# can you "swirl" candles?



## krissy (Apr 9, 2010)

what i mean is can you make 2 different colors and pour them at the same time to make a swirl kinda like you can with soap?


----------



## IanT (Apr 9, 2010)

krissy said:
			
		

> what i mean is can you make 2 different colors and pour them at the same time to make a swirl kinda like you can with soap?



I believe so?  No experience with candles but its worth a try!~ I have seen swirled candles before


----------



## Tabitha (Apr 9, 2010)

I have not made candles in years, but...because candles are poured at such high temps I don't think it would work out. In order to get a swirl, your product needs to be thick or it just blends together. You can do chunks or slivers in the mold 1st & add a second color to it that way you get 2 tones.


----------



## krissy (Apr 10, 2010)

ya, i had to try it myself and i got a really pretty color but not what i intended. i messed it up though so now i have to go back and remelt it in the jar... my tarts came out swirled though...


----------



## IanT (Apr 10, 2010)

krissy said:
			
		

> ya, i had to try it myself and i got a really pretty color but not what i intended. i messed it up though so now i have to go back and remelt it in the jar... my tarts came out swirled though...



coooool!! 


I def want to make candles some time.... I like to burn them quite a bit, so itd be cool .... now if I could only work out a bleach-scented-FO or something so that my spoof for my girl (who is bleach obsessed) could be carried out lol...


----------



## JacquiO (May 16, 2010)

You can't really swirl colors in a candle like in a soap but there are a few techniques you can use to get different effects. 

For a marbled look you can do one of two things. 

Marble Method 1:
In addition to your wax, scent (optional) and liquid color you'll need a stainless steel bowl, whisk, and spoon. Pour wax into bowl and let cool until a skin starts to form. Whip your wax until it is at a slushy oatmeal-like consistency. Add a few drops around the the bowl and gently fold the color into the wax with you spoon. Try not to stir too much. Then just plop the wax into a warm mold and you may need to tap down and punch relief holes as you fill the mold.  Your top can be smoothed out a little with a heat gun as the wax cools or you could just leave it as textured top. 

Marble Method 2: 
Here you need a liquid candle dye in a dropped bottle or with a glass dropper and a bamboo stir stick.  Pour your wax into your mold and let it cool slightly but not so much so that a skin starts to develop. Then in three or four places along the sides of your mold place a drop of your candle dye then you can place the last drop in the center by your wick or pin. Then insert you bamboo stick and slowly and gently make one passing stir. If you stir too fast or too much  you'll just blend in your dye.  Let cool completely to see your swirls. This technique take a little bit of practice to master but my friend does this with her pillars and votives often and they look really cool. 

Both those methods are great if you just want just a one color swirl. 

The next 3 techniques are for multi-colored effects which are often dubbed "tie-dye" or "rainbow". 

Tie-dye Method 1:
This is similar to the Marble Method 2 except you use several different color liquid dyes and you don't swirl at all because you don't want them mixing together to form an ugly brown.  First get all your colors laid out with the tops off ready to go. Place you mold down into a container where you can later pour a cold water bath.  Pour your (scented) wax into your mold at the highest recommended pour temp (200-180)  immediately following start placing drops of liquid color along the sides of the mold interchanging the colors however you'd like being careful not to disturb the mold. Long as the wax is hot enough the drops should flow all the way down to the bottom. Next weigh down your mold by either placing something heavy on top or have pre-weight it by taping weights or chains at the bottom of the mold then slowly add your cold water around the candle mold. Cool and the end result will be a rainbow of vertical lines going down the sides of you pillar. 

Tie-dye method 2: 
This is one I really want to try because they look really neat. You need to start with a finished candle for dipping. White is a good choice and it's best to not trim the wick. The longer your wick the better.  Melt a small amount of wax, scent if you like and color to a deep dark shade. Using a stainless still bowl, aluminum pour pot or metal hurricane mold fill with enough hot boiling water to cover your dipping candle. then pour some of your dark colored wax into the hot water. You can take a bamboo skewer and swirl the wax water into a little whirlpool effect just before dipping your finished candle for a neat swirling effect. Dip in your candle pull out and let cool and pat dry. You can repeat with as many colors as you'd like. 

Tie-Dye Method 3:
This is probably one of the easiest methods but require the use of a propane torch (the creme brulee kind found in any kitchen good store) or heat gun (which may not be as effective). In this technique you use candle dye blocks and can use as many colors as you'd like. Again you start with a finished candle. Then you shave off some colors and gently melt them onto you candle with use of the torch or heat gun. The heat gun will probably give you more of a spray where the torch will give a more controlled melt. 


Here are some tutorial links to some of the methods I just described:
http://www.candletech.com/techniques-an ... w-pillars/
http://www.candletech.com/techniques-an ... tructions/
http://www.onestopcandle.com/candle/marbleproj.php
http://www.onestopcandle.com/candle/tiedyeproj1.php

This is another cool one I found when searching for links:
http://www.onestopcandle.com/candle/tie ... proj02.php

Well I hope you have fun trying at least one of these techniques.

Cheers, 
Jacqui


----------

