Lazy Kate

A lazy kate, also known simply as a kate, is a device used in spinning to hold one or more spools or bobbins in place while the yarn on them is wound off from the side of the bobbin. Typically, a kate consists of a standing rack with multiple rods that allow the bobbins placed on them to spin freely; tensioned kates carry a band that loops over the bobbins to prevent them from spinning freely. Some spinning wheels have built-in kates, although these tend to be more cumbersome to use than free-standing ones, and kates are commonly used to ply yarn.