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Copenhagen-based fashion blogger Karoline Dall shares our love of the rainbow (her Instagram is chock-full of colorful outfit ideas) and, it turns out, our obsession with taper candles. “I buy a new one every week,” she says. Short ones, skinny ones, purple ones—her collection knows no bounds, and the latest addition to her assortment features a twist, literally.
The idea came from a video fellow blogger Johanne Kohlmetz posted in early October showing how you can turn standard tapers into spiral sculptures by soaking them in hot water and then turning the ends in opposite directions to create a coil. Given the already-twisted versions cost close to $7 each and sell out fast, Dall decided to take matters into her own hands by putting her personal spin on simple blue, green, and violet tapers she scored for $1 at her local Søstrene Grene store. Watch her DIY below, then read on for the full how-to.
View this post on InstagramDIY: Twisted candles Thanks for the brilliant tip @johannekohlmetzblog ???
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Then remove the pot from the burner so the water begins to cool, and drop your tapers in wick-side down. Don’t worry if the bottoms aren’t fully submerged; it’s only important that the tops and centers soften up. (As long as your candles are 100 percent paraffin they won’t melt; stearin ones will become a gooey mess.) Let them soak in the water for around 15 minutes. “Keep your eye on them; when they are bendy, they are ready!” says Dall.
Using a rolling pin or your hand, flatten the middle section of the taper, leaving the top and bottom inches untouched. Hold the candle at both ends and twist. How many spirals you make is up to you—there’s no such thing as too little or too much. “Don’t stop if you don’t get the perfect shape the first time,” says Dall. “I made a lot of ugly candles before I found the right technique.” Once the wax has cooled, display your curly creations on a console or side table right away or save them for your holiday dinner. No one will see this twist coming.
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