Yesterday was a rainy and blustery Sunday. Just the kind of Sunday we need when there is lots of work to do inside. 
I am two thirds of the way through decanting all the honey from the empty hives. Now I really have an awful of wax. I thought that on Thursday the home schooled children and I can make candles. We have such a busy week ahead.
But before we even think of making candles we need to heat and strain the wax, and make the candle wicks. I will do the wax today on the woodstove. I have a special pot for cooking down wax. Yesterday I started the wicks. 
We are going to make dipped candles. So I cut pure cotton strings to lengths for two candles, plus extra for either end. These were folded and covered in a borax and salt solution. They will soak for two days.
Here is the Candle Wick Soaking Solution
- 4tbsp borax
- 2 tablespoons salt
- cup and half hot water
At the end of the second day hang the strings to dry. Either in the sun, or for me, above the fire in the loft. Dry for a further two or three days. The string has to be absolutely dry.
The morning that we make the candles I will show you how to attach each wick to the holders and thinly coat in wax then thoroughly dry again for the final curing. Then we will be ready for the Candle Making.
But today we are going to get Charlotte ready for her ride to the Swine herd’s place tomorrow. Do you think she may need a manicure and maybe a wee facial. I shall ask her. She is very good at walking into the trailer for her feed. Though Sheila has already decided that she would rather eat in her usual spot. So separating them tomorrow will be not be a problem at all.
The wind is howling a gale outside. Time to get to work. There is a fair amount to do. We are getting short of wood for the fire so we are off on a scavenge through the hedge apple hedge on the big farm. There is always dry wood hanging about in there. I wish there were bales of dry hay hanging about in there too. It is going to be a close thing.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
52 responses to “Making Wicks for Candles and Winter Honey”
Good luck getting Charlotte moved safely!
I think it will be OK, we will see what tomorrow brings.. c
I wondered how natural candle wicks were made. Looking forward to the dipping.
Just cotton string, the type you use to truss up a chicken! c
it;s good to know that not all the bees product has gone to waste…well done..I love the way you live!
Charlotte…keep a stiff upper lip. If you were English I’d say ‘ lie back and think of England’ best of luck Mrs Bacon
Everything is used or consumed, there will be no waste, wouldn’t that be awful after all the work of those little bees. c
good morning Celi thanks for the post on the candle wicks that is a good thing to know
SAINTS
ps. have you ever tried flat wicks in candles it might give off more light ? thought just came to me 🙂
I only use cotton string because this is what I have in the house, I use it in the kitchen and cheese making. I don’t think i have even seen flat string .. how interesting.. c
Always wondered what the process was for making candle wicks…
morning bulldog! c
I am indeed excited to see the post on how to make the dipped candles. Why do you need to soak the wick? Does the borax give it an after smell as it burns? I just love the smell of beeswax candles. We burn beeswax exclusively in the house, outside I sometimes use the cheap tea lights, but more and more I’m switching to the beeswax. It’s warmish here too and it’s raining, but I fear we would need a good weeks worth of rain to melt the snow we got on Friday. Have a great day.
Oh no. Raining on top of all that snow! If a wick is properly prepared it will burn slower and with less splutter and smoke. there is not after smell. I also love the scent of beeswax, our house is filling up with that smell this week!c
Thanks for the info.
Bon voyage, Charlotte. Have fun!
The candle process is very interesting., but you have so much work in prospect.
Could you perfume a few with a vanilla pod? or Cinnamon? I have had scented candles given to me in the past and they are delightfully soothing.
what an excellent idea, I have vanilla pods, the beeswax itself is beautifully scented, vanilla might lift that delightfully..thank you Viv, i will experiment.. c
Brilliant – what great fun for the children 😉
So why do you soak the wicks in the solution, to stiffen them? I’ve made candles before but it was with store bought wax and wicks. Even still have one of them from my 4-H years, it has to be between 35-40 years old now (wow I feel old now). Everybody knows that candle is not to be lit unless you want mom fired up too.
On another note I was looking for a rubber stamp of draft horses to purchase the other day online and I found one with piggies on it. First thought that popped into my head was hey those look like Hereford pigs. Wouldn’t have known that without having “met” Sheila and Charlotte.
they must been long backed piggies, isn’t that lovely to think of the Shush Sisters when you are out shopping. The wicks are soaked in this solution so that they burn long and slow without guttering and spluttering, also their flame is bigger from the salt giving more light.. I think! c
This is just fascinating, c. I have always bought candles in pairs (mostly from a woman in Denmark) with connected wicks, but the process of making them was beyond me. I’m riveted! Now … time to play with eggs!
Every time I stop in at the Farmy, I learn something new. Now we’re making candles…
What fun, looking forward to the candle making. As for Charlotte, I wouldn’t worry too much about the beauty treatments, athough you may have supplies at home to do a little trotter waxing!
Close to me in E is a shop called the Burford garden centre. It’s a place I wish they wouldn’t mind me living in, you know, somewhere small in the corner just so I could be there with the incredible things they sell. Anyway, they have these beautiful dipped candles which they display in a cubed frame of about two dozen candles hanging by their wicks. If one wants to buy some then they are snipped out of the frame. This way the whole frame is dipped and several candles are made at once. Do you know what I’m talking about? It’s a brilliant method. I’ve taken photos of the candles in their frame and would be happy to send them to you if you like.
I do know what you are talking about and what a charming way to display them. I would love to see that frame, I make a two candle frame from wire but have always wanted one of the wooden ones. Maybe I will ask the kiwi builder if he can make one for us. c
Very cool! I have always wanted to make candles and to make beeswax candles so this is a huge fun post for me.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
Would a dollop of good old Vaseline help Charlotte?