I love great ideas.
This is one I've come across lately that has really impressed me.
I needed a stand alone, off to the side and behind you lazy kate at a recent plying workshop I took at Midwest Fiber and Folk Art. I thought the kate the comes built into the Ashford Joy would be just fine, but I needed one that wasn't under my feet. I had to borrow the instructor's. She was sweet about it, but still, I felt unprepared. And not ingenious.
Then, to make matters more complicated, when I spun up B. Willard for the Tour de Fleece, I used my Hansen miniSpinner. No problem. I have three bobbins. Spin singles on two and ply onto the third. The bobbins are huge and wouldn't fit a standard lazy kate. I ended up having to wind each bobbin off into a ball and ply that way. It works, but isn't ingenious.
Now there are all sorts of ways to make your own lazy kate. Heck, you can make one out of a shoe box and a couple knitting needles. Still though, I was curious as to what the other miniSpinner folks were using, so checked in with the Ravelry group.
That darn Ravelry - without a doubt the most ingenious website ever. Of course I found exactly what I needed to know. Most are using a ogledesign portable kate and I was able to find her on etsy, another ingenious site.
The kate comes as a small box, tightly latched with a magnet. Inside are all the posts, a support rod and a short post to create enough of an angle to provide gravity tension for plying.
And it's big enough for three miniSpinner bobbins.
When you are finished, you unassemble everything, stash it inside the box and stow the box in your bag.
Ingenious.
This gorgeous sunset is pretty darn ingenious as well. Another great idea.
This is one I've come across lately that has really impressed me.
I needed a stand alone, off to the side and behind you lazy kate at a recent plying workshop I took at Midwest Fiber and Folk Art. I thought the kate the comes built into the Ashford Joy would be just fine, but I needed one that wasn't under my feet. I had to borrow the instructor's. She was sweet about it, but still, I felt unprepared. And not ingenious.
Then, to make matters more complicated, when I spun up B. Willard for the Tour de Fleece, I used my Hansen miniSpinner. No problem. I have three bobbins. Spin singles on two and ply onto the third. The bobbins are huge and wouldn't fit a standard lazy kate. I ended up having to wind each bobbin off into a ball and ply that way. It works, but isn't ingenious.
Now there are all sorts of ways to make your own lazy kate. Heck, you can make one out of a shoe box and a couple knitting needles. Still though, I was curious as to what the other miniSpinner folks were using, so checked in with the Ravelry group.
That darn Ravelry - without a doubt the most ingenious website ever. Of course I found exactly what I needed to know. Most are using a ogledesign portable kate and I was able to find her on etsy, another ingenious site.
The kate comes as a small box, tightly latched with a magnet. Inside are all the posts, a support rod and a short post to create enough of an angle to provide gravity tension for plying.
And it's big enough for three miniSpinner bobbins.
When you are finished, you unassemble everything, stash it inside the box and stow the box in your bag.
Ingenious.
This gorgeous sunset is pretty darn ingenious as well. Another great idea.
9 comments:
Yeah, I was very tempted by that Kate as well, but deterred by the price. Then I got a Jennie Plyer on sale - and then an Alexandra's Crafts Lazy Kate on sale. But the latter isn't "travel size," and I'm not sold on the former - at least some aspects of it. Maybe I should put them both up for sale on Ravelry and buy the one you got with the proceeds if both sell!
For as much as you spin, this Lazy Kate design is not a luxury but a necessity.
Sunsets are also a necessity ;-)
Anything else you need me to rationalize?
Well I guess I have a long way to go with learning to spin or ply.
The first part of this post was like reading a foreign language. I didn't have any idea what you were talking about. I had never heard of a Lazy Kate before.
But, I learned something and will continue to learn if I read your blog.
Thanks for teaching me something new.
Once I learn how to spin, I will have to remember that wonderful idea! The sunset was also a great idea.
It's all Greek to me, but I trust everything you say. If it works for you, I'm happy!
That's brilliant.
I never got that far in my lesson...looks like I will have to come back to KY :)
I have that same Kate and it is wonderlicious!!! I like it that it fits into the case with all my flier and bobbin stuff and that my old Kate never did.
Oh! I saw someone with this at a spinning retreat that I took in the spring. I am happy to find out where to purchase one!
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