Create for Christmas

It’s always good to Create for Christmas.  Anna JP from the office has made these gorgeous candle holders.  I’ve asked her to tell you all about them.

It’s always nice to have pretty candles and lit-up items over the winter time, when it can seem like you spend your whole life in the dark and needing to put the lights on. So when Anna asked us to make some Christmas-themed craft projects I immediately thought of something based around candles.

Create for Christmas

These glass jars are really easy to make, and, as I had hoped, the candle-light shines through the Liberty fabric most prettily.
 
Create for Christmas
Here’s how I made them:
 
Materials needed: scraps of Liberty fabric which let light through, leftover beads/charms/jewellery, large jump-rings, soft thick wire (aluminium floristry wire is ideal), small round-nosed pliers, a stick of glue, glass jars which have a ridge around the top edge and parallel, flat sides.
  • Measure the circumference of each jar and the height of the glass area you want to cover. Add 1cm to the circumference for overlapping the edge of the fabric. This is your fabric size requirement
  • Cut or rip the piece of fabric to the right size
  • Spread stick glue (e.g. Pritt stick or Coccoina) all across the back of the fabric piece
  • Carefully wrap the fabric around the glass jar, adding extra glue underneath at the end to stick it down neatly
  • Cut two pieces of wire – one measured at the jar’s circumference plus 7cm (for the loop going round the jar rim) and one piece measured at the desired height of the handle plus about 4cm.
  • Using round-nosed pliers, form an O-shape at the end of your first piece of wire. Wrap this wire halfway around the jar, and use pliers to form an upside-down U-shape at the point which is opposite your O-shape. Continue wrapping until your loose wire end meets the O-shape, and tuck it into the O by pressing firmly against the jar. 
  • Shape your second (handle) piece of wire into a wide U the width of the jar. Use pliers to form small hooks at the ends of this piece of wire. Tuck these handle-hooks into your O-shape and U-shape in the circumference piece of wire.
  • Squeeze or loosen the wire joins depending on how the handle is sitting
  • The charms are made from old beads and single earrings, joined to the handle-wire with large jump rings.

Add your candle, light it up, and enjoy the glow! I found that real tea lights were difficult to light inside the jars so used long matches. You could also use mini LED candle-effect tea lights as a safer option. The handles can help the jars hang from cup hooks or wall pegs, though taking care not to burn a real flame beneath a flammable surface.

Create for Christmas

You can buy Liberty Christmas scraps here.  

I hope this inspires you to create for Christmas.