Concrete Tea Light Holders

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If you’re looking for a unique and modern way to display your candles, then this DIY tutorial for creating industrial-style candle holders using quick-set concrete might just be the perfect project for you.

While working with concrete can be a bit intimidating for some, it’s a surprisingly versatile and forgiving medium. Plus, once you get the hang of it, it’s a lot of fun to work with and the results can be truly stunning.

Before starting this project, it’s important to note that working with quick-set concrete can be a bit tricky. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Mix your concrete thoroughly. Quick-set concrete sets up fast, so it’s important to make sure you have a smooth and consistent mixture before you start pouring.

Use a mold release agent. This will help ensure that your concrete doesn’t stick to the mold and that you can easily remove your finished candle holders.

Be patient. Quick-set concrete does set up quickly, but it still needs time to fully cure. Be sure to let your candle holders dry completely before handling or using them.

Now, on to the tutorial! This industrial-style candle holder project involves creating a mold using PVC pipe, pouring in the quick-set concrete, and then finishing the candle holders by sanding and painting them.

The finished product is a set of sleek and modern candle holders that are perfect for adding an industrial touch to any room in your home. You can even experiment with different shapes and sizes of PVC pipe to create a variety of candle holders in different styles.

Overall, working with quick-set concrete may seem intimidating at first, but with a little patience and practice, it can be a rewarding and fun medium to work with. And the end result is a set of unique and eye-catching candle holders that are sure to impress.

. Full tutorial here.

If you want to feel personally attacked by a collection of knitting and crochet patterns as I was, check out the “90s Mod Inspired” pattern lookbook from Yarnspirations.

It’s actually a great collection of patterns for folks who want to stitch up that Y2K look again (or for the first time). There’s an oversized, striped grandpa cardigan! A (crocheted) plaid messenger bag! A boxy argyle vest, and a rolled hem sweater the likes of which I bought in a store in the ’90s and knit a replica of later.

There’s also a section of “Prep School” patterns (think “Clueless,” they’re even called things like “As if” and “Betty”) including a granny square tie and crocheted wrap skirt, and a knit cabled pullover, beret and cardigan with blocky stripes. Other sections include casual collegiate, punk and mod, and academia.

Some of the patterns repeat among the sections but there’s a nice selection for people who want a little throwback for their back to school and fall wardrobes.

Since I had this sweater, we’ll take a closer look at the Caron Cropped Stripy Sweater. The one I knit from a pattern of my own devising in the mid ’00s was tonal blues, but this one calls for two colorways of Colorama Haze, a fuzzy self-striping worsted weight yarn.

The pattern comes in six sizes, with chest measurements ranging from 39 to 60 inches (that’s 99 to 152.5 cm). Clearly that’s a lot of ease at the lower sizes, since the smallest size is meant to fit an actual chest measurement from 28-34 inches, or 71-86.5 cm.

The sweater is a modified drop shoulder worked flat in pieces and seamed. That means the stripes probably won’t match around the body but it’s still a classic look. This one does have ribbing at the neckline, where the original sweater I owned and my re-creation had rolled hems throughout, but you can do it either way depending on your preference.

Do any of these projects remind you of clothes you might have worn or knit in the past? I’d love to hear about it!

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