What do you do with your empty spools of thread? I have been collecting them for awhile and I really don't know what to do with them, any suggestions :?: :roll:

Call the art teacher at a local school or preschool and see if they can use them.

I just put them in the recycle bin. Most of them are plastic now.

I don't save them. I'm happy to toss the empty spools; keeps my sewing room tidy the way I like it.

Once, I saw a really neat wreath made out of spools. But I would rather sew.

I saw garland made with spools. They wrapped bright color fabric aound them and put them on string along with colorful beads. They were hanging like a valance on a window in her sewing room.

I give mine to my Grandchildren to play with.

Give them to your schools pre Kindergarden

[quote=JenniePenny]I don't save them. I'm happy to toss the empty spools; keeps my sewing room tidy the way I like it.

I agree; it had never crossed my mind to keep them. I only save what I'm very certain I'll be able to use later.

i save mine until i have a 5-gallon bucket full, then i give them to the boyscouts. there are all sorts of organizations who will happily accept things like this...scouts, 4-H kids, public school art departments. the senior center; pre-schools; our local library does craft times with little people on saturdays...they love donations too...lots of places, just ask around :thumbup:

I save then for the kids at work, they use them to make all kids of craft projects.

My cats collect, and hide them.

These are fun to make - it shows using wooden spools, but I'm sure you could use the plastic ones: http://makeminebeautiful.blogspot.co...christmas.html

I usually throw mine away, then find a use for one. Here is a picture of my latest use.

very funny

Just a thought - everybody needs more clutter - save them and then wrap a piece of every fabric that you use around them and string them for a garland - some of you might be able to circle your sewing rooms a dozen times :D

I usually toss them on the floor for the cats. They roll them around for a while and then they get lost.

I throw mine on the floor for the cats to play with. They bat them around for a few days, then they end up under the couch or something. When I move furniture to clean, I pick them all up and throw them into the cat toys basket. They love them!!

It depends on the spool, if they are flat, this is what I did 35 yrs. ago. But if they have lips on the ends, I just throw them away.

I also give mine to my grandchildren

preschoolers use these for a lacing activity donate them to any preschool or kdg and they will be very appriciative

I never seem to have empty spools around. My cats always confiscate them before I can do anything with them. The problem is, after a day or two, they just disappear. I just know one day I'll move and find hundreds of empty spools wherever those little devils have them stashed! :D

I have a plastic bowl I am saving mine in. I figure they should be good for something.

[quote=Jill]Yep, me too. I used to save everything thinking someday I would do something with it. Now I just trash them. Would rather quilt than do some of those silly craft things. I have also gotten so I don't like to dust, and those crafty things seem to gather a lot of dust.

I also collect them and have a whole bucket full. Never knew what to do with them. Lots of great ideas here, but I think donating them to a school is a great idea.

I have saved mine ever since I heard about a lady who had a bushel basket of spools at her estate sale. I think I have way more than that by now. I have them in boxes all over the place. Maybe that will be the talk of my estate sale, if the kids don't burn them as they find them.

I have some wood spools saved...thanks for this link...will make a good gift for sewing friends.

Plastic ones I have thrown...but good idea to see if the schools want them.

A family friend was interested in old Virginia crafts. She showed me the spool dolls she had made and dressed in the old way...like making a doll for a little girl. She also crocheted granny blankets for all of her grandchildren.

I followed the link, and just LOVE those ornaments she made! Like I need another project ... :lol:

That is soo pretty. How long did it take for you to put it together. I use to do trees with baby food jars.

my daughter and I both quilt (shared quilting room) so we have a bit more empty spools then most so we save them and then we give them to another daughter that owns a day care. the kids love them

I use them to put embrodiery thread on. I have a ton of woden ones I've kept over the years.

Spool garlands---spray paint, glue fabric and lace on for ornaments, toys for GKs....

they make wonderful blocks for children. If you don't have children or grands, donate them to a day care. I once made a christmas tree out of spools, one of my kids made a wreath candle holder.

I, too, have kept the wooden ones. Some are quite amazing just for their history! A 15¢ spool of boiled cotton is just too cool. I know... I'm a geek.

When I was a young kid, we weren't very well off, so my grandma made some kind of little "man" with them; a large spool for the head and body, small spools for the arms and legs. I think the center holes were threaded with elastic, because I could make it bounce and jump. I don't know how she put it together, but I spent many hours on the floor, playing with my toy while she quilted. She would sell her quilts for extra money, and when the spool were empty, she'd make more of the "thread men" for us to play with. I hadn't thought of that for years, so thanks for bringing this memory out today :)

I give them to the pets,or throw away the only ones I keep are the wooden ones, Have a few of those.

what a cute idea thanks for sharing.

I glued about 6 of them to a piece of sanded wood , and put pens, pencils, ect into the holes as a desk organizer..

I don't save the plastic ones but I bought a bag of the wood ones at a craft sale a few weeks ago. I was going to put them in my old blue Mason jar for decoration in my sewing room. Now I can't find the Mason jar, hope I didn't give it to the goodwill.

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