Swirly Stars Candle Tutorial
Step1
Here’s a step by step guide to a really exciting technique that has just become a lot easier to achieve – thanks to our new Liquid Wax Dyes!
(In the old days we used hot melted dyes in an egg poacher and the temperature differences were so critical that it was a tricky business!)
Above you can see our Star mould wicked and sealed; and filled with some chunks we made earlier. Be careful not to bend the wick off centre when you put them in!
(To make chunks; pour into a tray or plate and cut into shapes before they have set hard. In this case we used half per cent vybar® to add a whitening effect to the wax).
Step2
With the Liquid dyes handy we prepare some paraffin wax with 10 per cent stearin to a temperature of 260°F / 127°C.
(This is hotter than boiling water so exercise extreme caution!).
Pouring the hot wax over the centre of the chunks until it is level with the top of the mould.
As well as helping to create the dramatic swirly effect, the chunks will help to cool the wax. We have also prepared a water bath ready to ‘freeze’ the design once the dyes have been added.
(Don’t pour at this temperature without chunks or you may well melt the mould!)
Step3
Working swiftly we drop some red, then blue and now yellow liquid dye into the wax at various points.
The dye sinks like a stone – swirling around the chunks as it falls. Part of the beauty of this technique is that the natural random patterns of the swirling dyes, make every candle a one-off!
Let the last added dye sink – and then carefully lift and place the candle mould in the water bath and place a weight on top.Take care not to allow any water into the candle – it won’t burn!
Once the outside has set you can remove it from the water, if you want and treat like any other setting candle with regard to breaking the top skin and topping up as the wax shrinks.
(When the wax is set it may shrink away from the sides. Take care not to pour topping up wax down the gap!).
To release the candle when it is fully set, gently press the sides of the mould outwards with the fingers supporting the points.
Step4
The Finished Candle is a work of art!
Thos completes the Swirly Stars Candle Tutorial, we hope you enjoyed it!
