Brioche Stitch
A Popular & Unique Technique
The brioche stitch is a wonderful stitch to learn, and is one of my favourites!
The techniques involved are simple enough for a beginner, and the resulting knitted work is squishy and has a raised ribbed effect.
Plus, it is reversible, so is great for scarves and blankets.
Note: Brioche does look particularly good if you use chunky needles and yarn :)
Photo by Ragnhild Brosvik.
Here is my video tutorial:
You will need to cast on a number of stitches that is divisible by both 2 and 3 (e.g. 18, 24, 30 etc.), and then follow this pattern:
Slip a stitch purlwise, with yarn in front (sl st p-wise wyif),
K2Tog with yarn in front (k2tog wyif)
Please don't be put off by the long string of abbreviations there, it's really quite simple!
In long hand, this all just means that after you cast on, you:
- Bring the working yarn through the centre of the needles towards you so that it is in front of the needles.
- Slip a stitch purlwise.
- And finally knit the next 2 stitches on the left needle together.
During this stitch, the yarn will go from the front to the back of the needles, so at the end of each pattern repeat, you will need to bring the yarn between the needles to the front again.
- Repeat these steps over and over, on every row.
If you want to bind off, or switch to a different type of stitch, but you find it confusing to do with the stitches twisted a bit on the needle, then follow this pattern for 1 row after you have finished with the brioche stitch:
Knit front and back (kfb), knit 2 together (k2tog)
And then repeat these 2 stitches over and over until the end of the row. The kfb is a single increase, whilst the k2tog is a single decrease, so overall they balance each other out; the overall number of stitches on the needles will remain the same.
And now all the stitches on your needles should be evenly spread out. Rejoice!