What’s Lazy about it? June 5, 2009

I finished my custom 4-bobbin tensioned lazy kate today! For those unfamiliar with the term, a lazy kate is a spinning tool used to assist with plying. You place the bobbins upright, spinning freely, on posts. This makes it so the bobbins don’t bounce around and get tangled while you ply. A tensioned lazy kate adds a tensioning device- usually string around the base of the bobbins- to make it so the yarn feeds off smoothly and evenly without one going faster than another, or doubling back on itself and tangling when you stop for a moment.

Basically, I got a basswood plaque from Michael’s, sanded it, and had Nicole woodburn it for me. Then I lacquered the whole thing and drilled the holes for the pegs. The pegs were cut (by my darling husband) from a long metal dowel the same circumference as the interior hole of the bobbin, and then he also rounded the ends for me. I drilled the holes the same size as the pegs and both glued and hammered them in. The loop is simply an eye screw. Since the pegs are such a snug fit in the bobbins, I may not need a string tensioner, but if I do I have some on hand.

Here it is without bobbins:

And with them:

When you ply, all of the singles feed through the loop, so it’s easy to keep them together. I can’t wait to try it! I can finally do three-ply sock yarns!