GETTING STARTED
The materials you will need are commonly available at craft and hobby stores or can be found on-line.
Materials List:
Glass bottle
Smokeless and odorless oil
Wick and wick adapter tip
For embellished bottles, you will also need:
28-gauge wire
Wire cutters
Glass and/or metal beads
Optional: marbles or glass nuggets
Clean your bottle first. Bottle labels can be a bit challenging to remove. Overnight soaking in soapy water will loosen the surface paper. An adhesive-removing product can be used to remove any remaining label glue.
Some bottles may tip easily when empty; the weight of the oil when the bottle is full makes the bottle more stable. For additional stability, place marbles or glass nuggets in the bottle to increase its weight at the base. (Tip: Be sure to angle the bottle and gently slide the glass pieces to the bottom. A direct drop from the mouth of the bottle may break either the bottle or the glass nuggets). Placing museum putty or denture cream under the bottle bottom will keep it securely in place.
DECORATING YOUR BOTTLE
When decorating the bottle, use only glass beads (not plastic or wood) and wire (not sewing thread or plastic fish line) for fireproof beauty. Thread the beads onto the wire as you would a necklace. Thin-gauge wire is as flexible as thread; it can be knotted or twisted, then the ends tucked back inside the bead row for a finished look. Use a gentle hand, as the wire will stretch and break if pulled on too firmly.
Create a top row of beads, considering the curve of the bottle’s neck as support for its resting position. Other decorations can be attached to this row. Beads can be dangled as individual drops or looped over the row in strands. The vast array of shapes, colors and sizes in available beads offers limitless design options. Peek in your jewelry box for inspiration.
PREPARING THE WICK AND OIL
With the bottle design completed, prepare the wick by threading it through the wick adapter tip. If the wick appears frayed, it should be trimmed. The ideal length of the wick is an inch longer than the bottle is tall. A shorter wick can be used, as long as the oil level is kept well above the end of the wick.
Once the bottle and wick are prepared, it is time to fill the bottle with oil. Use only clean-burning, smokeless and odorless candle and lamp oil, which is 99-percent-pure paraffin oil. It is commonly found in clear, red, blue and green. These colors can be mixed to create other shades. Fill the bottle at least half full, but no more than 1 1/2 inches from the top. Allow the wick to absorb the oil for 5-10 minutes before lighting.
The amount of exposed wick, combined with the oil level, affects the height of the flame. Typically, a more exposed wick creates a higher flame. Usually 1/16 inch is enough to create a pleasant flame. The flame should be no higher than 1/2 inch. If the flame is too large, blow out the flame, allow the bottle and wick adapter to cool, then reduce the amount of exposed wick before lighting again. If you see smoke coming off the flame, the flame is either too high, in a draft, or you are not using smokeless oil.
As the oil level reaches the bottom of the bottle, the flame may become very small, regardless of the height of the wick. In this case it is better to refill the oil instead of increasing the amount of exposed wick.
SAFETY FIRST
Make safety a priority by not allowing the candle to burn unattended. Do not burn the candle in a draft. Keep the candle away from drapes or other items that might create a fire hazard and, as always, keep the candle out of the reach of children and pets. Allow at least four feet between the flame and anything above it.
No need to wait for a storm to put out the lights. Enjoy your oil candle anytime.
