Create Some Magic With Candlelight

The flickering light of a candle can bring warmth, old-fashioned elegance and even a bit of magic to any gathering. And homemade candles are even more special.

Making candles is an easy project - with impressive results. Homemade candles can be wonderful gifts, but it’s certainly worth making some for yourself too.

Because candle-making has become popular over the past few years, the few supplies you need should be easy to find. Paraffin is available at many grocery stores, and crafts stores often carry everything else: beeswax, wicking, molds, wax-dye pellets and wax hardeners, such as stearic acid. One good mail-order source is Barker Enterprise (800-543-0601).

Here are two different types of candles to make:

Rolled candles

These are simple to create. Rolled candles are made from sheets of solid beeswax, which come in a vast array of colors. There’s no melting or dyeing involved.

Rolled candles can be round or square, fat or thin, and as tall or short as you like.

1. Begin by softening a sheet of beeswax to make it easy to work with. Place it on a towel-lined baking sheet and warm it in a 250-degrees Fahrenheit oven for about two minutes, or heat it with a blow dryer.

2. Use a mat knife or utility knife to trim the sheet of wax to the height you want the candle to be. Lay a length of wicking slightly longer than the wax along one edge of the sheet. Carefully roll the wax, starting at the edge with the wicking, making sure to keep the ends even.

If you want to make a square candle, roll two or three times, then press down on the top with the palm of your hand, flattening the top and bottom. Roll another quarter turn and press down again, flattening the remaining two sides. Continue rolling, pressing down each time.

3. When the candle reaches the size you want, cut off the excess wax. If you want to give the candle a different outer layer, roll it in a sheet of wax in a complementary color.

4. I like the slightly rough, homemade look of the candles at this point, but if you prefer, you can erase the seam by rubbing it with a warm metal tool, such as a palette knife or spatula.

(A candlemaking kit specifically for rolled candles is available through Martha By Mail. Call (800) 950-7130 for more information.)

Molded candles

Molded candles are made using a completely different process. It’s as simple a technique as it was hundreds of years ago, when candles were a necessity, not a luxury.

An enormous variety of molds - from tiny votives to big blocks and towering pillars - are available at crafts stores. They usually come with instructions on what gauge wicking to use and how much wax you’ll need to fill them.

1. Melt paraffin or beeswax in a double boiler over high heat. When it reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer, lower the heat and add a hardening agent. (For one pound of wax, add three tablespoons stearic acid or one teaspoon of synthetic hardening crystals.)

While the wax is heating, never leave it unattended or allow it to reach a temperature higher than 200 degrees. Lower the heat immediately if the wax starts smoking or smells like it’s burning.

2. To color the wax, add bits of wax-dye pellets and stir until they dissolve. Start with small amounts of dye; you can always add more.

Test the color with cotton swabs or by dabbing a bit onto a baking sheet.

3. While the wax is melting, prepare the mold: attach the wicking to the bottom with the wick screw and putty (these generally come with the mold). Lay a toothpick, chopstick or pencil across the top of the mold, and tie the other end of the wicking to the stick, making sure it’s taut.

4. Pour the wax into the mold to an inch and a half below the rim.

5. Transfer the mold to a cold-water bath. The water should be level with the wax, so for a tall candle, a bucket works well. For votives, a baking pan is fine.

Let the mold stand for about half an hour. A small well will form around the wick. Insert a long, thin tool, such as a knitting needle or cake tester, into the well to release the air bubbles, then fill the well three-quarters full with more melted wax.

Repeat this process after 45 more minutes, then remove the candles from the water bath and let them harden completely, about eight hours. (Small candles, such as votives, will be ready in just a few hours.)

6. Remove the wick screw and putty and carefully pull the candle from its mold. Straighten the bottom with a knife if necessary, and smooth any rough spots by rubbing on a warmed cookie sheet.

Don’t save your candles for special occasions. Make enough to use them for everyday dinners or to add a little romance or mystery to any room in the house.

MEMO: Questions should be addressed to Martha Stewart, care of The New York Times Syndication Sales Corp., 122 E. 42nd St., New York, NY 10168. Questions may also be sent to Stewart by electronic mail. Her address is: mstewart@msl.timeinc.com.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Martha Stewart New York Times Syndicate