Last week, I shared a Brioche Cowl I recently knit in a new yarn called Boca Chica Fingering. This week, I'm sharing the basics of brioche knitting with you so that you can give this fun knitting technique a try!
Getting Started
There are tons of fabulous (free!) patterns on Ravelry to help you master the basics of brioche knitting. Here are a few to try while you practice this technique:
Terminology
As I said last week, if you can yarn over and knit or purl two stitches together, you absolutely CAN knit a gorgeous brioche project! You'll just need to familiarize yourself with the terminology commonly used in brioche knitting patterns. Here are the 3 most important terms to know for brioche knitting:
The Brioche Knit Stitch (BRK): knit the stitch that was slipped in the previous row/round together with the yarnover stitch.
The Brioche Purl Stitch (BRP): purl the stitch that was slipped in the previous row/round together with the yarnover stitch.
Sl 1 yo: this is where you slip a stitch at the same time that you work a yarnover stitch, allowing you to work the slipped stitch and yarnover stitch in the following row or round.
While some of the abbreviations will vary from pattern to pattern, the technique remains the same - you're just making yarnovers over slipped stitches which will then be knitted or purled together on the following row or round!
Keeping Track of Where You Are
Whether you're working flat or in the round using just one color or two, there are a few ways you can "read" your stitches to make sure you are following the right set of instructions at any given time, This is easier to do when working with two colors in the round, because you only have 2 rows (rounds) of pattern instructions to keep track of, rather than 4 if you were working flat.
For two-color brioche, the yarnover in the round you just worked will be "paired" with the stitch in the color you will be working next.
If you are only using one color, you will need to pay close attention to the slipped stitch that is paired with the yarnover in the round you just worked - is it knitted or purled? This will help you match it up to the set of instructions you need to follow. That means that a knit stitch which is paired with a yarnover will use the BRK instructions, and a purl stitch that is paired with a yarnover will use the BRP instructions.
Even if you are working flat, the yarnover trick mentioned above still works, but you will need to be mindful of which set of instructions (right side or wrong side) you are working on.
Tutorials & Resources For Further Learning
This blog post is meant as a jumping-off point, because there are already tons of excellent tutorials and resources available if you know where to look! Here are a few of my favorites:
Like this post? Pin it!
Getting Started
There are tons of fabulous (free!) patterns on Ravelry to help you master the basics of brioche knitting. Here are a few to try while you practice this technique:
- Brioche for Beginners by Emma Galati
- Basic Brioche Scarf by Heidi Gustad
- Lacy Brioche Scarf by Kirsten Hipsky
- Brioche Stitch Pot Holder by Vickie Howeel
- Easy Brioche Scarf by Ewelina Murach
Terminology
As I said last week, if you can yarn over and knit or purl two stitches together, you absolutely CAN knit a gorgeous brioche project! You'll just need to familiarize yourself with the terminology commonly used in brioche knitting patterns. Here are the 3 most important terms to know for brioche knitting:
The Brioche Knit Stitch (BRK): knit the stitch that was slipped in the previous row/round together with the yarnover stitch.
The Brioche Purl Stitch (BRP): purl the stitch that was slipped in the previous row/round together with the yarnover stitch.
Sl 1 yo: this is where you slip a stitch at the same time that you work a yarnover stitch, allowing you to work the slipped stitch and yarnover stitch in the following row or round.
While some of the abbreviations will vary from pattern to pattern, the technique remains the same - you're just making yarnovers over slipped stitches which will then be knitted or purled together on the following row or round!
Keeping Track of Where You Are
Whether you're working flat or in the round using just one color or two, there are a few ways you can "read" your stitches to make sure you are following the right set of instructions at any given time, This is easier to do when working with two colors in the round, because you only have 2 rows (rounds) of pattern instructions to keep track of, rather than 4 if you were working flat.
For two-color brioche, the yarnover in the round you just worked will be "paired" with the stitch in the color you will be working next.
If you are only using one color, you will need to pay close attention to the slipped stitch that is paired with the yarnover in the round you just worked - is it knitted or purled? This will help you match it up to the set of instructions you need to follow. That means that a knit stitch which is paired with a yarnover will use the BRK instructions, and a purl stitch that is paired with a yarnover will use the BRP instructions.
Even if you are working flat, the yarnover trick mentioned above still works, but you will need to be mindful of which set of instructions (right side or wrong side) you are working on.
Tutorials & Resources For Further Learning
This blog post is meant as a jumping-off point, because there are already tons of excellent tutorials and resources available if you know where to look! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Briochestitch.com
- Brioche video tutorial from Very Pink Knits
- Brioche 101 Video Tutorial Series from The Blue Mouse Knits
- Brioche Tutorial on 10 Rows a Day
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