I also wanted to show you how I converted the bobbin box that came with my new wheel into a tensioned lazy kate. After buying the wheel I didn't have any money left to buy a new kate so I studied pictures of others online and decided I could make my own.
Here are teh tools I chose for my task. I ended up actually using a shorter screw for the tensioning knob, this one was so long it hit up against the bobbin when it was full of singles.
First, I screwed in a little flexible coil on one side of the box to allow for even tension. I'm using some 3/2 (I think) cotton for the tension cord. This is the same stuff I use for the leader on my bobbins.
Next I drilled a hole in the other side of the box and threaded the bigger screw through it so I could use it to attach a tension knob.
Here you can see how I drilled a hole through the knob so that I could tie the cord through.
I screwed the knob onto the large screw...
And threded and wound the cord around the knob.
Here is the box with one side completed. Since the bobbins all sit even I needed to put a cord on each side of the box in order for all the bobbins to be under tension. Otherwise I found that the two outter bobbins lifted the cord just enough that no tension was applied to the center bobbin.
Here is the completed kate. You can see how the center bobbin is oriented oppisite the other two so that they don't interfere with each other.
I've used my rebel kate once so far and I love it! This is my first time using a tensioned kate and what a difference it makes! Total cost for this project was around $5 so I'm a happy camper. I have one more post for you with some actual knitting. Be on the lookout for that one later today *smile*
2 comments:
Wow, look at that, it looks beautiful! you should email majacraft and tell them too look at your invention :)
She did! I have just been having a look now. Isn't it a really tidy job - very inventive. Andy from Majacraft :-)
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