Candle Making Supplies

Farmhouse Candle Making 

Who doesn’t love decorating their home with a beautifully crafted candle? They add warmth and light to any space or decor and always make our farmhouse feel cozier. 

While candles are most enjoyed for their decoration and ambiance these days, back in Medieval times to 18th century Scotland candle making was vital. If you’ve been watching Outlander on Netflix too, hence Scotland, then you have experienced in a way, how important candles were in the past. 

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Who doesn’t love decorating their home with a beautifully crafted candle? They add warmth and light to any space or decor and always make our farmhouse feel cozier. Check out my favorite supplies for making candles farmhouse style!

The Simplicity of Candle Making

Candle making can remind us of simpler times and the soft flicker of a burning candle is very calming. 

The process itself is quite simplistic as you only need a handful of candle making supplies. And homemade candles cost quite a bit less than their store-bought counterparts. Yet, they can be made just as effectively and beautifully. 

There are many different types of candles you can make from tall tapers to small votives and tarts. But in my experience, the best place to start candle making is with container candles. You may likely already have some containers in your home that you can repurpose for farmhouse candles like mason jars or ramekins

Container candles are the simplest to make because they don’t require molds or other tricky tools. 

So, What Supplies Do You Need for Candle Making?

Your candle making supplies will vary depending on the type of candles you want to make. But, all candle making starts with these five basic supplies.

  1. candle melting pitcher
  2. candle thermometer
  3. digital kitchen scale
  4. candle wax
  5. candle scent 

From there candle making becomes unique and fun! The type, style, size, and scent all can be chosen and crafted by you. 

Ready to get your candle making supplies? Here’s a list of my favorites to make farmhouse candles with! 

The Best Farmhouse Candle Making Supplies

Wax

Wax is the heart of the candle is like the kitchen is to your home. Without it, you wouldn’t have a candle. They are three primary candle waxes used today. One of which is paraffin, but I don’t recommend it if you want to keep the air in your home clean. So, let’s take a look at the other two. 

Beeswax

Pure beeswax burns with little to no smoke or scent. And cleans the air by releasing negative ions. The ions bind with toxins and remove them from the air in your home. Who knew? I’ve heard it’s helpful for those with allergies or asthma. Anyhow, I recommend making candles with beeswax pellets versus blocks. They are much easier to measure and they melt quicker. You can a one-pound bag on Etsy, Amazon, or if you’re lucky your local farmers market. 

Soy Wax 

Another great option for candle making with a clean, smooth burn sans unhealthy chemicals found in paraffin. One thing I really love about soy wax is that it cleans up with just warm water. 

My husband spilled a store-bought candle made with paraffin years ago in his man cave. I tried everything and ended up hiring a professional. It cost an arm and a leg to get the wax out of the carpet and off the wall! 

So take my advice and steer clear of paraffin. I buy soy wax flakes by the box. A 10lb box that is! But, you can get in one pound bag here. It’s really easy to measure too and if you want white candles or plan to color your candles, soy wax is the best choice. 

Ready to get your candle making supplies? Here’s a list of my favorites to make farmhouse candles with!

Candle Wax Melting Pitcher

This one always seems to confuse people. What is a candle wax melting pitcher? It’s a big pitcher to melt wax in and pour it out. Pretty simple right! 

Could you melt wax in a pot you already have? Sure, but once you use it for candle wax you won’t want to cook with it. And it will be really difficult to pour the wax into containers once it’s melted without a spout. 

Trust me, spend the cash for a candle wax melting pitcher it will make your life easier! 

Farmhouse Candle Containers 

When it comes to choosing a container for candle making, basically anything that can withstand heat can be used. And if you plan to ship candles a lid can come in handy. Here’s a look at four different types of containers I have used and recommend for container candles.  

1. Amber Glass Jars

Dark amber glass jars and canisters add a french apothecary touch to our farmhouse. They are transparent but durable and easy to reuse. I have several of these amber glass canisters from the Hearth & Hand brand by Chip & Joanna Gaines. You may also like these amber glass jars that come with 4 different lid choices. 

