Materials
· Empty wooden thread spools--vintage ones are easy to find
· Strips of plain canvas, about 12"-15" in length, or longer
· Ribbon, about 6" long
· Ranger® Color Wash spray, assorted colors
· Gel medium
· Words and phrases cut from old books
· Buttons
· Needle and thread
· Embroidery floss (opt.)
Directions
1. Measure the height of the spool, top to bottom, and rip or cut strips of muslin to that width and about 12" long or as long as you'd like your poem to be.
2. Dampen the muslin, and using Ranger Color Ink spray, spritz and crumple to color as desired, then allow to dry. Iron flat.
3. Apply some gel medium to the spool and wrap one end of the muslin strip around it, slightly overlapping the fabric end.
4. Create your random poetry by cutting words that you like out of an old book. Mix them up and lay them out in a random fashion. Now add a few words in between to create your random poem. Don't think too long or hard about it--let serendipity be your guide. Use gel medium to adhere your poem to the inside of the muslin strip. Start your poem at the outer end of the fabric, away from the spool, so that it's revealed slowly as you unwind it.
5. With a matching or contrasting embroidery floss, hand stitch along both edges of the muslin strip or embroider a design.
6. Choose a colorful button and a complementary ribbon. Lay the ribbon in position at the end of the canvas, away from the spool and on the side opposite the text. Place the button on top of the ribbon, and stitch the button on, tacking the ribbon down at the same time.
7. Trace a circle on some text or scrapbook paper, using your spool as a templace. Cut out two circles and glue them on the top and bottom of the spool with gel medium. Poke the center hole of the spool with a pencil or other object. If your spool is already a beauty, leave the top and bottom uncovered.
8. To create your spool book, roll up the muslin on the spool, wind the ribbon around it and then wrap the ribbon around the button.
