Just Start with Candle Making
Candle making is one of those crafts that seems intimidating until you actually try it. Melt some wax, add a wick, pour it into a container, and you have a candle. The basics really are that simple. What keeps people coming back is everything you can do beyond the basics: layering scents, experimenting with colors, carving shapes, blending wax types, and turning a kitchen-table hobby into something you can gift, sell, or simply enjoy on a dark evening. It is a craft that rewards patience and curiosity in equal measure.
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Candle Making Basics: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started
Sandy Allison · 184 pages · 2018 · Easy
Themes: candle making fundamentals, tools and materials, tapers and pillars, container candles, beeswax candles
The best candle making book for someone who has never melted a single block of wax. Sandy Allison walks you through every type of candle you might want to make, with step-by-step color photographs that eliminate the guesswork other guides leave behind.
Why Start Here
Most candle making books either overwhelm you with advanced techniques or breeze through the basics so quickly that you are left wondering what went wrong when your first candle tunnels or your wick drowns. “Candle Making Basics” sits right in the sweet spot. It assumes you know nothing, teaches you everything you need, and does it with clear photographs at every step.
The book covers traditional tapers, molded pillar candles, container candles, and rolled beeswax candles. For each type, Allison explains the materials, the process, and the common mistakes to avoid. She also includes practical guidance on choosing wicks, working with dyes and fragrances, and setting up a safe workspace. It is the kind of book that makes you feel confident enough to actually start rather than just read about starting.
What sets this apart from online tutorials is the structure. Instead of jumping between random projects, the book builds your skills progressively. By the time you reach the later chapters, you have a genuine understanding of how wax behaves, why certain wicks work better than others, and how to troubleshoot problems on your own.
What to Expect
At 184 pages, this is a thorough guide without being exhausting. The first section covers tools, materials, and safety. The middle chapters walk through each candle type with detailed instructions. The final section includes a gallery of project ideas to inspire you once you have the fundamentals down.
You can realistically make your first candle within a day of picking up this book. The materials are affordable and widely available, and Allison includes a shopping list so you know exactly what to buy before you begin.
Alternatives
Adrienne Haws · 57 pages · 2016 · Easy
A slim, no-nonsense guide that gets you making candles as quickly as possible. Adrienne Haws strips the craft down to its essentials and walks you through your first candles in under 60 pages.
Why Consider This One
If you want to find out whether candle making is for you before investing in a longer book, this is the one to grab. Haws covers the history of candle making briefly, then moves straight into the practical stuff: wax types, wick selection, equipment, scents, colors, and a clear seven-step process for making your first candle.
The writing is straightforward and unpretentious. There is no filler, no lengthy preambles. You get the information you need and nothing you do not. For someone who learns by doing rather than reading, this approach works well.
What to Expect
At just 57 pages, you can read this in a single sitting and be making candles the same afternoon. The trade-off is depth. Haws covers the basics well but does not go into the kind of detail you will find in a more comprehensive guide. Think of it as a launchpad: it gets you started, and once you are hooked, you will want a more thorough reference like “Candle Making Basics” to keep improving.
The book includes several basic recipes and candle designs to try, giving you enough variety to experiment without feeling overwhelmed.
Norma Coney · 128 pages · 1997 · Easy
A beautifully illustrated project book that teaches you to make over 40 different kinds of candles. Norma Coney focuses on the creative side of candle making, showing you what is possible once you have the basics down.
Why Consider This One
Where “Candle Making Basics” teaches you the fundamentals, Coney’s book shows you what to do with them. This is the book you pick up when you can confidently make a basic pillar or container candle and want to explore marbleized effects, tie-dyed patterns, carved surfaces, sand candles, floating candles, and hurricane shells.
The photography is excellent and genuinely inspiring. Each project comes with clear instructions, but the real value is in seeing the range of what candle making can become. Coney treats the craft as an art form, not just a practical skill, and that perspective is contagious.
What to Expect
At 128 pages, this is a focused book that moves quickly through techniques. Coney assumes some basic familiarity with melting wax and working with wicks, so complete beginners should start elsewhere. But for anyone who has made a few candles and wants to push further, this is an excellent next step.
The book was first published in 1997, but candle making techniques have not changed dramatically since then. The methods Coney describes are still exactly how artisan candle makers work today.