2. Candle Tins

Another great option for container candles is metal candle tins. The frosted rose gold candle tins in the photo are a perfect 2 ounce for gifting candles. And the round lids make it easy to add a pretty sticker label on the top! I’ve also made candles with these 4-ounce silver tins and tied each tin with twine and small tag for gifting. 

3. Ramekins 

I have a knack for finding gorgeous french ramekins at stores like Home Goods. I found this set of ramekins made in France from Burgundy clay on Amazon in the photo.  The glaze on them is scratch resistant and so pretty! I also love all Hearth & Hand ramekins Target carries. They may not be made in France but their character is still charming. 

4. Mason Jars

Last but not least, masons jars are a staple for everything crafty. They were the first container I made candles with! But, I will tell you something – make sure you can fit your hand in the mason jar you are going to make a candle in. Because otherwise, you’re going to have a hard time placing the wick. 

Your choice of wax, wick, container, and scent all add into the factor of a great candle. Learn how to start with basic candle making supplies and move to creating custom candles.

Wicks

Here’s something else I learned from trial and error. The wrong size wick can ruin your candle making! 

It’s not the length that matters so much. Simply, because you can always buy a long length wick and cut it to fit after the candle has cured. It’s the width of the wick that is really important! 

As a rule of thumb, if you are filling a container between 2 and 4 inches in diameter you’ll want a medium to large wick that has a 20 mm tab like the wicks in the photo. Take a look at the two types of wicks common in candle making supplies. 

1. Cotton Wicks 

First off make sure you are buying LEAD-FREE cotton wicks. These natural cotton wicks and pre-waxed natural cotton wicks work great! But, when I’m using cotton wicks I find wick centering devices do help out. 

The metal wick bar in the centering device is great for containers and can be used in a variety of container sizes. The slots on the top of the device allow the wick to slide in and be held firmly. (Note: the pre-waxed wicks will not slide in! More trial and error my friends…) The centering devices can be washed and used a million times over. 

Glue dots can also be helpful for holding the wick tab in the center of the container. But sometimes they don’t hold it down and then you have to place it as the wax cools, pouring just small amount in the container first.

2. Wood Wicks

If you really want your candles to stand out from the rest use a wood wick! They offer a calming crackling sound and a beautiful flicker. They are much easier to place than cotton wicks and don’t require any pre waxing. I use these non-toxic 100% wood wicks made in the U.S.A. that come with wick clips. Again opt for the medium or large size for container candles. 

Candle Scent

Without scent, all you have is a flame and burning wax. While this was enough for our friend Claire on Outlander it’s kind of dull in our time. In fact, we happen to live in a time that you can easily make a candle smell like anything the world! 

If you admire the tropical floral scent of hibiscus you don’t have to be Hawaii to enjoy it. The same goes for all the yummy scents like cinnamon rolls and apple pie. One can enjoy these scents without baking a thing! They would have called that witchcraft back in the 1800s. For me, my favorites are harvest spice and blend of vanilla butter and coffee.

I like to use all-natural fragrance oils composed of aromatic isolates from nature and essential oils. Like essential oils, they have zero additives.

And unlike typical fragrance oils, they do not contain parabens and phthalates.  A more affordable candle making supply than essential oils. Yet, still perfect for creating a candle without synthetic ingredients.

Ready to get your candle making supplies? Craft something beautiful and worth gifting with my favorite tested and reviewed farmhouse candle making supplies!

What makes a good candle?

A good candle goes beyond the basic candle making supplies. Your choice of wax, wick, container, and scent all add into the factor of a great candle. So, take your time and choose wisely. And don’t be afraid of a little trial and error. I’ve certainly had my fair share! 

What’s your favorite type of container to use for candle making? Or are you just starting out as a candle maker?? Either way, I know you’ll craft something beautiful and worth gifting with these farmhouse candle making supplies! 

Pin these candle making supplies to inspire your crafting and tag #farmhousechicliving on Instagram to share your candle making with us, errors and all.