Make candles

Making a candle is mostly melting, stirring and waiting. It’s one of the more satisfying things you can make in an evening, because at the end you have a jar that smells like fall and sits on your shelf. It’s also the one idea on the list that involves hot wax and, later, a flame, so it’s worth doing carefully.

What you need beyond the list

• A heat-safe pouring jug, or a metal pot with a spout.
• A saucepan that the jug can sit in, to make a double boiler.
• A thermometer, ideally a candy or digital one.
• A spoon or wooden stick for stirring, that you won’t use for food again.
• Wick stickers or a glue dot, to hold the wick in place.
• A pencil, skewer or clothes peg to keep the wick upright.
• Newspaper or a baking sheet to protect your table.
• Scissors.

Wicks come in different sizes, and the right size depends on the diameter of your jar. The packet or the supplier usually tells you which to buy. If you aren’t sure, ask in the shop.

Safety first

Wax is hot, and it burns.

• Never heat wax directly on a burner. Use a double boiler, with the wax in a jug set in a pan of simmering water. Wax heated on high heat can overheat and catch fire.
• Never leave melting wax alone. Stay in the room.
• If wax catches fire, turn off the heat and smother it with a lid. Never pour water on a wax fire, because it spreads the flames.
• Keep a lid or a baking sheet close by in case you need it.
• Wear closed shoes, tie your hair back and keep children and pets out of the kitchen.
• Use a heat-safe jar with no cracks.

Step by step

1. Prepare the jar. Wash it, dry it and check for chips.
2. Fix the wick. Put a sticker or a dab of glue on the metal base and press it into the centre of the jar. Hold it for a few seconds.
3. Weigh or measure the wax. Flakes take up more room than melted wax, so you’ll need more than the jar seems to hold. Your wax maker’s instructions will say how much to use.
4. Set up the double boiler. Put a couple of inches of water in a saucepan, put the jug in it and heat on a medium setting until the water simmers.
5. Melt the wax, stirring slowly now and then, until it’s completely clear.
6. Take the jug out of the pan, using oven gloves, and dry the bottom.
7. Add fragrance. Check the maker’s instructions for the temperature and the amount. Stir gently for a minute or two.
8. Let it cool a little. Wax poured when it’s too hot can crack or form bubbles as it sets. The instructions for your wax usually give a pouring temperature.
9. Pour slowly into the jar, aiming for the side so you don’t move the wick. Leave about half an inch at the top.
10. Hold the wick upright with a pencil or skewer across the top.
11. Leave it somewhere flat, away from draughts and pets, until it’s completely set. This takes several hours.
12. Trim the wick to about a quarter of an inch (6 mm) before you light it for the first time.

Fall scents

Cinnamon, cedar, vanilla, pumpkin spice, apple, clove and fireside are all good. Use fragrance oil made for candles. Don’t use essential oils unless the maker says they work with your wax, and don’t use cooking extracts. If you want to colour the candle, use dye made for candles.

If something goes wrong

• The top is cracked or bumpy. It cooled too quickly. Pour a bit more slowly and let it cool in a warm room. You can smooth the top with a hairdryer on low.
• The candle is pulling away from the glass. This is common with soy wax and doesn’t affect how it burns.
• A pit or hole in the middle. Reheat a little extra wax and top it up.
• The wick has moved. Straighten it while the wax is still soft, or reheat the top with a hairdryer.
• The scent is weak. Wait a few more days before you burn it. Some candle makers say the scent grows as it cures.
• It burns with a very tall flame or smokes. The wick is too long, or too big for the jar. Trim it, and use a smaller wick next time.

Burn it safely

• Never leave a candle burning when you leave the room or go to sleep.
• Put it on a heat-proof surface, away from curtains, paper and shelves above it.
• Keep it away from pets and children.
• Trim the wick before each use.
• Put it out before the wax gets close to the bottom of the jar.

Make it a fall evening

Set aside an evening with a podcast on, and pour two or three candles in different scents. Let them set while you have dinner. A simmer pot gives you the same fall smell without the flame, if you want something you can keep going while you’re home. A candle in a jar also makes a good gift, with a handwritten label and a note on the scent.