Three brioche stitch patterns for beginners

A few days ago, I released a new pattern in collaboration with Biscotte Wools : Highlands SunsetA pattern alternating garter stitch, lace and lace brioche stitch.

More than one person was tempted by the pattern but unfortunately, I had to say that it was not accessible to beginners in brioche stitch.
So the question arose: But then, which pattern should I start with?

Three two-tone brioche stitch patterns for beginners

1. Born To Be Free – triangular shawl in brioche stitch

In the three patterns I present to you here, I approach the technique of two-color brioche (I will show you some single-color brioche patterns at the end of the article).
At least two years ago now, 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 colors with the idea of making a shawl with brioche stitch.

1.1 Its construction

Its construction is simple, it is a construction that you will often encounter for triangular shawls.

You start with a Garter Tab Cast-On (so a garter stitch cast on) and you will then increase symmetrically at the edge and the central edge. And this, every knit row.

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-tone brioche stitch, a section which includes simple two-tone brioche stitch and typical brioche stitch increases.

To finish, you will then make two panels in short rows to give the shawl some fullness. But if you want to stop there, nothing prevents you from finishing the shawl with a simple garter stitch border.

1.2. The wool used

To knit this shawl, I used three skeins of Basic Sock sock yarn from Wol Met Verve.
The fact that the wool is nervous and quite strongly twisted is not a hindrance here (contrary to what I generally say for shawls) because the brioche stitch is a stitch that relaxes easily so you can allow yourself to use fairly twisted wools – or not.

You will find this pattern on Raverly, Lovecrafts And Makerist.

2. Bel Ami, stole alternating brioche stitch and lace

Let's move on to something slightly more complicated, if you will.

Here you will alternate brioche stitch and lace stitch throughout the stole.

2.1. Construction

You will start this stole like a classic triangular shawl.

But unlike triangular shawls which are formed over the rows thanks to increases, the stole here is formed by playing with increases and decreases.

I consider it a little more complicated because the lace is intermediate level and you will have to learn two types of brioche stitch decreases.

This pattern is available on Ravelry, Lovecrafts And Makerist.

2.2. The wools used

This pattern was a collaboration with the boutique Madelaine and Filibert. You will also need three skeins of contrasting colors (but you can definitely use two colors).

I chose the name Bel Ami because this pattern was released during the Fil de la Manche 2019, a festival which takes place at the Château de Mirosmenil, the birthplace of Guy de Maupassant.

3. Fresnel, all brioche pass

And finally, I present to you Fresnel, a collar in three different colors all in brioche

3.1. Construction

This is a collar, so it is necessarily a round construction (even if sometimes certain collars can be knitted flat9.

It will teach you how to cast on Italian stitches, a very flexible cast-on often used for brioche stitch and double increases.

3.2. The wool used

I also used sock wool here, a very twisted merino from Rhichard Devrieze, American dyer.

It was also a collaboration as part of “The Year of Knitting Dangerously”.

You will find this pattern like all the others on Ravelry, Lovecrafts And Makerist.

4. Some single-color brioche patterns.

Before tackling the two-tone brioche, I also took out some single-tone brioche patterns.

The principle remains the same as for two-tone brioche. The advantage of this technique is that it can be incorporated into more traditional stitches like stockinette stitch. For example, it can be used in a sweater or cardigan.

Here are some examples.

4.1. Vegvisir, collar and hat set

First of all, Vegvisir, a hat and a collar, something to have fun with so you can learn the brioche stitch.

4.2. Torvi and Lagertha, sweater and cardigan with a touch of single-color brioche

Meet Torvi and Lagertha, a children's sweater and an adult cardigan. Featuring just the right amount of brioche stitch to adorn two rather classic designs.

5. Video tutorials

And finally, here are two YouTube videos on the two-tone brioche stitch as well as the increases and decreases, I hope you find them useful. You will also find videos on the one-tone brioche stitch on my YouTube channel

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See you soon,

Christelle