Willard Taylor and Kate Campbell Taylor spinning at the Campbell residence in Phoenix. They live in the bay area and they are active members of Treadles and Threads Spinning and Weaving Guild. I spent 2 weeks along with with my childhood friend Glenda Campbell at the Willard and Kate home during the Judith MacKenzie classes in June of 06.
Kate is spinning on her electric spinning wheel. They purchased it and at that time it was a bobbin driven wheel; Will changed it to have scotch tension and it is now driven by the flyer.
Will is spinning on my Suzi Pro by Majacraft.
Willard Taylor creates the distaff that everyone is talking about. It sets in the Lazy Kate he creates from many types of wood. The Lazy Kate in the photo below is one Will made for me from several types of wood combined. His Lazy Kate's are mainly made from one type of wood for each Kate. He uses many woods on request.
You can ply 6 strands with this Kate. Use a spinning hook to pull the strands through the holes directly across from the bobbins. Be sure the stands are all coming off of the bobbins from the same direction. All strands are drawn out from the top of the Lazy Kate and you ply without a problem of tangle.
Check out the tension knob for all six bobbins. Ply 2 to 6 stands with this Kate.
The Oak Kate is solid oak. The types of woods used by Willard Campbell makes each Lazy Kate a work of art. His wood working abilities are top rate. While I was at the Spin In at the Retzlauf Winery in Martinas, California I purchased the used Oak Jensen Saxony Wheel and one of the bobbins had a chip in the wood. Will sawed off the chip and applied a new piece of wood to the edge, sanded it down and it looks like new.
The small Lazy Kate (photo on right) is one of Will's first Kates.
This is a 3 ply Kate with the same action of the 6 ply. It has the tension and the threading ability through the center bringing the strands in position to ply easily.
You can find Willard Taylor Lazy Kates and Distaffs at any up skill weaving shop or e-mail [email protected].
To the left you see my Jensen Saxony Spinning Wheel, Willard Taylor's Lazy Kate on the floor and the Fairy Tail Distaff in the Lazy Kate.
Kate Campbell-Taylor spins with her Electric Spinning Wheel in the car during long trips from Guild to Guild and Spinning and Weaving Shows. Naturally, Will is driving the car!