How to Make Wooden Wick Candles with Custom Labels Using Cricut

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Learn how to make wooden with candles with specialized custom labels! The Cricut Joy (one of my favorite crafting machines) is the perfect tool to make this project quick and simple. Keep these pretty candles around your home or give as lovely gifts!

wooden wick candles with a cricut joy machine
wooden wick candles with handmade labels

Candle making has always seemed intimidating to me, but it turns out that it’s not scary at all! In fact, it’s pretty simple and strangely addictive to learn how to make wooden wick candles.

These pretty candles are a simple home DIY that would be perfect near a cozy wreath or on a kitchen table. I added some of my favorite scents using essential oils, but you can also leave them unscented and rely on the mild scent of the beeswax to fill the air as they burn.

Either way, I think you’ll love this project!

Why Use Wooden Wicks in Candles?

I discovered wooden wicks in candles a few years ago from another maker, and instantly preferred them to traditional wicks!

I love the substantial flame they provide, and the delicate crackle sound makes for extra ambiance any time you light your wooden wick candle. Some wooden wicks do crackle more than others, so make sure that you read the reviews when you’re making a selection.

From a maker’s perspective, learning how to make a wooden wick candle is also easier than traditional wicks because the wooden wicks stand up on their own, rather than having to affix a cotton wick to something at the top of your vessel to keep it from sinking.

how to make wooden wick candles

Use Cricut to Make Custom Labels for Your Wooden Wick Candles

We’ll get to how to make a wooden wick candle in just a sec, but in the meantime — how about those custom designs on the outside of these candles?! Aren’t they pretty?

I used my Cricut Joy to create designs and labels for the candles I poured and absolutely love how it turned out. The Joy is incredibly fast and easy to use, and I feel like it could make an awesome addition to any maker’s tool cabinet to customize projects like this one.

We’ve done some deep dives on Cricut in case you’re wondering:

how to make wooden wick candles

Beeswax vs. Paraffin

Why beeswax? A few reasons!

First, beeswax burns very cleanly, and doesn’t produce as much soot as a paraffin candle does. If you’re making taper candles, beeswax also drips less to avoid mess.

Beeswax candles also tend to produce a brighter flame, which helps show off your candle more. It has also been found to be more tolerable for those with allergies, asthma, or anyone who might be sensitive to chemicals. It has a low toxicity level compared to other candlemaking materials.

And last but certainly not least, beexwax is a renewable resource! The price is a bit higher than other materials (i.e. paraffin or soy), but for me all of these benefits are worth it.

lit wooden wick candles

Wood Wicks that Crackle

If you’re unfamiliar with wooden wicks, they’re a substitute for the traditional cotton wick that you may recognize in candles. Wooden wicks are thin strips of wood that are specially crafted for making candles.

There are varying widths of wooden wicks, depending on the size of your candle vessel and the width of the vessel’s mouth. Do a little research before you choose a wick to make sure that you’re choosing one that won’t burn too hot (or not hot enough, so it won’t melt all the way to the walls of your candle).

For these candles, we chose a .75″ wick for a vessel with a 4″ mouth, and a .375″ wick for a vessel with a 2″ mouth.

how to make wooden wick candles

Supplies You’ll Need

Of course, you can use other Cricut cutting machines that you might have. You can read our full breakdown of Cricut machines and which one might be right for you.

I used the Cricut Joy for this project because it’s so fast and easy, and the candles are just the right size to use with that machine.

How to make Wooden Wick Candles

  1. Fill the large pot with about 4″ of water and begin to heat.
  2. Add the beeswax to your candle pouring pot or a metal pitcher.
  3. Place the pouring pot into the large pot, hanging the handle over the side. Turn heat down to simmer and occasionally stir as the wax melts.
  4. As wax is melting, prep your essential oils if you’ll be using any. The easiest way is to add all your oils to the coconut oil so that you can pour them in all at once.
  5. Also prep your wick by placing it in a wick clip and using a wick sticker to adhere the wick to the bottom center of your vessel.
  6. Once the wax is melted, pour in the oils and stir for 2-3 minutes.
  7. Slowly pour your wax into the candle vessel, leaving about an inch of space at the top.
  8. Allow to sit and cool overnight. Trim wick to about 5mm above the wax before you light. Never leave a lit candle unattended!
heating beeswax on a stove for candle pouring
wooden wicks in wick clips
wooden wicks in candle vessels
melted beeswax in a double boiler
hand poured wooden wick candles

How to Add a Custom Cricut Label

Now that you have these beautiful candles, add some pretty labels or decorations! I love the idea of customizing the wooden wick candles in this way to use as gifts, or even to brand your small business.

