Reusable beeswax wraps?

[oxcat1]

I've had a go at making these today, using both the iron and the oven method, but there seem to be a few issues.

• they feel very rough to te touch - I assumed they would feel more like oilcloth but am I wrong? I wondered if it was brush marks from using a brush to spread the hot wax, so I tried again with the iron method but the wax layer still feels quite uneven. Is this normal?

• I have just used pure beeswax, without any oils or resins added. Will this make a significant difference?

• I used a poly cotton as I had a very nice sheet that I bought from a charity shop. I don't want to go out and buy fabric especially, as that seems to undermine some of the eco-benefits, but will poly cotton be ok?

Any other tips? I was hoping to give some of these as presents but they seem a little 'rough' at the moment!

Should there be brush Marks if you use the oven method? I haven't made any yet, I'm wondering whether to get some resin or special oil or just add a bit of something random.

Ours came out a little rough, they do work very well I used my own beeswax so assumed that it was just down to my processing of the wax

@picklemepopcorn: I have brush marks from spreading the molten wax over the fabric after it came out of the oven....?

Hi oxcat,
The method I read involved melting the wax in a suitable sized shallow tray, then dropping the fabric into the tray one sheet at a time and allowing the wax to soak in. When all the sheets are submerged, lift them, let them drip a moment, then spread to dry on a rack. Or possibly squeeze the sheets out. I can't remember!

The recipe I keep meaning to try uses jojoba oil for flexibility and pine resin for clinginess.

I made some a month or two ago and have been using them since. There is the odd bump and "missed bit" but they are ace.
For the larger one I melted beeswax in a pan and dipped the fabric in. For the others I used the oven.
What I need to do is spot a charity shop pan to use as a sacrificial pan to make more big ones.
We have beeswax tea lights that we use now and then in a salt candle on the dining room table. I have basically saved the beeswax from that. I did buy some little beeswax buttons off Amazon.
I also used cotton fabric fat quarters which are cheap to buy - Aldi sold them recently.

No squeezing!

I wondered about buying silk squares from charity shops and using those as much thinner than cotton. Might that work?

It probably would but a bit of robustness seems to be the thing.

Iv bought some beeswax but not made them yet. I think that poly cotton might be a mix of cotton and polyester. I'm wondering if this is why you are having the problem as I don't think polyester would absorb the beeswax?

I iron mine rather than use the oven.

Layer of greaseproof paper, cotton fabric then sprinkle wax pellets over it. Another layer of paper then iron (medium heat) until the wax melts and spreads evenly into the cloth (sometimes I have to add a few more pellets of wax in odd spots).

Keep in the paper until cool then they are ready to use.