Creative articles about sewing

Making key chains out of empty thread spools

Dear community,
in this blog post you can find easy instructions for making key chains out of empty thread spools.

Making key chains out of empty thread spools

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

Hiding in your stocking today is a small DIY project that is excellently suited as a gift for your friends and relatives who sew: a key chain made out of empty thread spools. 

As with many of you, my empty thread spools usually end up in the trash can. However, in the last few weeks I have collected a few in order to craft small gifts for sewing aficionados. It actually took me quite a while to collect the empty thread spools, because I prefer to use cardboard spools, but there were a few plastic spools here and there, naturally.

Materials

The materials needed for the key chain are available in almost all households without you having to buy any additional items. In doing so, we are re-using materials and reducing waste. 

You will need: 

  • Scraps of old discarded jeans (or another material that you like) 
  • Thread spools
  • Woven bands or another type of cord (whatever you have available)
  • Key rings (or carabiners)
  • Embroidery thread (or wool) 
  • Sewing needle
  • One pin

Tutorial

And we’re off! Cut a 2-3 cm wide strip from your jeans material. If you pull it through your hands a few times, it will fray some. If this does not produce the desired effect, try a scouring pad or a different rough surface.

Then the jean strip is wrapped around the thread spool. You should wrap the strip at an angle from one end of the spool to the other.

This is how it will look when you are wrapping the material.

Affix the end with a pin so that your hands are free to perform the next step.   

Insert the embroidery thread into the groove of the spool and make a tight knot.

Then, wrap the thread at an angle to the other end of the spool and back again.

Knot the loose end of the embroidery thread with the beginning of the embroidery thread. 

Using a sewing needle or a darning needle, pull both loose ends into the jeans wraps and cut off the ends.

It is now time to attach the spool to the woven band.

Add a keyring to the loop…

… and knot the open ends of the woven band. Your key chain is complete! Now you have to decide if you want to keep it or give it away as a present.

I hope you all have a joyous advent season!

 

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  • Cheri Mello EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

    Thank You For SHARING 👏🏼👏🏼😊these are SUPER CUTE 🥰And Saving The Plastic SPOOLS 🧵 Are a GREAT idea I have  bunch Of Wooden spools ,  and Few plastic  But  NEVER thought of a keychain 👏🏼👏🏼Thanks AGAIN ❗️❗️G-d♥️Bless

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