Lara122

Hello!

I did treat myself to a vintage machine yesterday! Lots of old (old!) notions and I am a bit at a loss as to what to do with them. Mostly I am puzzled by the thread. All of it is on wooden spools, and the few spools I 'tested' broke with a decent tug. I would be afraid to try to actually use the thread, but I can't just chunk them!

Some coats and clark, some JP coats. Lily, American Eagle. Most of them say 'boilfast'. Many are 'mercerized'. I think most are cotton; a few spools do say cotton wrapped polyester, and one is clearly marked 'nylon'.

Are they collectibles at all? If my house were larger and I were 'arty' I would try to display some of them, but . . . That is just not practical for me!

Any ideas? Suggestions?

sweet

Hello Lara, my first suggestion is to not throw them away! Depending on how many you have, you could place them in a large jar by your sewing area. Lots of people use them to display in many different ways. Some make them into useable gadgets. If you have 'little ones', they make cute crafty toys (strings removed). Maybe even make a castle! If you really do not want them anymore, you could trade or sell them here, or find a teacher who would like them. Teachers are usually looking for stuff for classrooms. Have fun whatever you decide! (I've got some in a large jar and they just remind me of older times.)

BellaBoo

I see old wooden spools of thread at a lot of yard sales. They aren't worth much but many like them for decorations. I have a big glass canister filled with old wooden thread spools, some with thread on them from my grandmother. It's pretty to look at and preserves the vintage items. If they hadn't been my grandmothers I wouldn't have kept them. My DGD when small would use them as building blocks or string them together with yard.

Lara122

My kids are older, so no dice there. I don't have a sewing 'area' at all. I take over the kitchen table, and island usually. My fabric is on an industrial shelf in my kitchen, and in mismatched plastic storage units, also in my kitchen. My new red eye treadle is in my bedroom, replacing the alarm clock table!

My house is SO small!! and messy. =/. it is definitely not 'decorated-able'!!

I would be glad to send them on if anyone here collects them! They are in great shape, and the ones with lots of thread on them are in beautiful colors!!

carolaug

I love wooden spools...I decorate my sewing room with them.

Jackie Spencer

They look lovely in baskets too! I bought a pattern for a thread cabinet. The door is 36 by 36 and has plexy glass in it. The out side edges of the door has wooden yard sticks around it and the knob to open the door is an old wooden spool.

nygal

I have a lot of wooden spools of thread that my sweet 86 yr. old Mother gave me. I keep them and use them to look at and enjoy. I do not actually use the thread.

pinecone

They used to sell lamps with empty glass bases to fill with whatever. A lamp is always useful. Mine are in blue/turquoise canning jars. The silk twist I use in decorative stitches crazy quilting. The thread is just for looks.

piney

thimblebug6000

I donated mine to our guild & a member purchased them at our "garage" sale for $15. (she has a treadle machine in her entrance way & displayed them on it.) Just yesterday I was at a consignment store & saw a baggie of them for $10. I had been saving them because of sentimental reasons but wasn't displaying them, so was happy someone else could give them a home

happyquiltmom

I also have a vintage blue canning jar filled with old wooden spools of thread in assorted colors. It is closed with an old zinc lid. It's very attractive.