I am wondering if anyone does anything with their empty thread spools. I have been saving my for sometime thinking that I would do something crafty with them. So far I just have them in baskets in different parts of the house. My first thought was glueing them to a wire frame for a wreath and then add buttons and ribbons. Any other ideas?

Making a wreath out of them sounds like a good idea. I admit I just toss mine out! I was letting the cats play with them but the kitten tried eating them. And his little teeth were cracking the plastic when he bit!

I've wondered what we can do with them, too. I hate to throw out anything that could be used again. Years ago, I had a hard time throwing out cardboard boxes, because I might need them for moving - AGAIN! After twenty years in one place, I finally threw some away. (LOL)

Bases for mushroom pincushions.
Make a garland for your sewing room? Wrap a scrap on each one?
I use some to wind on embroidery stuff that comes in hanks

You can turn them into little angels. I have one from years ago that is an angel. You turn them into little dolls.

I use the empties to wrap my ribbons around--they look pretty in a big clear glass jar.

a few months ago Quilting ARts had a project in their magazine for using old spools (they only used the wooden ones but any would do). Stencil/embroider/paint/write an appropriate quotation or words on a long narrow strip of fabric, Glue the end to the middle of the spool and wind the strip around the spool. End by sewing a button to the end of the strip with a loop of elastic to go around the spool, or sew on two pieces of ribbon to use for tying around the spool. You can use this to make a neckace if you want - put old buttons at the top and bottom of the spool to tie the neckstrap to...or embellish the ends of the spool and leave as a "shelf-sitter"...or put a string thu it and attach it to a decorated pin back to use as a pin....etc.

I save mine also. at the beginning of the school year I sent a bunch to the school art program. I also keep them for the kids' school projects. they've come in handy for things like wheels on a model of a covered wagon!

It depends on the size of the spools and what material they are. Are they the nice natural wooden ones? They would be really nice for several projects, depending on their size.

Replace the drawer pulls on an old dresser with spools.

Spools glued over pushpins make the corkboard look quiltie. Buttons glued to pushpins would do the same.

Spools could make a nice peg rack for tools or whatever. Put the spools over nails hammered into a smooth board

I throw anything like that in a box. DD is a teacher and my sister is a preschool teacher. They always need "stuff" for projects.