Make hand dipped candles the way the early colonists did! It’s fun, it’s easy and they make great gifts!!! Part of the Colonial Craft Series.
Disclaimer: This is an activity that requires adult supervision
Candle Making in the Eighteenth Century
They didn’t have the modern convenience of a kitchen stove in the 1700’s and they didn’t have fancy candles with different smells and shapes and in pretty jars like Yankee Candle. The people had a problem (darkness) and needed a solution (portable light) so making candles was about functionality, not a relaxing night at home. Hand dipped candle was a necessity of every day life.
More Than Just a Craft
We modern folk enjoy hand made anything today as a work of art and labor of love. But in early colonial times, this was a necessary part of life and something that every family needed to do unless they were wealthy enough to purchase their candles from a chandler. It usually fell to the children to do as this was tedious work and something kids could handle with relative ease while mom and dad did other chores.
Hand Dipped Candles Drying 
Other Chandler Tools of Trade
Waste Not Want Not
Hand dipped candles were usually made of tallow (a rendered form of animal fat) which was collected from the fat of farm animals. It sounds gross but we’re talking about a time where nothing was wasted and if a family gave up a farm animal to eat, they would make sure they used every part of it they could, including the fat scraps.
When dipping the wick it was/is recommended to tap it three times on the side before dipping it in the cool water. The reason for this is two fold. It allows any excess wax to drip back into the pot (not on the ground) and gives an extra moment for the wax to cool. All in the name of making the most of what you have.
Dip in wax and tap three times 
Dip in water
All in a Days Work, and DAYS of Work
Each family would need roughly a hundred candles to get through a year and that was being frugal with them. (Remember, this was before the electric lightbulb.) Hand dipped candles took just under and hour to make one, two an hour if you’re focused … so to make one hundred was a full work week… and that is not including breaks to eat, use the facilities, etc…
DISCOVER OTHER FUN WAYS TO EXPERIENCE AMERICAN HISTORY
Don’t forget the pail of water 
Cauldron of hot wax is heavier than you think…or I’m the weakest woman…ever…
Colonial Craft Supplies
All the supplies for this Colonial Craft are super affordable and can be found at SAGE’S COLONIAL CRAFT SUPPLY SHOPPE . You’ll need cotton wicking, wax, a cauldron (or a can or double boiler) for wax and a pail (or bowl) of water. That’s it!
The basics for this craft…water, wax, wicks…
DISCLAIMER: If you are doing it the colonial way, you will need to build a fire. If you are using modern methods, you will be using a stove. BOTH of these require adult supervision. Read to the end of this tutorial before beginning.
VISIT SAGE’S COLONIAL CRAFT SUPPLY SHOPPE
Safety First-Be Prepared
Whether you make hand dipped candles over the coals in a cauldron or in a pot on the stove, make sure you have adult supervision! It’s super fun but safety first…always!
Also, wear something you don’t mind getting dirty. Remember the things you are dealing with, fire (or stove) and wax.
Video Step by Step
Tips to Make it Modern and Fancy
For Color: drop a scrap of your favorite color crayon in the wax
For Scent: add a couple drops of scented oil to the melted wax
Try different wax: Beeswax, Parafin, Palm
Layers: Dip for a while in one color, then switch to another color wax. When it drips, you will see both the colors.
Stove Top: Our video tutorial shows the colonial way to make hand dipped candles. We’ve done them on the stove as well. To avoid pots ruined by wax drippings, use an old juice can or a double boiler can (pictured below) to put the wax in and place the can in a large pot of boiling water. This is a simple way to control the temperature and not ruin cookware. (I also recommend a wax thermometer to keep a close eye on the temperature of the wax). All these items can be found in SAGE’S COLONIAL CRAFT SUPPLY SHOPPE
Modern Supplies for Stove top 
Pretty candles drying
A Special Thank You
A very special thank you to the good people at Riley’s Farm who sponsored this episode of Colonial Crafts. Riley’s Farm is a unique and special place in Oak Glen California. They make history come alive in extraordinary ways and specialize in the 1700’s-1800’s.
READ ABOUT RILEYS DINNER THEATER
More Colonial Crafts Please!
Did you love learning How to Make Hand Dipped Candles the colonial way? We sure hope so!! See all our Colonial Crafting Videos Here. Do you have an idea for a craft you’d like to see? Let us know! We will do our best to make it happen!
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OH MY WORD – How I wish I could have done this when I was a little girl! How lucky are your kids? I loved history and my dream was to walk around a living history museum in old-fashioned clothes. She is living my dream!
Fun! I remember doing this in school as a kid.
What a charming place! We have made hand dipped candles. So fun!
They are fun aren’t they? Thank you for reading/watching
I would love to make hand dipped candles. This something that I have not done yet.
So fun!! I have fond memories of making candles when I was young in Greenfield Village. Sage is a natural at being a host!!
I love the idea of dressing up as Colonial people and making candles. It looks like you guys had a lot of fun and also some fun photos to capture the memories.
Very cool!Great job with the video.
Thank you! We had fun 🙂
What a fun experience! Classes and hands on experiences are the most memorable parts of adventures!
Agreed! We try to make sure its part of every aventure
I have always wanted to try this!! Thanks for the tutorial! Also.. Isn’t Riley’s Farms a great place?!!!
It really is! Well now you have a place to go and a tutorial in case you can’t get there in person!
Now all I want to do is find a candle making class! This almost seems relaxing!
It really is…. aw, you dont need a class! You have a tutorial 🙂
What a cool series you have created! I remember making similar candles as well as soap and corn husk dolls at a Girl Scout camp. It would be fun to try the candles again.
Thank you so much! It’s been a blast to do… we still have a few more to go 🙂
Looks like an unique experience making candles like the past
Totally unique and totally fun!!
What a great and educational experience… Can I just say, LOVE the picture of you with the cauldron. It made me LOL.
You CAN say it! And I will love you for it! Thank you 😉
My kids have done this at a Renaissance Faire and loved it. I would do it with them at home but probably outside in the warm weather so I don’t have to clean up any wax.
The double boiler is a big help in minimizing clean up. 🙂 Have so much fun!
I remember making those as a child; thanks for bringing back the memory. It’s something I will definitely do with my kiddos when they get older.
You are most welcome! I hope you come back and visit often. We have lots more fun crafts to share 🙂
Wow your video is amazing! What a cool activity!
aw thank you Lisa!!! It was a ton of fun!
This looks like so much fun! I love historical places and hands-on activities just round out the experience-especially with children.
Well then you will for sure love our blog… 😉 We hope you will subscribe and explore. Welcome!
This looks like a lot of fun, and I appreciate learning the history. Love the video!
Thank you! That is indeed to goal… little history and a lot of fun.
I love candles. I’ve never made any but it sounds fun. Thanks for sharing 😊
It’s a lot of fun. This is probably the easiest way and well worth the effort.