How to Make Your Unity Candle
A unity candle with two tapers is becoming more popular at weddings. The bride and groom each hold a lit, tapered candle, and together they light a pillar candle. You and your intended can enjoy the fun and rewarding craft project of making your own unity candle. Designing and making your own makes it that much more special.
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Things You'll Need
- Candle mold
- Double boiler
- Kitchen thermometer
- Wax
- White candle dye
- Wick
- Wax putty
- Old newspapers to keep the work surface clean
- Large pot for water bath
- Weight
- Oven Mitts
- Large or wicking needle
- Old frying pan not used for food
Instructions
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1
Purchase a polycarbonate candle mold (see link in Resources.) These are easier to use than metal candle molds. You can choose cylindrical, square or even octagonal. Choose a mold that is at least 12 inches tall and 2 to 3 inches in diameter.
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2
Melt some wax in your double boiler to prime your wick. Prime wick by dipping in the hot wax for 3 seconds, then hang to dry for 1 to 2 minutes. This releases any air bubbles in the wick.
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3
Wick up your mold by taking the dry, stiff wick and running it through the hole at the bottom of the mold. Seal this hole with wax putty. Use a lot of putty, this hole must be leakproof. Place the mold on a surface protected with old newspaper.
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4
Heat your paraffin wax in the double boiler. You can add up to 10 percent beeswax; this will make the candle burn longer and look smooth and pretty. Any more than 10 percent and the candle will be hard to remove from the mold. You can purchase white beeswax from Dadant & Sons (see link in Resources). Heat to 199 degrees Fahrenheit. Add color and scent, if using. Stir gently.
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5
Carefully pour the hot wax into your mold. Wait 2 minutes, then tap the sides of the mold with a spoon. This causes any air bubbles to release.
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6
Create a cold water bath for the candle. Don your oven mitts and gently place the mold in a large pot. Place the weight on the mold to hold it in place, and pour very cold water into the pot. You can throw a little ice in, if you have it. Make sure the water reaches as high as the wax.
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7
Come back in an hour and you will see that there is a well on top of the candle. That is because wax shrinks as it cools. Heat the wax in the double boiler back up to 199 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the mold from water bath. With a large needle, poke a hole in the middle of the well. Carefully pour more wax onto the candle, but be careful not to pour it over the sides. If extra wax gets between the candle and the mold, the candle will not come out.
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8
Replace mold in water bath for another hour. You may need to repeat Step 7 and Step 8. Before removing from mold, remove wax putty and place candle in freezer for 15 minutes. Your unity candle will slide right out of the mold.
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9
Level the bottom of the candle on an old frying pan over low heat.
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Tips & Warnings
You can apply a mold release agent to the inside of the mold before pouring hot wax. This is optional but recommended with beeswax. Purchase the kitchen supplies needed, such as the old frying pan, at a garage sale.
Do not mix candle making and food tools. A pot used for wax should not be used for food preparation. Always melt wax in a double boiler.
