How to make candles at home from scratch with lard or vegetable shortening, glass jars and yarn - without wax! Making jar candles is easy. They're low cost, odorless, long burning and perfect for emergency or blackout. With patterned jars, they cast an attractive light. The use of vegetable shortening such as Crisco makes the candles vegetarian/vegan.

If burning for a long time, a layer of molten fat might develop on the surface near the wick. When extinguishing, check that the wick is vertical as the fat resets. This makes it easier to relight. Also, maintain the wick as one would with a regular candle. Trim it if there is an accumulation of charred thread.