Lazy Kate

Awhile back, when I ordered the jumbo flyer for my spinning wheel, I also ordered an Ashford lazy kate. My Ashford Traveller (see the picture in the sidebar) has a built-in lazy kate on the front of the wheel, but it will only hold the standard size bobbins.

Of course it came unassembled. The assembly wasn't complicated, but it was really hard to put the screws in on the sides. I think I almost had a blister before I got it put together.

But anyway, here it is, ready to ply with some Falkland roving I ordered from Fat Cat Knits on Etsy. There were four ounces all together, with about two on each bobbin.

I haven't tried it out yet...I'll have to let you know how it works.

Jumbo Flyer

Yesterday I installed a jumbo flyer on my spinning wheel. It's an Ashford Traveller that came with a regular size flyer and standard bobbins, which work really well for fine to medium yarns. The ratio, I think though, is a little high for soft, chunky low-twist yarns. (At least that's what I'm blaming my too-twisty singles on.) The jumbo flyer uses the big bobbins also, which hold a LOT of yarn.




I spun up some Falkland singles on it, and got about four ounces (over 150 yards) on one bobbin! The yarn twisted back on itself a little when it came off the niddy noddy, but after I set the twist in water and "thwacked" it a little, it hung pretty straight.

I painted this skein after spinning instead of dyeing the roving first since I was in a hurry to try out the flyer.

It should be listed in the shop soon! :)