What should I do with old spools of thread?
 

Just this week I was given a whole bunch of thread from an elderly ladie's estate. Lots of good usable thread, and a bunch of very old little WOODEN spools. The thread on those is rotten, couldn't be used. But the price on several is 10 cents or 15 cents. Soooo, any ideas? Would you keep them for the sentimental, antique value or toss them? Any ideas on ways to display them? Thanks, everyone

I also have lots of the old wooden spools. I save them in a round glass fishbowl and display them on a shelf in my sewing room. I love having them there.

I would see if someone on the board wants them maybe you could do a swap or something. I have some too from my Grandmother's estate. Thread is rotten but the spools are kind of neat. Have to downsize with moving to a small apt.

I would be interested in purchasing them. I have been collecting them. PM me if you wish to sell them.

I keep them also -- have some from my grandmothers. I was at a rummage sale and found some that I wanted to purchase --the lady gave them to me as they didn't have much thread on them!

I display them in old jars, on a thread rack, and several other places. Yes, some people will pay alot for them, but I just can't seem to let go of old sewing stuff. I want my grandchildren to see this stuff.

Display and enjoy. Share with younger sewers, otherwise they will never know how much easier things are today.
Think of all the stories the spools could tell.

Don't toss them!!!! Many on this board would find excellent uses for them!!! How nice you have asked us--let's put them to good use!

I agree with every post so far. I have some that I inherited and I have saved them and hope to display them in an old fishbowl some day beside my jars of buttons.:thumbup:

I collect old spools. I have a quart canning jar full of them. i'd do anything for a gift like that. you're very lucky. they make a nice display. if I were you, i'd display them proudly.

I had at least one large wooden spool of thread. Not as old. Probably from the 60s. I think I gave it to my oldest Daughter.
Good ideas to display them.

Found this pic on google. You could turn them into ornaments!

My DD has some strung on ribbons and hung on the wall in her sewing room.

in one of those decorative jars with a wired lid, like old canning jar, displayed would be nice to look at , makes you think up all different stories on sewing , great gift to you

I have mine displayed in baskets with old scissors, wooden sock darners, and other old sewing things, and in old antique jars. The oldest one I have, still has lots of thread on it. Its a large spool and has gold thread on it that my Mother used to sew the emblems ( not sure what they were called) on my Dad's Navy uniform in WWII

Collectors do want them.

I have just several old spools, 4, and I stacked them together as decoration. You could put them in a glass vase, low dust, or make Christmas ornaments for your quilter buddies.

I remember when I was a kid, we used to paint them and string necklaces out of them. That is what I'd do now if I had them!

I have found that the older thread breaks too easily when I use it in my sewing machine and therefore wouldn't use it in a new quilt. I use it for hand basting and display those cute little wooden spools in a clear glass canister.

I agree I would display them!

YEPPERS!!! I agree with everyone by all means save them, sell them, give to somebody who appreciates them...please don't throw them away Just saying:)

You could send them to me. Just sayin'. LOL. :cool:

Those ornaments are gorgeous!

the last ones I had were strung on a piece of yarn, tied tightly, and played with by my grandbabies.

I recently saw a wreath made of old thread spools (some with some without thread) hot-glued together onto a wreath form as a sewing room decoration...thought it was a neat idea.

Whatever you do PLEASE DON'T toss them, if you want to donate them to some one, you could ask a local quilt shop.
I see a lot of older items on display. I have a collection of spools also. I bought them at a yard sale. I even keep the plastic ones, I have made crocheted drum Christmas ornaments, using the spool instead of stuffing. The regular sized plastic spools are just the right size, and are not too heavy.

Yep, you have all convinced me, I am keeping them. That was my first inclination, hard to part with old stuff. I will be digging out some of my old jars, lots of great ideas. Some are completely full of thread, some soiled, some almost empty, all wooden. Which says old!

Make a necklace

I have hundreds of them..have collected for years..have them in jars and a huge container I got at Hobby Lobby..still get everyone I see but they are not as plentiful as they use to be and quite a lot more money also...so glad you are keeping them...they make a great display...

I also have some thread on wooden spools along with old buttons still on cards, hand sewing needles still in original packages, Thread samples on a card, etc. I am planning to make a shadow box to display these items. Actuall found that Michaels had shadow boxes on 50% off sale this week and purchased one. At least I've gotten that far. By the way another thing that will go in the shadow box is a 1924 Singer Sewing Book.

I save any wooden spools in old mason jars, great decoration.

I have filled 2 ginger jar lamps with the spools and they are so much fun.

I bought a big glass jar that was wired to become a lamp and put old my old spools in it. Then to top it off found a lampshade kit at JoAnn's and made a very cute shade and decorated it with some of my old buttons. It looks great in the guest room with the GFG quilt, decorative pillows of doilies and old embroidered pillow cases. I love the vintage stuff.

There never are enough old spools. We used to make all kinds of stuff out of them when I was a kid. The neighbor man used to carve notches all the way around the spool - both ends. He made toys like that first picture: http://www.funsci.com/fun3_en/toys/toys.htm If you put them on a window it makes a horrible noise - the old neighbor used to do that, too - to scare his wife. Kind of reminds me of a few QB members... not naming names though... We made little men out of the old spools, too.

I've seen them displayed in jars as was stated in an earlier post. That's a good way so they don't get dusty. Who has the time to dust spools? :-)

I agree with many. Keep them and display them. They are our heritage as needle artists.

I would save them and put them on display, maybe in n a shadow box, or something else, but I would not toss them or even give them away. You are a sewer, and these spools are symbolic of your craft!

How about displaying them in a old Ball or Mason Jar ( the ones with the Wire snap down or gray metal lids), you could find one at a antique shop ,, but I see that some are on a Rack so wouldn't get rid of that...I have even seen a Lamp that someone put sea shells in that could be used too..it would make a nice Accent for your Sewing Room...

I like this idea! Your old spools would make lovely Christmas ornaments!
You could also make candle holders for taperd candles.

I have a small collection the wooden spools. I also have a spool rack on which the spools of thread get very dust and the top of thread fades in the light. So----- I display my wooden spools (some empty and some still have thread) on the rack. It's decorative but I don't worry about the thread fading since I won't be using it. And the dust -- well I get to it occasionally.