With the cones The grandkids made christmas trees and table f=decorations there are ues for cones too!!

My grands used them like blocks, then they used markers and colored them, then they went missing one by one like all the other small toys over time. I have a basket of old wooden spools for decoration. I save a couple of the empty plastic ones and toss the rest as I use up thread.

Hot glue them to a wreath form?

As for the wooden ones, they are in a pattern box. My niece loved to play with them like blocks when she was little. It occupied her for hours. The plastic cones make great little angels for the tree. I can't remember which one it was that had the nice base on it that came apart. It was perfect to slip into a larger holed thread spool to make it fit my spindle on the machine just like it was made for that.
Many years ago they used to make doll furniture with the wooden ones. Glued together for legs and the tall headboards and baseboards. Somewhere I still have those instructions. Although, I am sure it would take some looking to find it. LOL! There was dolls you strung the spools together for legs and arms. Also, I have seen them as fake wheels on stuffed toys for kids, or the country decorating we used to do. I have also seen them screwed onto a board to hang cords or whatever. Spaced out all in order. Like they make the wooden pegs to hang jackets.

Not that I have bothered to do any of these things .. LOL! The big jar for the plastics and big pattern box just hold them in the garage until I use them for something.

I have noticed that now they are putting thread onto cardboard forms.

Aha! Look what I found on line. There are a few things here.

http://beforeitsnews.com/green-livin...s-2443230.html

I hAve a collection of wooden spools in a quart jar on my top shelf in my sewing room.

Just got on ebay, and you can buy 100 empty cones for $36.00.

I've seen some impressive chess sets made with empty spools. And I've made some Quarto games with them.

I think they would be cute as drawer or door knobs on sewing cabinets and dresser used to store sewing items in.

I have one crock pot and my asparagus pot both of which had plastic knobs on their lids....both broke...they are now adorned with a empty wooden spool with bolt, washer, and nut. works great...cost even better. The wooden spools have lasted about 5 years.

Oh, yes! I was a primary teacher and know that any bag of items can turn into an art project. Schools, Sunday schools, daycare...these are all possible outlets for your collections.

As much of a "hoarder" that I am, I have not "collected" empty spools. I used to keep the wooden ones for making wheels on toys, etc. but the plastic ones just don't appeal to me.