It's no secret that everything costs a fortune nowadays. Around here, one of the ways we save money is to re-use items whenever we can. So when I saw reusable beeswax wraps popping up on social media, I was intrigued.
While you can always purchase them, I was interested in learning how to make them myself. It would be a perfect way to use fabric from my stash to make more as needed. Read on for the supply list, how to and some important notes! (And you can see a quick reel about the process I made here)
Supply List
For your convenience, I've linked the items I have used to my Amazon storefront. By purchasing from these links, I may earn a small commission, with no added cost to you.
- 100% quilting cotton fabric (size can vary for your needs, but I found 9"x9" or 12"x12" to be the best sizes.
- Pinking shears or a pinking rotary blade 45mm
- Large popsicle stick or spatula for stirring the beeswax as it melts
- Beeswax Pucks. I purchased mine here at Mad About Patchwork. One puck made 1 of the 12"x12" size and 3 of the 9"x9" size--but it may vary depending on how much you use.
- A small sauce pan or double boiler (This will be difficult to clean--so you may either want to devote a pan to this purpose or buy an inexpensive one at the dollar store.)
- A foil or parchment lined sheet pan
- A pastry brush for spreading the wax
- Some clips for hanging them to dry
How to Make the Beeswax Wraps
1. Choose your fabric and make sure it is washed and dried.
I used these darling prints from the Art Gallery Fabrics Grow and Harvest collection by Alexandra Bordallo. With little veggies printed on them and a plaid print, they are perfect for my kitchen!
2. Pink your fabric using your shears or a pinking rotary blade.
I cut mine in varying sizes, but my favorite ended up being 9"x9". It covered my bowls nicely without getting too large to handle when covered with wax.
3. Warm up your beeswax puck, stirring with the popsicle stick until melted. What I love about the pucks is that they contain all the ingredients you need.
If you want to make your own beeswax solution, you will also need to purchase resin and jojoba oil. There are many tutorials online if you need a good beeswax wrap recipe.
4. Set your oven to 300 degrees because you will be baking the wax covered fabric for a couple of minutes.
5. Place your fabrics on the lined cookie sheet and use the pastry brush to coat both sides with a thin layer of the melted wax. Work quickly, but be careful not to oversaturate the fabric. It's easier to add more than to take extra off.
6. Set the pan in the oven for 2 minutes. The fabric should look wet and glossy before you remove them.
7. If any spots look dry, simply add another thin layer of wax and repeat step 6 as needed.
8. Once you are happy with your wraps, hang them up to dry. They don't drip too much, so I actually just hung them from magnetic chip clips on my refrigerator.
Some helpful tips:
While you can warm beeswax directly in the saucepan, I do recommend a double boiler. After my first attempt, I ended up preferring to place a glass bowl over my sauce pan for a DIY double boiler. This keeps the beeswax warm over a gentle heat and makes it easier to work in batches while making the wraps.
Don't oversaturate the wraps. They will become very difficult to remove and really didn't work any better for being sticky or holding their shape over the bowl.
Important Info:
Beeswax wraps can be washed with cool water and a little soap and should last 4-6 months with general use.
Because they cannot be sanitized, do not use on raw meat.
Beeswax wraps work best as bowl covers or to wrap small items like sandwiches. I sometimes will use a rubberband for extra hold around my bowls. Please note you will not get an airtight seal with beeswax wraps.
Let me know if you try these and if you have any helpful tips! Mine got better with some practice. Spreading the wax can be a bit of an art. But with time, you will get the hang of it.
If you want to see a little video, check out my instagram page @midlife_quilter for the reel here.