Funny you should mention that. I was throwing one away the other day and I remembered when I was little using the wooden cotton reels for french knitting. Dad put four nails into the top and then wool was wound around the nails and I would use a hair pin to pick up the stitches. It was always fun to watch the knitting coming out of the other end. I do not remember actually making anything just doing french knitting.
I was thinking as I was throwing the one away that it would be too thin and fragile - plastic - to put nails into.