Home Candle Making Makes a Comeback

It’s funny how some things that were a chore at one point in time become a hobby and craft at another time. That seems to be the case with home candle making. I recently visited a page (Home Candle Making) that made it pretty clear.

At one point in time, people had to make candles at home, at least if the family wanted to be able to have any light after sunset. Home candle making used to be a rather unpleasant task. It involved first rendering animal fat into tallow(rendering involve heating animal fat an perhaps adding some lye). Tallow candles couldn’t “hold a candle” to today’s candles (my apologies – couldn’t help myself).

Candle making moved out of the home with the development of paraffin and the Industrial Revolution. Once people could get cheap commercially made candles, home candle making fell by the wayside.

Eventually, incandescent electric lights have become the preferred way to light our homes, but that doesn’t mean we no longer use candles. However, most people no longer make their own.

Candles are used is today in rituals, such as religious services, weddings, and of course birthday parties. Homemakers use candles to crate an inviting atmosphere in their home, especially when entertaining. And of course candle light is always associated with the romantic dinner, whether at home or out at a fancy restaurant.

So candles have always remained popular, even if no longer purely utilitarian. However, for many years most people were content to use commercially produced candles.  Now the cycle is moving full circle and candle making is moving back into the home. More and more people are becoming involved with the wonderful craft of candle making.

Some people even make candles that are much better than any you can buy.

A very simple way to make your own candle is to use the sheet wax and a prepared wick.  This is a good way to start because it is so simple and you don’t even need to melt the wax. The sheets are so pliable that you can form a candle from one by rolling around a wick.

After that you can move on to other forms of candles. A good place to find out how is: How to Make Your Own Candles.  That site also offers a free candle making mini-course that’s well work signing up for.

If you think you’re interested in trying candle making, probably the best resource I can point you to is Home Candle Making Made Easy. That ebook is filled with insider tips and secrets that will make you an expert in no time.