
      One unscented soy candle poured in a jar with a centered wick.
      Show your group
    2. 2
      Pick and center the wick
      Two identical jars poured with wicks one size apart, ready for a burn test.
    3. 3
      Add fragrance
      Two scented candles made with weighed fragrance added at the right temperature.
    See all 15 Steps
    1. 4
      Burn test
      Your test candles burned for up to 4 hours, with the melt pool, flame and smoke written down.
    2. 5
      Fix tops and finish
      Your candles with smooth tops, trimmed wicks and a simple warning label: your first finished pair.
      Show your group
    3. 6
      Make a wood wick candle
      A wood wick candle poured, set and burning with a soft crackle.
    4. 7
      Color your wax
      Three small candles in three shades of one color, plus a note of how much dye made each.
    5. 8
      Roll beeswax tapers
      A pair of rolled beeswax taper candles, tight and straight.
    6. 9
      Read your burn tests
      Your wick tests finished, a wick chosen for your jar, and a note of what you'd change.
    7. 10
      Pour your best candle
      Two candles made with your chosen wick, scent and color: your best yet.
      Show your group
    8. 11
      Blend a signature scent
      Three small scent blends tested on paper and one chosen as your signature.
    9. 12
      Plan and test the set
      Your gift set planned: how many candles, which jars, your blend, and one test candle poured.
    10. 13
      Pour the gift set
      Your whole gift set poured from your own written recipe.
    11. 14
      Label for safety
      Every candle in the set labeled with its scent and the standard safety warnings.
    12. 15
      Cure and give
      Your cured gift set wrapped and given, with one candle kept for yourself.
      Show your group
  2. Level 2Unlocks after Level 1

    Scent Blending

    A signature scent line with strong hot throw

  3. Level 3Unlocks after Level 2

    Small Batch Seller

    A tested, labeled line ready for a market

Where it ends: a small candle line

Free lessons in First Pour come from CandleScience, Frostbeard Studio, GloryBee, Candlewic, Standley Handcrafted, makesy, Cosy Owl Craft, Lone Star Candle Supply, NI Candle Supplies, Happy Organics, Life On Summerhill, Nature's Garden, NorthWood Candle & Craft, Village Craft & Candle. We link to their work and never copy it.

Cover photo by Brittani Burns on Unsplash