Okay, I have to admit, I sort of lied a little while ago. I said that next to rolled beeswax candles that single color candles were the easiest candles to make. Well, this was partially the truth and partially a lie…

You see, we are about to make another single color candle, but this time, instead of using a mould, we are going to be using a jam jar.

This is actually easier than making a candle in a mould. Why? Because you don’t have to worry about releasing the candle from the mould, etc.

So single color candles are the easiest candles to make (next to rolled beeswax candles) and making a candle in an old jam jar is arguably even easier.

There are two methods one can follow when making a jam jar candle. For the most part, everything is the same between the two methods. The only difference is when you stick the wick in. So below, I have provided the two methods to making the candle. You can choose the method you prefer.

You Will Need
  1. Wax
  2. Jam jar
  3. Scissors
  4. Thermometer
  5. Primed wicks
  6. Double boiler
  7. Kitchen scale
  8. Dye if adding color
  9. Stearin if making paraffin candles
  10. Pencil, chopstick or wicking needle

Jam Jar Candle Method 1

Step 1

  1. Get your wick ready.
  2. You will need to cut your wick to an appropriate height based on the height of the jam jar and how much wax you will be adding to the jam jar. The wick should be approximately 2.5 cm (1 inch) longer than the your candle will be high.
  3. Do not put the wick into the jam jar yet.

Step 2

  1. Now that your wick is ready to go, melt your stearin, dye and then wax.

Step 3

  1. Carefully pour your melted wax into the jam jar.
  2. As the wax begins to harden, stick the wick in the wax.
  3. Let cool.

Visual Steps:

Jam Jar Candle Method 2

Step 1

  1. Get your wick ready.
  2. You will need to cut your wick to an appropriate height based on the height of the jam jar and how much wax you will be adding to the jam jar. The wick should be approximately 2.5 cm (1 inch) longer than the your candle will be high.

Step 2

  1. Now that your wick is ready to go, secure it with your wicking needle, pencil, chopstick, etc.
  2. Once secure, pour a little melted wax into the bottom help secure the wick to the bottom of the jam jar.

Step 3

  1. Now that your wick is ready to go, melt your stearin, dye and then wax in your double boiler.
  2. Once melted carefully pour your melted wax into the jam jar.
  3. Let cool.

Visual Steps:

Kandall Wick Says:

If you like using jam jars when making your candles, then you might also be interested in knowing that you can make candles in egg shells, unusually shaped glasses, old cigarette ash trays and any other item that can withstand heat.

As my mentour once said… “Kandall, don’t be afraid to break the mould”. Of course, my mentour wasn’t talking literally… just figuratively and thank goodness for that. Can you imagine a chandler that is always literally breaking the moulds! Anyway, the point is that you don’t need to follow the rules and always use a jam jar. You can apply the same principle to any other potential item.

Later on, you will be learning some additional candle making techniques. Most of those techniques, such as making multi-colored candles, angled candles, ice candles, chunky candles, scented candles, cinnamon candles, orange candles, etc. will be using moulds in which the candle is released from the mould. But if you are looking for easy to make candles, then you can apply those same techniques to the jam jar candle making technique. Let’s face, making candles in a jam jar is really quite easy as you don’t need to worry about releasing the candle from the jar!