Do you chunk them in the trash? Or do you recycle them in some way? I just can't seem to throw mine away. I know they used to make dolls out of the wooden ones for the kids to paly with. And I've seen them used as drawer pulls. So, what do you do with your empty spools?

Gonna watch this thread.. Ive got ice cream containers full of them.. I too, cannot toss them out..

With vintage ones, I put them in big Mason jars for display. I just can't seem to throw out such a pretty part of history. The newer ones (the plastic ones), I've been throwing away, but I have been keeping the ones from Superior Threads because they look similar to the vintage ones. I'm in the same boat, I don't want to pitch them, but I just don't know what to do with them :(. I'll be watching this to see what others suggest!

I recycle.

I save all the wooden ones and give my Parrot the others she loves to play with them :-D

Growing up we used them to make furniture for our doll houses! We also used them to make dolls, adn other things. right now I don't have any empties but will probably find a way to recycle them into toys for my two little boys!

I throw them away. I don't have space to keep things like that.

I put 6 of them on a piece a rope and give them to my Yorkie to chew on them...she loves them as a toy...LOL

I save all mine and give them to a fellow quilter who has small grand daughters. They love to string them using big shoelaces and make necklaces. The wooden ones,(I still have a few spools to empty,)I save. Who knows why. I figure someday I will want them or someone will collect them.

I toss them in the red recycle bin! I too don't have room to save stuff just because!

Give them to Grandsons to play with

Into the recyle bin!

i recycle the plastic ones. i keep the wooden ones if i get them i have saved the ones my cone thread was on. thought one would be useful to make into tree toppers. hmmm i should get that idea into place and have my dgd to make one for her tree for christmas.

I pull the stickers off and toss them to my cats. They love em

I let my sister's grandkids make things with them. We've made Xmas decorations & they made necklaces with them. & give them to son for his cats to play with.

Recycle, someone has to do something really creative with them???

Most go to my Grand kids for arts and crafts but once in a while I have to give Otis a new one. She is constantly loosing. her's . I think she thinks she's a dog I find them tucked in potted plants, up trees, under the bed covers, you name it she will try to hide them then comes crying for more.

..And Otis is a ??? Cat???

I give the plastic ones to my cats. They love them.

Yes Otis is a female cat that my DH laughingly calls my devil cat.
She likes to play in water, plays fetch with a sm ball, likes to go for car rides. I you call here kitty kitty she will totaly egnor you. If you say Hey Otis she comes running. We live in the country,and do not have a dog. Got her at 8 weeks of age, she was around a couple of cattle dogs until then.

I donate them to schools/kindergarten especially..girl scouts and FREECYCLE...plenty of homeschool people who use them for crafting things...

Never thought to throw into recycle bin!! Duh!!

I string them on yarn for my grandchilden to play with. My youngest one likes the noise they made when he bangs them on my wooden floor. :) We also stack them like blocks...the older ones like to see how high they can build and the youngest likes to knock them over and laugh!! Haven't tried crafts with them yet so good idea for my DGD who loves to color and paint.

I keep the wooden ones and use them for crafts and decorations. The plastic ones I throw away.

I like to re-use the styrofoam ones by sticking them inside the larger cones of thread. They form a base that way that will work on the spindle my long arm and regular machine as well. The wooden ones, I keep, with the thread on them in a large jar as a display with my vintage sewing machines. The plastic ones I toss. We don't have recycling where I live.

I save them till I have a few dozen then give them to the art teacher at my grandsons school

Me too!

i toss them into a pop corn tin- then when i have lots---i give them to a local scout troop or 4-H group-- the scouts get most of my (throw away's) they seem creative and imaginative enough to find uses for anything i am willing to part with...and with the economy the way it is-all of these (kids groups) are suffering- so any donations are always appreciated. :thumbup:

Me too :oops:

I, also, give to grandkids to play. Seems spools are more fun than other "toys". I keep any wood spools, just because they are wood. One day will do something with them.

Good to know I'm not alone. I have a gallon sized baggie with spools of all sorts right now. I thought I read somewhere that you can wrap them with fabric and make a wreath. I've seen some made with spools with the thread still on them, but what a waste!

Here are a few links I've found for using them:

http://modernjune.blogspot.com/2010/...ol-wreath.html

http://www.everythingetsy.com/2010/0...ols-of-thread/

http://www.ehow.com/way_5497235_wood...ol-crafts.html

http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutori...ad/2009/10/30/

If you have enough of them I guess you could glue them together around a glass jar and make a vase -- or with a weighted bottom something to hold scissors, etc. or a hotplate ... or why not a lamp?

Me too. Out they go. I throw away scraps too even though I know that's a no-no.

When the grandkids were younger, I used to give them the empty spools, a little plastic bowl with dish detergent and water in it and let them blow bubbles to their heart's content! Then, throw them away. (the plastic ones)!!!!! Edie

They make wheels etc for kindergarten to play with, so I donate to the school.

I have 3 Macaws and a Cockatoo, so they get them to destroy, lol!
They also love to sit with me while I'm pinning and pull the pins out
while I'm putting them in :)

I had kept quite a few then threw them out, but I'll recycle from now on. I didn't think of that at the time!!

There are several uses for spools. I have a cute shelf that the posts that hold the shelves are spools strung on heavy wire. To make, cut 4 lengths of wire a little longer than the height of the shelves. Twist one end of each wire so that the spools will stay in place (like a little ring on the end). Drop one spools onto each wire. Cut 3 pieced of boards for the shelves, about 4 or 5 inches wide and about 8 or 10 inches long. Bore small holes in each corner not getting too close to the edge. Place a wire/spool into each hold. Add spools to each wire to make a separtor post for the next shelf. Add second shelf and more spools to make the next section. The add the top shelf and twist the wire to hold in place. Cut off any remaining wire. Paint as desired. ~~I also use the spools to keep my embroidery floss organized. And, if you are a string saver (dog food bags), a spool is good for holding the string. This is also good for small ribbons or lace. I keep them in clear plastic shoe boxes so I see easily what I have.

I collect them for my friend who has parrots. They love to play with them.

I bought a lamp kit and used a large mason jar and made a little table light, I used only the wooden spools just hated to throw away a little of history. Hubby drilled hole in jar for me.