Candle, Glass Jar + Bike Wheel Chandelier
Words by Christy Pitre
Photography by Colin Todd
Art Direction and Prop Styling by Kylie Fife

Romantic, Outdoor, & possible Bug-Keep-Away Lighting

Ever wondered just how you could use that left over bike wheel, the votive (dare I say it, possibly Citronella) candles that have been lying around your tiny NYC apartment, plus all those mason and condiment jars to fancify, romantify, or de-bugify your stoop, fire-escape, or (yes, folks they do exist in some parts of the New York burroughs) backyard? Well check this out!

Tools You’ll Need:
a. needle nose pliers (if your pair has a wire cutting section in the middle of it, so much the better!)

Materials You’ll Need:
a. Bike Wheel
b. Glass Jars
c. Votive Candles
d. Wire
e. Chain (optional)

1. Bike Wheel = FREE or $30-ish and up
   Either you just have a spoke lying around…or you don’t. But you can definitely purchase one at your local bike store.
2. Glass Jars = FREE
   1. You can use just about any kind of glass jar: mason jars, condiment jars, preserves jars, supplement bottles, etc. You just want to make sure all the containers you use have a wide mouth so that hot candle wax is not going to drip over the jar and onto anyone’s head! Plus the jar should have a lip; otherwise the wire won’t hold it up. I ended up using 6 clear jars, but feel free to use colored ones as well.
3. Votive Candles = $1-$2 a two pack
   I found a plethora of selection at a dollar store on Manhattan Ave. in Greenpoint. Of course colors are your’s for the choosing! Burn candles ofmultiple colors in any one given jar for a rainbow effect! OR use Citronella votives to keep pesky bugs away!
4. Wire = $5 - $ 10
   I used OOk’s 19 gauge Annealed Wire. There are similar wire spools with a wire cutter attached to the package (helpful if your needle nosepliers are lame and do not have a wire cutter!). Also I liked the darkness ofthe annealed wire as apposed to galvanized wire, which is silver.
   1. Cut a long piece of wire for each bottle (4ft being the longest). You want it to be enough so that you can wrap the wire around the lip of the bottle twice, while still having 1” or so left, and enough to make a long loop over the bike spokes. Using your pliers, tightly wind the 1” extra wire on the beginning side onto the loop wire. Once you’ve looped the loop wire over the spoke, bring the other end of the loop wire through the two layers of wire on the jar’s lip. Pull enough through (about 1”) so that you can tightly wind it around the loop wire.” extra.
5. Chain or Wire = $ 10 - $20
   Use this to hang your chandelier. I used the same 19” gauge wire (but, hark! this time it was galvanized) in three spots to form a supporting triangle.
6. Hang it up, and you’re DONE!