A few days ago, I released a new pattern in collaboration with Les Laines Biscotte: Highlands Sunset. A pattern alternating garter stitch, lace and brioche lace.
More than one person was tempted by this pattern but unfortunately, I had to say that it was not accessible to beginners in brioche stitch.
Therefore, the question followed: But then, which pattern could I start with?
Three patterns for beginners
1. Born To Be Free – a brioche triangular shawl
In the three patterns that I present here, I approach the technique of the two-colors brioche (I will show you some patterns in one color brioche at the end of the article).
At least two years ago I had the opportunity to meet Sonia de Wol Met Verve in Zwolle (Nl) during the Breidagen.
We talked about collaboration and I had chosen three very intense colours with the idea of making a shawl in brioche stitch.
1.1. Construction
Its construction is simple, it is a construction you will often encounter for triangular shawls.
You start with a Garter Tab Cast-On (i.e. a garter stitch construction) and then increase symmetrically at the selvedge and centre edge on all RS rows.
In the first section, you will knit stockinette stitch with double yarn overs to form this series of small holes.
You will then tackle a section in two colors brioche stitch, a section that includes simple two colors brioche stitch and typical increases in brioche stitch.
To finish, you will then make two sections in German Short Rows to give a typical wing shape. But if you feel like stopping there, nothing prevents you from finishing the shawl with a garter stitch edge.
1.2. The yarn I used
To knit this shawl I used three skeins of Basic Sock wool from Wol Met Verve.
The fact that the wool is quite tightly twisted is not a hindrance here (contrary to what I usually say about shawls) because the brioche stitch is a stitch that relaxes easily so you can afford to use wools that are quite tightly twisted – or not.
You can find this pattern on Raverly and Lovecrafts.
2. Bel Ami, a wrap alternating brioche and lace.
Let’s move on to something slightly more complicated.
Here you will alternate brioche stitch and lace stitch all along the wrap.
2.1. Construction
You will start this wrap as a classic triangular shawl.
But unlike triangular shawls which are formed by increasing and decreasing the number of rows, the wrap here is formed by playing with increases and decreases.
I consider it a little more complicated because the lace is for intermediate level and you will have to learn two types of brioche stitch decreases.
This pattern is available on Ravelry and Lovecrafts.
2.2. The yarn I used
This pattern was a collaboration with the Madelaine and Filibert indie dyer. You will also need three skeins of contrasting colours (but you can use two colours instead but you need three skeins of fingering yarn).
I chose the name Bel Ami because this pattern was released during the Fil de la Manche 2019, a festival that takes place at the Château de Mirosmenil, birthplace of Guy de Maupassant.
3. Fresnel, brioche cowl
And to finish, I present Fresnel, a collar in three different colours all in brioche.
3.1. Construction
It is a cowl so you will knit in round (even if sometimes some cowls can be knitted flat).
He will teach you how to do Italian Cast-On, a very flexible Cast-On often used for brioche stitch.
3.2. The yarn I used
Here too I used sock yarn, a very twisted merino from Rhichard Devrieze, an American indie dyer.
It was also a collaboration for “The Year of Knitting Dangerously”.
The pattern is available on Ravelry in French and English for immediate download. It is also available on Lovecrafts.
4. Some one color brioche patterns
Before using the two-colors brioche stitch, I released some patterns in one color brioche.
The principle remains the same as for the two-colors brioche. The advantage of this technique is to be able to integrate it with more classical stitches such as stockinette. So in a sweater or in a cardigan.
Here are a few examples.
4.1. Vegvisir, brioche hat and cowl
First of all, Vegvisir, a hat and a cowl, a fun way to learn the brioche stitch.
4.2. Lagertha and Torvi, a sweater and a cardigan
Here are Torvi and Lagertha, a sweater for children and a cardigan for adults. With just the right amount of brioche stitch to decorate two fairly classic models.
5. Video Tutorials
And finally, here are two YouTube videos about the two colors brioche stitch and its increases and decreases, I hope you find them useful. You will also find videos on the single-coloured bun stitch on my YouTube channel.
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See you soon,
Christelle
