PurplePassion

The thread spools would look pretty displayed in a big glass jar.

jgriinke

Even if it breaks easily, why not give it a try for decorative work. Thread painting, that kind of thing. You might try putting a little Sewer's Aid on it. That may moisten it.

Cam22

when my Mother passed away I took the contents of her sewing basket(encluding wooden spools) and put them in a gallon sized glass jar with a lid. Punched a hole in the lid and added a light kit to make a lamp for my sewing room.The "basket" was a plastic sewing box that was beyond saving.

golo8

you can make pincushions and sew the threads around them... you can use some of the threads for basting....especially the spool ones... I would not throw them away....

BarbaraTX

I bought a shoe box full of wooden spools for $3.00 at a garage sale. I used a few of them to make some of these ornaments:
http://makeminebeautiful.blogspot.co...christmas.html

CarrieAnne

What cute projects!

Owllady

Old thread that has not been left in the sunlight to deterate should be usable. To do a test try breaking a piece of it and compare to a newer spool and see how they compare. Cotton thread you quilt with is expected to last for an heirloom so it should be no different if it is in a quilt or not.

luvstoquilt

Use it to baste!

Maurene

The top one looks like Bernina thread - you could do thread painting as someone else suggested, or get some cream coloured fabric to make cushions, do initials of various family members in trapunto for the centre and then various random close quilting designs like MacIntoshing around the initials with piping to match the main colour.
You could make a collage sculpture as a wall hanging - I know someone whose sculpturer friend did this with old notions but left them unattached and occasionally my friend actually finds use for some of the artifacts on the wall hanging. It is quite picturesque!

JoyjoyMarie

Took a photo of my little thread decor stuff. Will try to attach.