Style Your Photographs with a Vintage Spool Tutorial

Place your cherished photographs in the spotlight with this simple décor project that features an unlikely use for wooden spools. With a quick wash of paint and romantic decorative tape, you’ll be able to showcase a favorite family photo for your grandmother’s birthday; she’ll beam at the clever use of this classic sewing accessory. Kick it up a notch with personalized handwritten names for an unforgettable baby shower favor, or how about creating place card holders for a backyard wedding? Impress your recipients with this unique spin on a classic tool from our Shoppe Manager, Vanessa.

Materials
Wooden Spools (or alternatively, our White Painted Spools)
Fabric Tape Sets – Greeny
Acrylic Paint – White
Wire
Old photographs

Instructions
Give spools a coat of paint and let dry. Wrap a piece of decorative tape around the center. Take approximately 5″ of black wire and shape two circles close enough to each other to create a small space to insert a photograph. Wrap the middle portion of the wire around your pinky or a thin pencil to create desired coiling. Double up the bottom portion of wire, making it thick enough to push inside of the spool to secure it.

Want another reason to pick up these wooden spools? Vanessa created a tic-tac-toe game board using spools as the game pieces. This project is also a winner, doubling as a fun pastime and a fantastic piece of home décor. Checkmate! For more creative living ideas, pick up a copy of Somerset Life.

Feel the need to express your love of spools through poetry? Compose a poem (see mine below) in the comment section for a chance to win a 5-pack of spools to get you started on this project.*

“Ode to Spools”

Darling wooden spools
All standing in a line
I’ll paint and then distress you
Then wrap you up in twine!

Project and photos by Vanessa Spencer

*This contest is open to residents of the U.S. and expires at midnight on 8/20/2012. Update: Congratulations, Ella! You are the winner of our poetry contest. We will be in touch with you in regards to your prize. Thank you to all who participated!


Posted: Thursday, August 9th, 2012 @ 9:19 am
Categories: How-To Project Tutorials, Mixed-Media Art.
Tags: , .
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14 Responses to “Style Your Photographs with a Vintage Spool Tutorial”

  1. Jennifer D. says:
    August 9, 2012 at 9:49 am

    Spool Haiku

    A spool so simple,
    Yet having much potential.
    Paint, alter, photo.

  2. Pat Smith says:
    August 9, 2012 at 10:21 am

    Vintage spools
    Oh the spools that once held the colored thread
    Are now in fashion that someone had.
    Make them come alive again
    In vintage pictures from way back when!

  3. Anne D says:
    August 9, 2012 at 10:22 am

    How clever! I have a box of old wooden spools, perhaps I’ll run up a few of these and put photos for my mom into them.

  4. Barbara says:
    August 9, 2012 at 11:37 am

    Spools of many colors

    Find them old
    Find them new…

    Paint them red
    Paint them blue….

    Turn them into
    Something fun…

    Then share those spools
    With everyone…..

  5. Jackie says:
    August 9, 2012 at 11:53 am

    I think this would be a creative way for name cards for tables too !

  6. Doreen says:
    August 9, 2012 at 12:08 pm

    So vintage, yet so new
    Perfect for altered art
    Of all the great projects ready to go
    Oh, tell me when to start!
    Love to embellish this wooden treasure
    So much, in fact, it would be my pleasure.

  7. Leslie says:
    August 9, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    Cute project! Here’s my silly take on Haiku. (work with me on ‘ideas’ being two syllables)

    Have spools, no ideas
    Read Stampington, do project
    Spool photo stand, cool!

  8. Crafting Marfa says:
    August 9, 2012 at 2:08 pm

    Wow, awesome idea. I love the simplicity. It looks very cool. Thanks for sharing.

  9. queenofcuffs says:
    August 10, 2012 at 2:47 am

    Love these vintage spools !
    How about a ‘family’ of spools – each member of the family with a different image to hold their photo?
    Oh . . . or two spools side by side holding (together) an wedding anniversary pic . . .
    I just love this great idea – can you tell !!

  10. Ella says:
    August 10, 2012 at 9:16 am

    Fun…
    Thanks for sharing :D
    I love vintage photos…off to ponder~

  11. cathwren says:
    August 10, 2012 at 1:57 pm

    Thanks for the great idea… this will be so right for gifts for my quilt group….

    Cathwren

  12. Grammy Barb says:
    August 10, 2012 at 3:15 pm

    Love those old old spools
    What delightful tools….
    To make a perch for a little bird,
    or glue on a message of just ONE word,
    to put on a special gift.

  13. Ella says:
    August 11, 2012 at 5:47 am

    I cast out a net of ideas
    gathering threaded sunlight
    Stitching my thoughts, my hopes, my dreams
    Sentimental photos of loved ones
    Thread my muse
    I look again into their sepia dreams
    With fresh eyed daisy view
    I so hope
    Those who love me
    Can see an Irish beauty
    not a dangling thread~

    *In Navy and Marine Corps parlance today, an Irish pennant is a loose thread on a uniform.

Jordan How-To Project TutorialsMixed-Media Art ,

Place your cherished photographs in the spotlight with this simple décor project that features an unlikely use for wooden spools. With a quick wash of paint and romantic decorative tape, you’ll be able to showcase a favorite family photo for your grandmother’s birthday; she’ll beam at the clever use of this classic sewing accessory. Kick it up a notch with personalized handwritten names for an unforgettable baby shower favor, or how about creating place card holders for a backyard wedding? Impress your recipients with this unique spin on a classic tool from our Shoppe Manager, Vanessa.

Materials
Wooden Spools (or alternatively, our White Painted Spools)
Fabric Tape Sets – Greeny
Acrylic Paint – White
Wire
Old photographs

Instructions
Give spools a coat of paint and let dry. Wrap a piece of decorative tape around the center. Take approximately 5″ of black wire and shape two circles close enough to each other to create a small space to insert a photograph. Wrap the middle portion of the wire around your pinky or a thin pencil to create desired coiling. Double up the bottom portion of wire, making it thick enough to push inside of the spool to secure it.

Want another reason to pick up these wooden spools? Vanessa created a tic-tac-toe game board using spools as the game pieces. This project is also a winner, doubling as a fun pastime and a fantastic piece of home décor. Checkmate! For more creative living ideas, pick up a copy of Somerset Life.

Feel the need to express your love of spools through poetry? Compose a poem (see mine below) in the comment section for a chance to win a 5-pack of spools to get you started on this project.*

“Ode to Spools”

Darling wooden spools
All standing in a line
I’ll paint and then distress you
Then wrap you up in twine!

Project and photos by Vanessa Spencer

*This contest is open to residents of the U.S. and expires at midnight on 8/20/2012. Update: Congratulations, Ella! You are the winner of our poetry contest. We will be in touch with you in regards to your prize. Thank you to all who participated!