Christmas Decoration (w/Bottle Brush Trees & Spools)

If you’re looking for the cutest Christmas decoration around, you’ve come to the right place. Let me show you how to make them. We’ll be using bottle brush trees and spools of thread.

They are easy as 1-2-3-4, I promise! I sell them in large quantities every year at a Shaker Holiday Market that I participate in. They make great additions to booths at antique shops, vintage shops, and flea markets, as well as craft shows.

I have seen variations of these bottle-brush-trees-on-spools decorations around the web and at vintage fairs for a while now.

Materials for Making Bottle Brush Tree Christmas Decorations

Note: This post contains affiliate links for [the same or similar] products used to complete this project. This is both for your convenience as well as to support my website, since I receive a small compensation whenever you click on a link and make any sort of purchase, for which I thank you 🙂 See my full disclosure here.

Materials

• Vintage thread spools–try eBay or Etsy (or use craft spools)
• Small bottle brush trees (1-2″)
• Tacky glue (and toothpick)
• Hot glue gun
• Glue sticks
• 1/4″ Ribbon
• Buttons and/or other embellishments
• Scrapbook paper (if using “naked” spools w/no thread)

How to Make Vintage Style Bottle Brush Tree Decorations

Step 1: Secure Thread End

To prevent the thread from unraveling and ruining your project, find the end of the thread on the spool (as shown above on the left). Use a toothpick to dab a tiny dot of glue onto the end of the thread and press it down to hold it in place.

Step 2: Add Ribbon Decoration

Cut a piece of color coordinating (or contrasting) ribbon or trim to wrap around the spool. Use hot glue to hold it in place.

Step 3: Add Button Decoration

Attach a button or other embellishment to the front of the spool with hot glue.

Button Alternatives:

• Plastic snowflakes
• Large snowflake sequins
• Pearl flat-backs
• Resin Christmas Charms

Step 4: Add Tree

Remove the wooden base of the bottle brush tree by holding the wire “trunk” with pliers and twisting it off with your other hand.

Alternatively: You can leave the base on the tree. In fact, I did that for many years (see examples below). I now prefer the look of the trees without their bases.

Apply hot glue to the bottom of the tree, circling around the “trunk”. Press it into place on top of the spool of thread.

The finished project!

Aren’t they cute as can be?? 

Notice, on the left, I used a small plastic snowflake rather than a button. On the far right, I placed a flat-back pearl onto a flower-shaped button. You have so many options for embellishments!

Examples

I also use white bottle brush trees when the thread color, ribbon, and button call for it.

I use almost any color vintage thread you can think of for these decorations and all of them have sold. They don’t have to be red or green. I try to pick spools up at garage sales, flea markets, thrift stores, and estate sales for 25￠or less. A jar full is always a fun find for me!

Getting creative with all the colors of thread, ribbon, and buttons makes me so happy. I find making these very theraputic.

Here’s a look at the decorations with the tree bases in tact. I love the metal numerals that I used on this batch but haven’t found a source for them.

Notice that on several of these, I used scrapbook paper to cover the spool. That’s because they were either empty to begin with, or the thread was messed up in some way. They look as cute as those with thread in tact, don’t they?

Reader Example

A sweet crafter followed this tutorial and made her own darling little decorations. Unfortunately, her name is lost to time. Send me a note or leave a comment if these are your lovely handwork!

Some More Christmas Crafts I Know You’ll Love

Final Thoughts

I’ve been making and selling these little darlings ever since I first introduced them in this post back in 2016. This year (2020) I raised the price from $3.50 to $4 and sold 19 of them–that’s $76!

UPDATE: In 2023, I raised the price to $5 each and they continue to sell out year after year!

They’re as much fun to make now as they were back then. You should really give them a try, if you haven’t already 🙂

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