They may be for lace making. (The stilletto things.) Have you seen women making hand made lace? They usually have a pillow with the lace in the center, and lots of bodkins/shuttles hanging all around in a circle. There are things sticking up like pins that are where the pattern is taking place. The thread spools could have been used for lace making, and the tatting shuttles may be able to go that direction too. The key may have gone to a cabinet that held the supplies, ---or not. We really just have to try and piece together things as best we can. Try looking on some tatting websites, and try lace making as well.
Here is Wickapedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lace
Lace is an openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the work, made by machine or by hand.[SUP][1][/SUP] The holes
an example of tatting
Slide 4 of 10
I think she has one of the stillettto things under her hand