Candle Making Instruction Books
Candle making is one of the most beautiful crafts - for who can resist the magic of candles that fill our homes with light, warmth, and soothing scent. By making your own candles, you not only enjoy all the delights of using candles, but the added satisfaction of decorating your home with your personal creations.
While medieval candlemakers used beeswax or tallow (animal fat) to make their hand-dipped candles, since the 19th century, modern candlemakers have relied primarily on paraffin.
We've chosen some of the best "how to" books on candle making we could find for both the beginner and the expert, including instructions for making gel candles and using your creative skills to start your own candle craft business.
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The
Encyclopedia of Candlemaking Techniques: A Step-by-Step
Visual Guide by Sandie Lea and Sue Heaser Very clear and easy-to-follow directions for many, many different candle making techniques, as well as lots of great photos of both the process and the finished products. Even has tips for displaying your candles to their best advantage. A terrific handbook that will keep you going in candle making for a long, long time. Some prior experience might be helpful. |
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Essentially
Candles: The Elegant Art of Candle Making and Embellishing by Robert and Catherine McDaniel Outstanding guide to making 20 basic types of candles (pillar, taper, floating, container, many more) with innumerable variations. Clear step-by-step instructions with photos, information on selecting ingredients (wax, wicks, etc.), adding scent and color, even includes mold-making instructions and a history of candle making. A sure winner for beginners and experienced candle makers alike. Recommended. |
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Candle
Making: A Step by Step Guide from Beginner to Expert by Bob Sherman Sherman's book is another great guide to candle making, filled with excellent explanations, charts, illustrations, tables and a complete glossary to show you the "science" of candlemaking - what works and what doesn't. Detailed explanations of ingredients and techniques, this is a good book for your candle-making shelf. |
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The
Complete Candlemaker: Techniques, Projects and Inspirations by Norma J. Coney "Norma Coney's comprehensive guide to candle-making techniques, handsome color photos and detailed text illustrate how to make 40 different kinds of candles, a number of them unusual (marbleized, tie-dyed, carved--even appliquéd). There are some amazing candles here, such as the water candle (in which a pillar candle is surrounded by what look like rolling waves of wax), sand candles, and cut-and-curl tapers." In short, a terrific book that is clear and detailed enough for beginners. |
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Candles:
Illuminating Ideas for Creative Candlemaking and Enchanting
Displays by Gloria Nicol While this book contains some instruction, it is mostly about inspiration and decoration - lots of wonderful ideas for using your own creativity in candle creation and display. If you are already an expert candlemaker, this book will spark your interest in expanding your skills both for creating beauty in your own home and for gift-giving. Lovely photos. |
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The
Candlemaker's Companion: A Complete Guide to Rolling,
Pouring, Dipping, and Decorating Your Own Candles by Betty Oppenheimer Candle making with a personal, informal touch - "this thorough guide provides ... step-by-step instructions covering virtually all aspects of making rolled, poured, molded, dipped, and decorated candles--even candleholders. Though there are no photos, the line drawings are quite helpful, as are the crafting tips that--along with well-chosen candle-related quotes--fill the book's margins." A perfect "how to" book for beginners. Recommended. |
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Gel
Candles: 40 Creative Projects by C. Kaila Westerman From the book description: "Candle gel is the hottest new product in candle crafting. This new product (95% mineral oil, 5% resin) is transparent, is extremely easy to clean up, and has a significantly longer burning time than traditional waxes. Author Kaila Westerman gives the basics of gel candle crafting in ten easy steps, then explores the endless possibilities for creating special effects with layers of color, swirls, bubbles, specialty molds, and embedments such as glass, botanicals, shells, stones, and pieces of solid paraffin candle wax. Readers can create candles that look like rainbows, aquariums, seascapes, playful sodas and other drinks, and more. Since gel candles cannot stand alone, each design is enhanced by wonderful whimsical, vintage, or even sophisticated containers." Lots of fun. |
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Candlemaking
for Fun & Profit by Michelle Espino While the book gives basic candle-making instructions, you will want to learn candle-making elsewhere. The strength of the book lies in it's basic small business information - pricing, licenses, setting up a home workshop, getting into craft shows and selling through stores, etc. Really, any book on small business or, better yet, the crafting business would give you the same info in perhaps more depth, but this book is a good starting point. |