How to Make Ice Candles

Winter is a magical time of year, with its glistening snow and frost-covered landscapes. It’s the perfect time to cozy up by the fire and enjoy the warmth of candles. If you’re looking for a unique candle-making project to try this winter, why not make ice candles?

Ice candles are made by pouring hot wax over ice, creating a beautiful and delicate lacy effect. The ice melts as the wax hardens, leaving behind a unique and stunning candle. Here’s how to make your own ice candles. See How to Make Candles at Taste of Home for full instructions.

Materials:

Candle wax (paraffin, soy, or beeswax)
Candle wicks
Ice (in various sizes and shapes)
Double boiler
Thermometer
Fragrance oil (optional)
Candle dye (optional)
Instructions:

Melt the wax
Begin by melting your candle wax in a double boiler. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the wax, and keep it between 170-180 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use paraffin wax, soy wax, or beeswax, depending on your preference.

Prepare the ice
While the wax is melting, prepare your ice. You can use ice cubes, crushed ice, or larger ice blocks, depending on the size and shape of the candle you want to make. Place the ice in a container or mold, leaving a space in the center for the wick.

Add fragrance and color (optional)
If you want to add fragrance or color to your candle, you can do so now. Add a few drops of fragrance oil to the melted wax and stir well. You can also add candle dye to achieve the desired color.

Insert the wick
Once the wax has reached the desired temperature and consistency, insert the wick into the center of the ice mold. Make sure the wick is straight and centered.

Pour the wax
Carefully pour the melted wax over the ice, making sure to cover it completely. The hot wax will melt the ice, creating a beautiful and unique lace effect. Make sure to pour slowly and evenly to avoid creating air bubbles.

Let the candle cool and harden
Once you have poured the wax, let the candle cool and harden completely. This may take several hours, depending on the size and shape of the candle. You can speed up the process by placing the candle in the refrigerator or freezer.

Remove the candle from the mold
Once the candle has hardened, you can remove it from the mold. Gently break away the ice, being careful not to damage the delicate lace effect. Trim the wick to the desired length.

Enjoy your new ice candle!

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I know not all of you are interested in writing patterns, but for those of you who are (or who already do), The Knitting Pattern Writing Handbook by Kristina McGrath and Sarah Walworth is a great guide to things you need to consider as you are designing, writing and preparing your pattern for publishing.

While a lot of this information (such as grading patterns for particular sizes, the importance of size inclusivity in patterns and common sweater design pitfalls) is specific to designers or garments, this information is important for designers to think about and for knitters to look out for when purchasing patterns.

The book covers the basics and beyond of writing a knitting pattern, including:

foundations of a good pattern
components of a pattern
gauge
charts
sizing
common sweater pitfalls
working with a tech editor

The goal of all this is to get designers thinking about how they want to present their patterns, from how abbreviations are handled to when charts are used, how many sizes are included and how elements of the pattern might need to change as garments get larger (such as increasing at a different rate on raglans so the armhole is not too deep when accommodating a larger bust size).

McGrath and Walworth are professional tech editors who host the Tech Tip Talk YouTube page, and their aim is for patterns to be clear, consistent, correct, size inclusive, accessible to a range of knitters (both in terms of physical ability and skill level).

They definitely have opinions about how knitting patterns should be written, such as how to convert from inches to centimeters and that measurements for sweaters should be taken from the upper bust rather than the full chest. But they also note that a tech editor’s job isn’t to be dogmatic or make changes without good reason.

The book also covers other subjects of importance to designers such as the difference between tech editing and test knitting, why you might want to do both and in what order. Each chapter includes a checklist of things to think about when writing you pattern and questions and answers to common questions they come across in their tech editing businesses.

The back of the book includes detailed guidelines for where and how to measure bodies, plus standard size charts for kids, women and men. There’s also a sample style sheet for use with a tech editor and plenty of resources for learning more about design, accessibility and more.

This book is a great resource for people thinking about getting into knitwear design (particularly garment design), or for designers who want to make their patterns better and their editor’s job easier.

About the book: 176 pages, hardcover. Published 2023 by Storey. Suggested retail price $20.

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