spool tree decoration

If you read my last post - I wish to announce that I have now a pair of socks completed!
Now if you are looking for a sewing themed tree decoration......look no further. I recently made one using a wooden spool.
I purchased my wooden spool from a craft stall but you could use a real vintage spool..... mine were too precious to use.
Firstly, I sprayed mine with silver metallic paint which can be bought cheaply and can be found amidst the Christmas Decorations at this time of the year.

I decorated the "thread" part of the spool with machine embroidery. First I measured a piece of iron on pelmet Vilene to fit the spool. I covered the Vilene with white cotton, making it slightly larger than the Vilene on all four sides, so it could be folded over.
The Vilene is a good foundation for machine embroidery, so no hoop is required.

If you prefer not to machine embroider you could wrap a pretty ribbon round the spool or even paint a pattern. I then stuck the Vilene to the spool and sewed the edges where they met together. I thought the white fabric was too white so splashed some colour on using my Koh-I-Noor palette.

Using beads, buttons and a sewing machine charm (plenty of inexpensive charms to be found on ebay) I decorated the top and base of the spool. I used a silver cord, threading down one way and then up the  other way. I lost the knot inside the spool. Here it is .......the finished item..............just have to put the tree up now!

 

Hope your pre Christmas preparations aren't too stressful. Ali