DIY Vintage Thread Spool With Hearts

I am always looking for new ideas for holiday décor so one day I googled vintage Valentine décor and seen where someone put hearts in a vintage thread bobbin and I had these vintage thread spools in my stash so I thought I would give it a try. I think they turned out really cute and will be a great addition to my Valentine décor. If you have any thread spools laying around you really need to give this a try it doesn’t take long to wipe up three hearts and put it together. Don’t worry if you do not sew I also explain and show how you can make the hearts using hot glue.

Materials You Will Need:

• Vintage Spool Heart Pattern
• Vintage Thread Spool
• Three Different Fabrics (Optional)
• Strip of Fabric or Ribbon for Bow
• Polyester Fiberfill
• Sweet Annie or Some Kind Of Greens
• 20 gauge Rusty Wire
• Wire Cutters
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Needle and Matching Thread
• Sewing Machine
• Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
• Hangtag (Optional)

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Sewing The Hearts

The first thing you will need to do is print and cut out the Vintage spool heart pattern.  With the right sides of your fabric facing inwards trace the heart pattern onto a double layer of fabric either using a pencil or a piece of chalk, I found the chalk easier when I was using chenille fabric. You are going to need to trace a total of three hearts it is up to you if you want to use three different fabrics like I did.  On a sewing machine sew up the three hearts leaving an opening where indicated on the pattern.  Next cut out the hearts about a ¼” from your sew line then using scissors clip around the curves making sure you do not cut the sewn parts of the hearts, this will stop any puckering of the fabric when you turn it right side out.

Turn the hearts right side out and lightly stuff with polyfill I like to use the eraser end of a pencil to push in the stuffing.  You do not want to stuff the hearts to much making them heavy.  Next using matching color thread and a needle sew the openings closed.

How To Hot Glue The Heart

The first thing you will need to do is print and cut out the Vintage spool heart pattern.  With the right sides of your fabric facing inwards trace the heart pattern onto a double layer of fabric either using a pencil or a piece of chalk, I found the chalk easier when I was using chenille fabric. You are going to need to trace a total of three hearts it is up to you if you want to use three different fabrics like I did.  Cut out the hearts about a ¼” away from the trace line.  Take one heart and separate your two pieces lay down the heart with the trace line facing up next add a line of hot glue onto the trace line all around the heart except where the opening is indicated on the pattern, place your second heart piece (right side facing up)on top gluing them together.  Repeat these steps to the other two hearts.

Next lightly stuff your hearts and hot glue the openings closed by adding hot glue to the trace lines.  Using scissors trim off some of the excess fabric around the hearts just don’t trim to close to the glue.  You can use a pair of pinking shears if you would like I didn’t because they did not work well on the chenille fabric.

Adding The Wires

Cut three 10” pieces of 20 gauge rust wire.   Take one wire and about 1” up from the bottom of the heart insert about 3 inches of the wire into the heart.  Lift up the piece of wire that is sticking out of the heart add a line of hot glue down the bottom of the heart and glue down the wire.  Next wrap the wire around a pencil leaving about 2 inches at the end unwrapped. Repeat these steps to the other two hearts.

Adding The Hearts To The Thread Spool

Start by placing one heart into the hole at the top of the thread spool you are going to want the wrapped part of the wire to rest on the outer edge of the spool for all three hearts.  Next add another heart to each side of the heart you just added.  You will have to play with the hearts until you get them set right so the thread spool will stand without falling over.  Once you have the hearts set right add hot glue into the opening making sure you get the glue on the wires let cool.  Check to see if you need to add more hot glue.

Adding Greens and Bow

I used Sweet Annie for my greens I just love the smell of it.  If you don’t have any Sweet Annie you can use any greens you would like.  Decide how many greens you would like and hold them up at the front of the spool to check if you think it looks good next take a strip of fabric or a piece of ribbon and tie the greens to the front of the thread spool and make a bow trim if necessary.  You can also had a coffee stained hang tag with a picture or writing Be Mine on it.

I hope you enjoyed making this vintage thread spool with hearts for your Valentine décor.  It would be so pretty on a fireplace mantel, shelf or table.