Having A Go At Beeswax Candle Rolling
24th August 2024 - New Experience Number 19.
I love a crafting experience, and I love nature, so having a go at beeswax candle rolling was a fantastic opportunity to combine the two.
It was also a chance to so something I’d never done before as part of my challenge to try fifty-two new things each year.
Why Use Beeswax In Candles?
Firstly, beeswax is much kinder to the environment than waxes made from paraffin. It’s a natural and renewable product.
Secondly, candles made from beeswax generally burn for longer, and they don’t create as much soot as other waxes.
My Experience Of Beeswax Candle Rolling
On a sunny Saturday afternoon in the meadow area of Homestead Park, Thrive Outside had organised a day of nature themed crafts.
Several gazebos were arranged amongst the trees with a variety of activities happening under each of them.
Our workshop was fantastically led by Sam from L & S Crafts. He gave us an enthusiastic overview of the craft, and demonstrated how to make the candles. Then it was over to us, whilst he was on hand to answer our many questions and offer additional advice and guidance when needed.
The first task was to decide which three sheets of beeswax to use, as there were lots of different colours to choose from.
Next was choosing which style of candles I wanted to make. As this was my first attempt I decided to make one basic dinner candle to start with and get a feel for it.
Rolling The First Candle
It’s easier to manipulate the sheets of wax in warm temperatures as it’s more pliable. Whilst our workshop took place outside in August which is technically still summer, it wasn’t particularly warm.
To give our sheets a bit of encouragement to roll, we gently rubbed them between our hands, which released the lovely fragrance. They hadn’t had any scent added to them, this was a natural sweet and earthy aroma.
Whilst it was a fairly straightforward craft, I found I needed quite a lot of concentration. Despite wrapping the wax tightly around the wick as I began my candle, I’d clearly lost some of the tautness and it ended up being very loose. This wasn’t a problem as I was able to unravel and do it again!
It looked quite neat when it was finished, although it did remind me of a stick of dynamite that you would see in a cartoon. It’s a good job I hadn’t picked a red sheet!
Getting Creative With My Next Attempts
My next attempts were a bit more adventurous. Sam had shown us some rather impressive candles which were more of a cone shape and used two colours. I really fancied having a go at these!
I needed some pointers on how to make them, and a bit of guidance over where to lay the wick to get started. Whilst I had to focus on what I was doing, I was still able to chat to the lady next to me. She’d picked lovely green and red coloured sheets and was planning ahead for Christmas!
Although the end result may not be too tidy, (they certainly have a home-made charm to them!), I really like the two coloured wrapped effect.
Finishing Touches
To finish off the make, there was an abundance of embellishments that we could use to package up our candles.
I decided to keep mine natural. Tying the candles together with some twine, I added in a leaf for colour and lavender for fragrance.
I Really Enjoyed Having A Go At Beeswax Candle Rolling
We had a bee-brilliant instructor! Sam was fantastic at introducing us to the craft and buzzing with encouragement. (You didn’t really think I’d be able to resist including any bee puns did you?!)
I loved that this was relatively easy to pick up, and get going with. I’m saving my creations for a cold dark day when I’m going to cosy up indoors and lose myself in a good book.
It was especially nice because it was outside, with the gentlest of breezes tickling our cheeks and the leaves whispering above us. Working with a natural product whilst spending time in nature is a wonderful way to try a new craft.
Why You Should Give It A Go
It’s a really nice mindful and tactile craft that doesn’t need much in the way of materials.
With just a few instructions, it’s really easy to get started and release your creativity!
There are so many ways that you can get creative with this craft! From pairing complementary or contrasting colours, to making different shapes and sizes, to the decorative embellishments used for the finishing touches.
It’s a great idea for a crafty group activity, so perhaps something a bit different to consider if you’re organising a party?
Want To Try It Yourself?
- The fantastic workshop that I took part in was delivered by L & S crafts. Find out more about them and the other different craft workshops that they offer by visiting the L & S Crafts website, follow them on instagram and find them on facebook.
- Visit Thrive Outside who regularly organise nature themed events in York
- Have a look at Craft Courses for kits and classes on beeswax candle making.
- Take a look on eventbrite to see if any beeswax rolling workshops are happening near you.
- See some of the other craft experiences I’ve been up to for further inspiration of things to try.
Cost Of Experience
- The session I attended was free as part of the nature themed craft day.
- Workshops will vary in price, but you can expect to pay around £28 for a one hour session which will include all of the materials.
Recommendations
- Let your creativity loose!
- Don’t worry about it not going quite as intended, you can always unroll and start again..
- Whilst it’s not an especially messy craft, it’s probably best not to wear your best clothes just in case you do get any stray bits of wax on them.
- Take some pictures and let me know how you get on if you give it a go!