How to make Reusable Beeswax Wraps
What you need:
– 1 cup of beeswax
– 1/4 cup of tree resin
– 2 Tbls jojoba oil
– Large glass jar
– Pot to boil water in
– Baking Tray
– Baking paper or aluminium foil
– Soft bristle brush (a paint brush will work)
– Off cuts of fabric
Makes approximately 6-8 medium sized wraps
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
Choose your fabric offcuts or cut up some clean clothes that you want to up cycle! We found that cotton, linen, and rayon work best, and preferred light coloured fabrics, as you can see the wax coating on dark fabrics.
Cut your fabric into an assortment of sizes. These can be any shape but we would recommend squares and rectangles.
Boil a pot of water on the stove (use an old pot that you don’t mind getting wax on it), once boiling you can reduce to a simmer to keep the water hot.
Fill a large glass jar with the beeswax, tree resin and jojoba oil, and set the jar in the pot of water.
Melt the mixture in this double boiler – simply stir occasionally until it has completely melted in the jar.
Line a baking tray with aluminium foil or baking paper.
Lay out one of your pieces of fabric onto the tray with the patterned side facing up.
Drizzle melted beeswax onto the fabric (approx 2-3 tablespoons).
Place tray in the oven for a couple of minutes to allow the mixture to melt further and spread into the fibres of the fabric.
Once melted take the tray out of the oven and use a brush to evenly spread the mixture, ensuring the whole piece of fabric is covered.
You only need to apply the mixture to one side as it will melt through the fabric, coating it completely.
If the wax is clumpy in some areas, simply place the tray back in the oven for a few more minutes to reheat it and then repeat step 10.
Hang piece of fabric to dry. The wax dries really quickly, it should be cool in 5-10 minutes.
Once dry you can trim the edges to give a more finished look and even out the fabric as it may have stretched or lost its shape when applying the wax. Otherwise leave the edges as they are for a raw look.
Your wraps are ready to use!
