Wood Spindle Craft Ideas for Christmas: Ornaments, Cobbler Shoe Molds, and Paperwhites

Repurposing decorative wood spindles, finials, and cobbler shoe molds can bring rustic charm and vintage flair into your holiday decor. Transform these timeless treasures into festive ornaments, elegant bookshelf displays, or unique mantel decorations, breathing new life into each piece for unforgettable, easy holiday craft projects.

Wood Spindle Craft Ideas for Christmas

If you’ve ever come across vintage wood spindles at a flea market or salvage yard, you know how beautifully crafted and full of character they are. Once part of staircases, railings, or old furniture, these turned wood pieces make the perfect base for charming holiday crafts.

In this post, I’m sharing my favorite wood spindle craft ideas for Christmas, from DIY ornaments and cobbler shoe mold decorations to giftable paperwhites in thrifted vessels. These vintage finds add instant warmth, history, and timeless style to your holiday decor.

Looking for more sourcing tips? Visit my How to Shop For Vintage Decor Online guide for ideas on where to find vintage spindles and other unique pieces.

I’ll use this bundle of decorative wood spindles I found at an antique shop for today’s projects.

Hanging Wood Spindles with Velvet Ribbon: A Simple Holiday Craft Idea

One of my favorite wood spindle craft ideas for Christmas is also one of the easiest: adding a screw eye to the top of a vintage spindle and hanging it with a strand of velvet ribbon. I styled mine on our cobbler rack and bookshelf; the effect is simple, nostalgic, and full of vintage charm.

Whether you find short chunky spindles or tall, narrow ones, this idea works beautifully as a holiday accent. It’s perfect for adding character to shelves, mantels, or even as a backdrop for a festive tablescape. No two are exactly alike, and that’s what makes it special.

How to Assemble Your Hanging Wood Spindles

Simply twist the screw eye into the top of your decorative wood spindle or finial; no drill needed for most soft woods. Then thread your favorite ribbon through the eye, tie it in a bow or knot, and trim to your desired hanging length. That’s it, instant vintage charm for your shelves, bookcases, or holiday displays.

Styling Ideas for Hanging Wood Spindles Craft Ideas at Christmas

For this project, I used three decorative wood spindles in varying sizes and finishes to create a charming, collected look, but you can easily use more or fewer depending on your space. Once they’re assembled, simply hang your spindles wherever you’d like a touch of vintage charm.

I chose to display mine on our vintage cobbler rack, styled alongside a few of my favorite collected holiday treasures. Learn more in my Vintage Cobbler Rack Styling Ideas to Elevate Your Vintage Collections post.

To add even more texture and contrast, I tucked a few small pinecones around the top of each spindle to help disguise the screw eyes. Then I layered in this beautiful navy star-shaped snowflake ornament I picked up from my friend Kari at The Collected, creating a rustic, layered focal point right in our living room. It’s a simple way to give your decorative wood spindles a fresh and festive feel with natural touches and cozy charm.

Holiday Craft Idea: Hanging Vintage Cobbler Shoe Molds with Velvet Ribbon

After seeing how beautifully the wood spindle craft idea came together, I couldn’t stop there. Inspired by the charm and simplicity of that look, I grabbed a few of my vintage cobbler wood shoe molds and gave them a festive twist, too.

Using the same screw eyes and brown velvet ribbon, I grouped the shoe molds into sets of three and hung them from our built-in shelving in the living room. They add a rustic, collected feel with just the right touch of holiday whimsy, and they pair perfectly with the hanging spindles nearby.

Each hanging bundle is also layered with two smaller navy blue star snowflakes.

What are vintage cobbler shoe molds (and how to use them in holiday crafts)?

A vintage cobbler shoe mold is a fascinating piece often pursued by collectors and enthusiasts of vintage home decor. These molds, also known as “lasts,” were traditionally used by cobblers to form and shape shoes. Typically made from wood, each shoe mold represents the unique footprint for which a shoe was crafted, sometimes with metal reinforcements or details marking sizes or the brand of the shoemaker.

Wood Spindle Craft Ideas: DIY Christmas Tree Ornaments

Looking for more wood spindle craft ideas to use up those extra pieces? After creating my hanging spindle display, I had four decorative wood spindles left, and they were just asking to become Christmas ornaments.

By cutting spindles into smaller segments, you can create one-of-a-kind ornaments with vintage charm and rustic character. These DIY decorative wood spindle ornaments look beautiful on a tree, tucked into a garland, or even layered into a holiday centerpiece. It’s a simple project that adds a handmade, heirloom feel to your seasonal decor.

