Technique - Ladderback Jacquard

Catching floats using the Fair Isle method (wrapping the working yarn with the float) can sometimes show through, esp where the colours are highly contrasting.

Ladderback jacquard is used to manage long floats invisibly. You can choose to not use it when the floats are smaller and then use it when they're longer, just stop and start as many ladders as you need. Use ladderback jacquard every every 5 or 6 stitches. It can be used to work intarsia in the round. 

A ladder can be added at the beginning of the colourwork or part way through; mark them with a stitch marker if desired.

Ladderback jacquard involves increasing a stitch using the carried yarn = the first stitch of the ladder, and then purling that stitch in the carried yarn on subsequent rounds. This live ladder stitch will show on the right side of the work until it is no longer needed when it is simply knit together with the next stitch using the working yarn. The ladder stitch will fall to the back of the work.   

Add the first ladder stitch using a lifted increase (with the right needle point lift the right leg of the stitch below on the left needle and place it on the left needle). It is very important that the working yarn is brought to the front of the work before increasing. This prevents the ladder from showing through to the right side of the work.

As with all floats, the work should be loose.

Technique:

1. At the stitch where you will add the ladder, bring both the working yarn the and carried yarn to the front of the work then do a lifted increase.
2. Knit through the right leg of the lifted stitch with the carried yarn then move both yarns to the back and continue knitting
3. On subsequent rounds, purl the ladder stitch with the carried yarn
4. When you no longer want the ladder, knit the ladder stitch together with the next stitch in the working yarn