Locking Long Colorwork Floats with Stranded Ladderback Jacquard

Do you get frustrated with trying to 'lock' long floats when doing colorwork? You're not alone! It's a problem knitters have tried to solve for centuries. While knitting the Alaska Hat, Kelley decided to use Stranded Ladderback Jacquard to lock her floats. Kelley used Starke 6 and Ultra Alpaca Light to knit this hat. 

How to Execute Stranded Ladderback Jacquard

Working a stranded ladderback jacquard float lock into your work is easier than it sounds. The demonstration starts just after 10:30 minutes on the video above. 

• At the row or round where you want to start the float locks, knit until you reach the stitch where you want to lock the float.
• Lift the right leg of the stitch below the one on the needle and place it on the needle from front to back. Place a marker, then knit the new stitch, and place another marker.
• Continue making stitches and marking them until the end of the round or row.
• Then on the next round or row, when you get to the first increased and marked stitch – move both strands of yarn to the front, purl the stitch with the contrast/ dominant color, then move both strands to the back. 
• Repeat the last step for each row/round. 
• When you no longer need the ladderback jacquard, when you reach an extra marked stitch – just knit it together with the next stitch!