I would test the thread to see if it breaks easily, if it does, why not put the spools and bobbins in a jar to add some color to your sewing room? As far as the hot iron transfers are concerned, they usually come with a test piece, so I'd try that first, as they may still work well as transfers. I got a chuckle when I saw 29 cents on one of the Aunt Martha transfers, you'll never see that price again; although I did find a paper of needles that I probably bought as a child that had a price of 10 cents - I keep it around as a memory of a time long lost.