Selfsufficientish.com

Made a discovery a couple of months back, which I thought I'd share. I'd been reading the stories of "double-boilers" for candlemaking with concern - I had lots of bits of wax, but no double-boiler, and I was a bit scared by the phrase "spontaneous combusion" anyway :-(

However, whilst rooting around in my cupboards I found an old slow cooker...

No direct heat, fairly controllable and you can use it as a store for candle fragments until you are ready to turn it on. Mine is a rather Kn*ckered old version which is way too small for my family, so has long since been replaced by something more efficient and *larger* :-)

I use crochet cotton to lucet wicks (google "lucet" it's a cool and easy craft akin to french knitting on just two prongs) and pour candles into old jars I requisition from family and friends.

Fun, easy and CHEAP!

Um Hmmm. Makes you wonder, doesn't it, how anyone ever made a candle? Year 1834 ... "Put the double boiler on, Darling" ... "oh, I can't do that My Sweet, there's nothing into which it will plug."

"Oh (early 19th century version of) bugger me".

Anyone remember the 3 day week? My mum got hold of a load of paraffin wax and made candles in toilet roll inners with lengths of ordinary string for wicks. She melted the wax using a bain marie method (a bowl in a saucepan of boiling or near boiling water for those non-chefs in the room) and it worked a treat. Plus, because of the type of wax she used, they just melted and could be re-made from the same wax, rather than burning off as ordinary candles do.

We spent many happy times making candles during the "4 hours on" so we could light them in the "4 hours off". And kids' crayons were great for adding colour to them too.

Ah the good old days. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be.

Lynne