WHY?
In our attempt to reduce plastic waste, candle makers can use scraps of silk or cotton with melted beeswax to make kitchen wraps and covers.
Safety is our priority with all our projects, so please follow these recipes carefully, please keep the kids at a distance or do this one when they are in bed!
Thin old shirts would work well, as would silk scarves, quilting left overs, old cotton frocks etc, you get the picture. The silk samples we made resembled plastic wrap as they were so fine.
For the really crafty, a fine line of elastic threaded around can turn the flat wrap into an easy fit lid for bowls.
Collect:
- fabric cut to size
- beeswax - pellet or block form
- grater for the block form; if you freeze the beeswax blocks, a hammer will smash them easily in a tough bag (so they the b/w doesn't fly everywhere).
- baking tray lined with baking paper (optional)
- tongs to move the fabric - it can be quite hot
- cover a flat surface with baking paper for the finished wraps
Method:
- Set your oven to 100C
- Grate or smash your beeswax block, or collect the beeswax beads
- put the baking paper onto the baking tray
- lie a piece of fabric on the paper
- sprinkle beeswax over the fabric
- repeat this step, layering one piece of fabric on another, separated with beeswax - maybe 4-8 pieces to start. This can change as you experience what suits you.
- pop into the oven until melted
- once the wax has melted, it's time to use the tongs to remove the fabric one at a time, allow surplus wax to drip off, and place flat onto a covered surface
- if there is too much wax, you can pop another piece of fabric in between to 'wick' the beeswax, using the excess
** if there is too much wax, you can pop another piece of fabric in between to 'wick' the beeswax, using the excess
** in the future, you can always iron the pieces to mend cracks and make them look like new again (maybe between some paper to protect your ironing board
Done, I hope you have enjoyed this project. Here is the finished item.