  1. Open a new file in Cricut Design Space. Browse the Cricut patterns or shapes and find something you love! I chose this fun skewed grid pattern. Insert the pattern into your design
  2. Size the pattern to the approximate height of your candle vessel. Duplicate the pattern, flip it horizontally, and align the edges. Repeat this to continue elongating the pattern until it’s long enough to wrap around your candle.
  3. Click “Make It” and proceed through the prompts on Design Space to choose the Cricut Joy, and the appropriate materials. The software will prompt you to insert your materials into the machine. Click “Go” and it will cut!
  4. Once cut, weed out the excess vinyl. Then cut a piece of transfer tape to the same size as your pattern. Place the transfer tape down on the pattern and burnish.
  5. Pull the transfer tape back slowly, and the vinyl should come with the tape. Then place the tape with vinyl over your candle exterior and press onto the candle.
  6. Carefully pull away the transfer tape and smooth your vinyl onto the candle! Trim anywhere necessary.
  7. To create a candle with text like we did, repeat the process but instead of adding a pattern to your Design Space, just add some pretty text using Cricut fonts! There are so many to choose from. You can use the fonts to identify a candle scent, your brand’s name, a recipient’s name, or just about anything.
cricut joy cutting black vinyl
black vinyl cut by a cricut machine
hands pulling backing off of black craft vinyl
handmade wooden wick candle
handmade wooden wick candle

Projects to Complement Your Candles

Use our DIY flower press to make pretty pressed flower leaves and sprinkle them on top of your melted wax.

Add seashells to the side of a candle vessel.

Pour your wax into an empty peanut butter jar (as long as it’s glass!). Upcycling old jars is a great way to reuse household waste!

We hope you’ve loved learning a bit more about how to make wooden wick candles and personalize them with a Cricut! If you try and love this tutorial, be sure to rate it below. xoxo

P.S. Want more ways to put your Cricut to use? Try these: Make a Car Survival Kit for a Road Trip or a DIY Foam Board Sign!

how to make wooden wick candles
wooden wick candles on a counter

This post is sponsored by Cricut. All ideas and opinions are my own. Thank you for being supportive of the partners who help keep Lovely Indeed rocking!

how to make wooden wick candles

How to Make Wooden Wick Candles

Yield: Wooden Wick Candles
Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Estimated Cost: $10

Making wooden wick candles is a fun and simple project! Learn how to add custom labels to your candles in a snap.

Materials

  • Beeswax pastilles
  • Pouring pot
  • Double boiler
  • Candle vessels
  • Wood wicks
  • Wick clips
  • Wick stickers
  • Fractionated coconut oil
  • Optional: essential oils
  • Cricut Smart Vinyl
  • Transfer tape

Tools

  • Cricut Joy
  • Weeding tool
  • Stir stick

Instructions

    1. Fill the large pot with about 4" of water and begin to heat.
    2. Add the beeswax to your candle pouring pot or a metal pitcher.
    3. Place the pouring pot into the large pot, hanging the handle over the side. Turn heat down to simmer and occasionally stir as the wax melts.
    4. As wax is melting, prep your essential oils if you'll be using any. The easiest way is to add all your oils to the coconut oil so that you can pour them in all at once.
    5. Also prep your wick by placing it in a wick clip and using a wick sticker to adhere the wick to the bottom center of your vessel.
    6. Once the wax is melted, pour in the oils and stir for 2-3 minutes.
    7. Slowly pour your wax into the candle vessel, leaving about an inch of space at the top.
    8. Allow to sit and cool overnight. Trim wick to about 5mm above the wax before you light. Never leave a lit candle unattended!
    9. Open a new file in Cricut Design Space. Browse the Cricut patterns or shapes and find something you love! I chose this fun skewed grid pattern. Insert the pattern into your design
    10. Size the pattern to the approximate height of your candle vessel. Duplicate the pattern, flip it horizontally, and align the edges. Repeat this to continue elongating the pattern until it's long enough to wrap around your candle.
    11. Click "Make It" and proceed through the prompts on Design Space to choose the Cricut Joy, and the appropriate materials. The software will prompt you to insert your materials into the machine. Click "Go" and it will cut!
    12. Once cut, weed out the excess vinyl. Then cut a piece of transfer tape to the same size as your pattern. Place the transfer tape down on the pattern and burnish.
    13. Pull the transfer tape back slowly, and the vinyl should come with the tape. Then place the tape with vinyl over your candle exterior and press onto the candle.
    14. Carefully pull away the transfer tape and smooth your vinyl onto the candle! Trim anywhere necessary.
    15. To create a candle with text like we did, repeat the process but instead of adding a pattern to your Design Space, just add some pretty text using Cricut fonts! There are so many to choose from. You can use the fonts to identify a candle scent, your brand's name, a recipient's name, or just about anything.

Notes

If you're unfamiliar with wooden wicks, they're a substitute for the traditional cotton wick that you may recognize in candles. Wooden wicks are thin strips of wood that are specially crafted for making candles.

There are varying widths of wooden wicks, depending on the size of your candle vessel and the width of the vessel's mouth. Do a little research before you choose a wick to make sure that you're choosing one that won't burn too hot (or not hot enough, so it won't melt all the way to the walls of your candle).

For these candles, we chose a .75" wick for a vessel with a 4" mouth, and a .375" wick for a vessel with a 2" mouth.

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