Tie Dye Candle Making Project I

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Tie Dye Candle Project I

By Bob Sherman

This fun project is more of a surface technique so it is suitable for anyone. It is extremely simple and requires minimal equipment. You may apply this to candles you make or to purchased candles.

Most of the items you may need can be ordered directly from this page for your convenience. The Materials list is at the bottom of the page.

PLEASE NOTE!! - Candle making can be dangerous if proper safety procedures are not followed. Please read these Safety Rules before attempting any candle making projects. This project requires the use of a heat source and should only be done with adult supervision. It is vital to have a dry chemical fire extinguisher handy whenever heating wax.

You will also need to know basic candle making skills before beginning if you plan to make the candles you use this technique on as this article will not be covering them. Basic pillar candle making can be learned in our free Introduction To Candle Making Course

Instructions

Apply Dye - Melt small amounts of dye. They should be dabbed on in tiny amounts with a toothpick once melted. Note that solid dyes contain wax so the same safety rules apply when melting them. Remember that candle dyes are highly concentrated so use them very sparingly until you get a feel for this technique.

Wrap a small piece of aluminum foil around the wick to protect it from the heat.

Place the candle on a heat resistant surface such as a baking sheet.

Make sure there are no flammable objects nearby.

Heat the candle surface using a heat gun or propane torch.

Note that these get very hot so you must take care not to burn yourself.
Always keep the gun or torch moving to avoid excessive melting and potential overheating of the wax.
Use the minimal amount of heating to obtain the best appearance.
It takes some practice to obtain the best results.

Remove the aluminum foil and enjoy your new candle.

Candle Making Supplies And Materials

The following candle making supplies and other materials were used to make this candle. Clicking on the item name will bring you to that item's page with a full description.

Item

Amount Used

Pre Made Candles

Any style of your choice, white candles work best. You can also make your own if you prefer.

Dye Blocks
or
Dye Flakes

Very little is needed but you will want several colors.

Torch
or
Heat Gun

These can be found at any hardware store or home center.
An inexpensive propane torch works well.
If you don't want to deal with a torch, a heat gun like those sold for stripping paint will also work but is a bit more expensive. Many of the heat guns sold for embossing with rubber stamps will also work if you have one of those. Most hair dryers just don't get hot enough.

Toothpicks

Purchase at a market, housewares store, or a dollar store.

Aluminum Foil

From the market.

Disclaimer: The information presented here is accurate to the best of my knowledge and common candle making practices as of the time of this writing - January 2006. The author and the publisher accept no liability for the use or misuse of any of the information presented in this article. This article is presented for informational purposes and is used at your own risk.

Author: Bob Sherman

Publisher: Bobby's Craft Boutique Inc.

This article is provided free of charge for use. Candles may be made and sold using this design royalty free, however no portion of this article may be reproduced for publication elsewhere without express permission from Bobby's Craft Boutique Inc. with the following exceptions:

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