Wood Spindle Craft Ideas: Measuring and Cutting for Ornaments

To begin this next round of wood spindle craft ideas, we measured each decorative wood spindle into fourths, marking the sections with a pen before cutting them using a table saw. You could even go smaller by cutting them into fifths or sixths, depending on the look you’re going for.

This gave me 16 smaller wood spindle segments, each with a unique shape and size, to turn into rustic Christmas ornaments. Most of my cut pieces ended up between 4 and 4.5 inches long, which worked well for our medium-sized tree. If you’re working with a smaller tree or prefer lighter ornaments, you may want to cut your spindles into shorter lengths for a better fit and balance.

This now gave me 16 smaller decorative wood spindles to create into Christmas ornaments.

Restore and Polish Cut Wood Spindles

After cutting your spindles, it’s time to bring out their natural beauty, and Restor-A-Finish is my go-to for this step. I used the Maple-Pine finish to polish the freshly cut wood, and the transformation was instant. Just look at the rich contrast in the before-and-after photos of the spindles in the basket!

Don’t skip this part. Polishing the decorative wood spindles after cutting lets you condition the exposed wood ends and gives the ornaments a warm, vintage finish that really stands out on your Christmas tree.

You may also enjoy my thrifting buddy, Rachel of The Ponds Farmhouse’s Unique Architectural Salvage DIY Vintage Christmas Ornaments post, another take on a similar project.

Add Ribbon to Finish Your Wood Spindle Ornaments

To complete these wood spindle craft ideas, I tied a simple bow around each cut spindle using a beautiful vintage-style ribbon I received from The Collected. The soft blue-gray color has all the charm of an old-fashioned holiday, timeless, subtle, and full of vintage appeal.

You can use any ribbon that fits your holiday palette, but I love how this classic hue brings out the warmth of the finished wood and adds a nostalgic touch to each ornament.

Add Ornament Hooks to Hang Your Wood Spindle Crafts on the Tree

Once your ribbon is tied, it’s time to turn these wood spindle craft ideas into true Christmas tree ornaments. I used simple wire tree ornament hooks (I ordered mine from Amazon) and slipped each one right under the bow for easy hanging.

These vintage-inspired spindle ornaments look so charming nestled into the branches, especially when paired with the larger hanging spindle bundles or the ribbon-tied vintage cobbler shoe molds. It’s a collected look that feels cozy, classic, and completely one-of-a-kind.

You could also take these wood spindle craft ideas in a whole new direction by painting your spindles or finials. Add a pop of holiday color with red, green, white, or blue paint, and swap in different ribbons or bows to match your seasonal style. I’m keeping mine natural this year for that classic vintage look, but who knows, maybe next Christmas I’ll give them a colorful twist!

How I Styled My Wood Spindle Ornaments on a Vintage Christmas Tree

To showcase these finished wood spindle craft ideas, I decorated a small faux Christmas tree tucked into a vintage French market basket just off our living room. The natural wood tones, soft blue bows, and layered greenery created the perfect cozy corner for the season.

I added a few of my favorite vintage touches, like an oversized bugle, and I love how the handmade spindle pieces blend right in. Honestly, I wish I had more! These DIY ornaments added just the right balance of texture, simplicity, and vintage charm to the tree.

Paperwhite Holiday Gifts with Vintage Style

Looking for another easy and meaningful craft to pair with your wood spindle holiday decor? Try planting paperwhite bulbs in thrifted vintage serveware for a simple, elegant gift that blooms just in time for Christmas.

This year, I’ve started tucking paperwhite bulbs into vintage teacups, gravy boats, and small tureens, little vessels I’ve collected over time. Add a few pebbles, pop in the bulb, and once gifted, the recipient can simply fill it with water and watch it grow. They make thoughtful hostess gifts, windowsill accents, or charming centerpieces that feel both personal and old-fashioned.

Paperwhite bulbs take 4–6 weeks to bloom, so now’s the perfect time to get started. Want to see how I grow and style them for spring, too? Visit this post: Grow Paperwhites for Saint Patrick’s Day.

Wood Spindle Craft Ideas and Vintage Holiday Decor Wrap-Up

From hanging wood spindle craft ideas with velvet ribbon to styling vintage cobbler shoe molds and planting paperwhites in thrifted teacups, I hope this post has inspired you to look at everyday vintage pieces with fresh holiday eyes.

These simple, meaningful crafts bring warmth, nostalgia, and handmade charm to your home, and they’re perfect for gifting too.

If you loved these ideas, be sure to explore my Vintage Gift Guide for more thoughtful holiday finds. And don’t miss my Vintage Christmas Decor section and most recent Christmas styling ideas below for even more festive inspiration, thrifted styling tips, and cozy collected charm.

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