Knitting is a therapeutic and creative hobby that can help you relax and unwind while making something beautiful. If you are a beginner knitter looking for a new challenge, brioche stitch is a great technique to try. Brioche stitch creates a reversible and textured fabric that looks intricate but is actually quite easy to master. In this article, we will guide you through the step-by-step process of knitting brioche stitch, from casting on to binding off.What is
Brioche Stitch?
Brioche stitch is a type of knitting stitch that creates a thick, squishy, and reversible fabric. It is a combination of slipped stitches and yarnovers, and it is worked using two colors of yarn. Brioche stitch creates a unique texture that looks like it has been knit twice, hence the name “brioche.
Materials Needed for Knitting Brioche Stitch
To knit brioche stitch, you will need:
- Two colors of yarn (contrasting colors work best for beginners)
- Circular knitting needles (size depends on your yarn weight)
- Stitch markers
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle (for weaving in ends)
How to Cast On for Brioche Stitch
Before you start knitting brioche stitch, you need to cast on an even number of stitches. You can use any cast-on method you prefer, but the long-tail cast-on is recommended for its elasticity. Here’s how to cast on for brioche stitch:
- Make a slip knot with your main color yarn and place it on your needle.
- Hold both yarns in your left hand with the main color yarn over your index finger and the contrasting color yarn over your middle finger.
- Insert your needle under the main color yarn, from back to front, and knit one stitch. Keep the contrasting color yarn at the back of your work.
- Slip the stitch from your left-hand needle to your right-hand needle without twisting it.
- Insert your needle under both yarns, from front to back, and yarn over with the contrasting color yarn.
- Knit the next stitch, still holding both yarns in your left hand.
- Repeat steps 4-6 until you have cast on the desired number of stitches.
Basic Brioche Stitch Pattern
Once you have cast on, you are ready to start knitting brioche stitch. Here’s how to knit the basic brioche stitch pattern:
- With the main color yarn, knit 1, yarn over, slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front.
- Repeat from * to * across the row.
- With the contrasting color yarn, yarn over, slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, knit 1.
- Repeat from * to * across the row.
Repeat these two rows to create the brioche stitch pattern.
Reading Brioche Stitch Patterns
Brioche stitch patterns are often written using symbols instead of words
, which can be confusing for beginners. Here are some common brioche stitch symbols:
- “k” for knit stitch
- “yo” for yarn over
- “sl1yo” for slip one stitch purlwise with yarn over
For example, a brioche stitch pattern might be written as:
Main Color (MC): k1, sl1yo; Contrast Color (CC): yo, k1
This means that on the main color rows, you knit one stitch and then slip one stitch purlwise with a yarn over. On the contrast color rows, you yarn over and then knit one stitch.
Increasing and Decreasing in Brioche Stitch
To increase in brioche stitch, you can use a knit one below (K1b) increase. Here’s how to do it:
- Knit the next stitch as you normally would, but don’t slip it off the left-hand needle.
- Insert your right-hand needle into the stitch below the stitch you just knit, from back to front.
- Knit this stitch, then slip both stitches off the left-hand needle.
To decrease in brioche stitch, you can use a brioche knit two together (brk2tog) decrease. Here’s how to do it:
- Knit the next stitch and its yarn over together as if they were one stitch.
- Slip the next stitch purlwise with yarn in front.
- Pass the two stitches over the slipped stitch and off the right-hand needle.
Fixing Mistakes in Brioche Stitch
Mistakes happen, but don’t worry – they can be fixed in brioche stitch. If you make a mistake in a brioche knit stitch, you can simply drop the stitch off the needle and ladder it back up with a crochet hook. If you make a mistake in a yarn over or a slip stitch, you can tink (unknit) back to the mistake and fix it.
Binding Off in Brioche Stitch
When you’re ready to finish your brioche stitch project, you’ll need to bind off. Here’s how to bind off in brioche stitch:
- With the main color yarn, knit 1, slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front.
- Insert your left-hand needle into the stitch you just slipped, and lift it over the knit stitch and off the needle.
- Knit 1, pass the previous stitch over the knit stitch and off the needle.
- Repeat from * to * across the row until one stitch remains.
- Cut the yarn, leaving a tail, and pull it through the last stitch.
Tips for Knitting Brioche Stitch
- Use contrasting colors for your first brioche stitch project to make it easier to see the stitches.
- Use stitch markers to keep track of your rows and make sure you’re on the right side of the fabric.
- Don’t pull your stitches too tightly or your fabric will be stiff.
- Practice makes perfect – don’t get discouraged if your first few attempts don’t turn out perfectly.
Common Brioche Stitch Patterns
There are many beautiful brioche stitch patterns to try once you’ve mastered the basic stitch. Here are a few to get you started:
- Two-Color Brioche Scarf
- Brioche Cable Hat
- Brioche Honeycomb Cowl
- Brioche Star Stitch Blanket