With patience and a little practice, it can be fairly easy to make molds at home, as long as you stick to shapes that lend themselves to a natural part line. But if you want to get really fancy, it's possible to make three-part molds. Just remember that the more parts, the more possibility of wax leakage. Wax may leak from a mold that has more than one part line, and this can ruin the candle. Experienced candlemakers don't advise beginners to attempt to construct molds of more than two parts. Once you have mastered the two-part mold construction, you may want to move on to more complex shapes.

Objects for Moldmaking

Here you are limited only by your imagination and your skills at moldmaking. Naturally, you will want to choose objects whose shape appeals to you aesthetically — or even to your sense of humor! Almost any object can be used for a mold. However, it must be made of nonporous material. Anything that can absorb water or any other liquid will be able to absorb wax as well. Follow this basic rule and then let your imagination run wild!

Models, Models Everywhere!

The object you use as the model for your mold can be just about anything (again remembering the caution about overly complex shapes). It might be an object you particularly care about — such as a pressed-glass jar (I have one of those, a tall cylinder that is “just right,” and makes a lovely and intricately patterned candle).

Your model could be a unique (one-of-a-kind) object that has surface texture that you'd like to reproduce in wax form. If you sculpt, it might be something of your own design that you would find appealing as a candle. Or, you might make a specific shape just to be a model for a mold.

Your child might be playing with modeling clay and come up with something that could be used as a model. Think what a thrill for him or her to see his or her artwork reproduced as a candle! Such an item would make an outstanding gift for a grandparent or other relative. Or, your child could take the candle made from his or her artwork to school for “show and tell.”

Garage and yard sales are prime sources for objects to be used as models. At them, you are likely to find oddly shaped — often old-fashioned or antique — objects perfect for moldmaking. For example, I once found an antique butter mold that was beautifully shaped. All sorts of glass containers, particularly cut glass or pressed glass, make good models. You could even use a piece of fruit such as an apple or a mango. One candlemaker I know looks for old carved wooden moldings — their intricacies make very unusual candles. You are limited only by your tastes and imagination in choosing models for your moldmaking.