Pinky meets Frank Williams at the Old Bus Depot Markets in Canberra and learns why he failed at retirement and how to use his beautiful Turkish spindles which you will have the chance to win! Read on dear crafters...
Pinky, July 2018
I had heard about Frank and his beautiful wood work prior to the Expo and being a bit of a tinkerer with timber myself I was excited to meet him in person.
Frank makes the most beautiful Spindles from a gourmet selection of timbers sourcing as much as he can from Australian hardwood varieties with a few special timbers ethically sourced from overseas. His range includes Turkish Spindles, Drop Spindles, Kick Spindles, Tapestry Bobbins, Yarn Holders, his own take on an Andean Plying Tool and recently an Indian Charkha! The range continues to grow too.
With every piece, Frank takes great care in ensuring his spindles have perfect balance and finished with wax to perfection showing off the natural aesthetics of the timber. He makes them in a range of sizes too and I was quite besotted with the mini Turkish Spindles he had on display that were perfectly pocket-sized.
How did Frank get into spindle-making you ask? Well he was a Cabinet Maker until he retired, found that he just couldn’t stop tinkering and joined a wood turner’s club where he earned to make spindles. "I failed at retiring" he says laughing.
He is always looking for the next challenge so I provided him with one; teaching me how to use a Turkish Spindle.
Inspired by Frank's passion for trying something new, I bought one of his Turkish spindles on the first day of the expo and took it back to the hotel to practice as he had taught me. Perhaps I should have tried it before a glass of wine as I took it back to show Frank my progress the next day in a fit of giggles as I had wound my yarn on upside down. "Ah yes, see you've gone over one and under two, you need to go over two and under one" he said; a very clever and very patient man indeed. I decided to give Frank a break though and will wait until next time to try the Tibetan Support Spindles. Haha!
So what does Frank have to say about his craft?
Q1: What was your first exposure to craft?
A1: Carpentry, and that was my life long career until I retired and started wood turning as a hobby.
Q2: What is the most unusual thing you have ever made?
A2: The Charkha. It was rather tricky but I enjoyed the challenge.
Q3: Why is a crafty life so important to you?
A3: I enjoy working with timber and my hands and I can’t seem to stop.
Q4: What would you tell someone just starting out in your craft?
A4: Don’t… Haha I’m joking. You will get addicted and fail at retirement like me. No, really my advice is to join a club for great advice, help and friendships.
Where to find Frank Williams Spindle Maker
Frank has an online store through Etsy where you can purchase from him. You can also email him directly via: fwaussiespindles@bigpond.com or connect with him through the Ravelry community online. Etsy | Ravelry
But wait there's more.....
For your chance to win this beautiful hand-crafted Olive and Western Australian Jarrah Spindle plus 100g of our fibre, here's what you need to do:
EASY!
Don't forget to subscribe to our email list at the bottom of our home page: www.auntjenny.com.au so you'll be the first to know who won. Good luck lovelies!
Competition Opens on the 16th August 2018 at 7:00am Melbourne time. Winner will be drawn on 29th of August and announced in our weekly email on the 30th of August and via Facebook. Once the winner has been contacted, their prize will be posted to them. See Terms & Conditions below.
COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS