Knitting is a wonderful hobby that all sorts of people pick up. Those that love creating and who like to keep their hands busy – and perhaps live in colder weather! – are quick to learn the many techniques one can use to knit.
Brioche knitting may seem complicated. Like with all knitting, though, once you’ve got the pattern down, it is pretty easy!
But first, just what is brioche knitting?
Brioche Knitting
The Brioche stitch creates a raised rib along each row of stiches. This gives finished pieces a plump, fluffy look and an interesting aesthetic.
There is nothing quite like shrugging on a plush sweater on a cold day, especially one that looks super comfy.
Plus, a unique aspect of the Brioche is that both sides of the knitted material are wearable. The super creative knitters that enjoy designing reversible patterns will have lots of fun mastering the Brioche stitch!
Combining raised ribs with different colored yarn also makes for stunning pieces! If you struggle with choosing the primary color of your next project, then Brioche stitch knitting is your saving grace.
As both sides of the knit are wearable, you can flip the sweater, scarf, or what-have-you to whatever color you’re feelin’ that day. Brioche stitches also have the benefit of offering a decent amount of stretchiness.
Clothing made from this pattern will stretch to fit the wearer with ease, so it is no bother if you can’t get exact measurements – or if you’re knitting for growing kids!
How to Knit Brioche Stitches
Once you have a handle on standard knitting, try stepping up your game and trying out a basic Brioche.
After creating the initial row of stitches, start on this pattern – yarn over, slip one, knit one – for the first row. For the second row, and the rest of the piece, follow this pattern – yarn over, slip one, knit two together.
From there, it’s a matter of repeating the pattern to whatever your design requires. Yes, it is that simple. Getting the hang of purling the stitches is the trickiest part. The rest is super easy.
Still, there are some tips that can make the whole process easier!
Brioche Knitting: Tips and Tricks
One Stich Rule
When it comes to knitting, few things can be quite as frustrating as getting halfway through a knit, only to realize you missed a stitch a few rows down.
Or worse, gifting the finished piece to someone only to notice the mistake once they’ve put the sweater on.
To help with this, it may behoove you to remember this rule: the slip and yarn over count as one stitch. They work together and should be counted as one stitch on any pattern.
It may look like two while you are knitting, but you must count it as one. Save yourself a headache!
Pointy Needles Save Lives… and Stitches
For Brioche knitting, whatever the needle size suggested on the yarn label, go a size smaller – and make sure that they are nice and pointy.
Given the amount of purling you’ll be doing, a sharp tip on the needle will be a time- and stress-saver.
Elasticity is Your BFF
A lot of people use Brioche stitching because it builds a certain stretchiness in the final piece that other knitting techniques cannot.
Aside from looking super cute, Brioche stitches allow knitwear to stretch to fit the wearer.
Kids won’t outgrow their new sweaters in a matter of weeks, beanies can fit over any sort of hairstyle, and it won’t really matter if you can’t get super accurate measurements.
Knitwear is really coming into fashion too. So, if you are a fashion entrepreneur, the sizing issue above is really good for business!
Finally, avoid cotton yarns for Brioche, and stick to springy materials like wool. Yarns with elastic properties hold their shape better and are the best for Brioche knits.
Yarn, Yarn, Yarn
Brioche can be tricky to get a handle on the first couple times you work with it.
What can really help is using two different yarn colors. Aside from offering a pretty pattern, it can help you keep track of where you are with your stitches.
If you get a lot of interruptions while knitting, using two colors can make it easier to pick up right where you left off. Also, because of all the purling, Brioche knits use almost twice as much yarn as a basic knit would.
Be sure to stock up on the colors you are using, because popping out to the shops just to pick up a ball of yarn is a pain in the butt.
Here’s a video showing more details on how to knit brioche.
Verdict on Brioche Knitting
Knitting is a relaxing hobby that is great for the creative who looks to expand their winter wardrobe and keep their hands busy.
Anyone looking to step up their game or test out a beautiful, textured knitting pattern should definitely give Brioche knitting a try.
It may seem hard, but once you get into the swing things, it’s easy!