Our town has a Christmas tree display at the community center, as a yearly event. We(the quilters) need some ideas to change the decorations on our tree, next year. We use tape measures as garlands, hang spools of colored thread with ribbon, and have each made a paper pieced ornament with our names in the center. And, have used the same things for at least five years. Oh, we do have little lights, and one string of Ohio Star lights. If you have an idea to help us, will you please share? piecefully, the old one

How about making garland out of stringed spools of thread or just painted. You could probably get members to save their empty spools for you. Or a garland made from selvages. I have made an ornament from a $1 sewing kit, glueing the tiny spools of thread into a tree shape and then glueing the scizzors in top, and decorating with the needle threader and thimble. it was very cute. Good luck. :D

That sounds so pretty just as you're doing. How can you improve on perfection?

You could make a xmas tree with different sized green yoyos and put a gold star & hanger on top. I think there is a free pattern some place for that. I saw one made up in Benjamin Franklin in Monroe, Washington, it ended up being about 5" high.

BUTTONS! strung together in a garland.
And, I don't know how close to sewing/quilting you have to stay, but if it absolutely MUST be relative - - how about using plastic lids in different colors, made into pincushions.
I have seen some really cute spool dolls created with the spools and tubes of fabric.
The yo-yos are a great idea! so colorful, easy, but elegant looking. <wave>