DIY Antique Wood Spindle Ornaments

Learn how to turn antique wood spindles into unique rustic Christmas ornaments! 

Last year, I bought a huge lot of antique wood spindles from a local auction.  

I loved their character, that they could be used as is to add a little texture and warmth to vintage vignettes or transformed into cool architectural salvage projects. 

With Christmas just around the corner and an abundance of spindles available, I decided to repurpose some of the antique spindles into unique rustic wood ornaments!

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SUPPLIES NEEDED TO MAKE ANTIQUE WOOD SPINDLE ORNAMENTS

- Salvaged wood spindles (auctions, Facebook Marketplace, salvage yards, etc.)

- Mitre Saw

- Tape Measure

- 150 Grit Sandpaper

- Small Eye Screws

- Black and Gold Craft Paint (or Rub 'n Buff)

- Small craft paintbrush

- Jute Twine

- Scissors

- Pliers

STEPS TO MAKE ANTIQUE WOOD SPINDLE ORNAMENTS 

STEP ONE: BUY ANTIQUE SPINDLES

The first step is to buy salvaged antique wood spindles.  Turned spindles with lots of detail work best and can be commonly found at auctions, salvage yards and on Facebook Marketplace by searching "antique wood spindles."  

STEP TWO: CUT SPINDLES INTO ORNAMENTS

Decide the length you want your ornaments, which may be determined by the detail of the spindles then mark and cut your spindles using a mitre saw. 

I had two different styles of spindles, which allowed me to make four different ornaments. 

STEP THREE: SAND SPINDLES

Once all your wood spindles are cut, grab a piece of 150-grit sandpaper (I also used my orbital sander) and sand each spindle until they are smooth and any old finish is removed.  

I opted to leave a bit of the old stain in the groves of my ornaments.  You can sand your ornaments completely for a raw wood look or leave a bit of stain in the groves like I did for a little extra depth and character. 

STEP FOUR: PAINT EYE SCREWS

I was trying to use what I had on hand, so I used silver eye hooks and then layered on black and gold paint (Rub 'n Buff would work too but I couldn't find mine) to give them an aged look.  If I was purchasing new supplies for this project, I would have opted to buy antique bronze eye hooks.  

STEP FIVE:  ADD HOOKS AND JUTE FOR HANGING

Screw one eye screw into the top of each ornament then cut and attach a piece of jute for hanging. 

Tip:  Use pliers to screw in the eye screws if it's too difficult to do by hand. 

These antique spindles turned ornaments are a great way to repurpose old wood and add a touch of rustic character to your Christmas tree! 

What do you think?  Would you make these DIY ornaments?

     

    

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