Brioche Knitting for Beginners: Lucky 7 FREE Patterns and More!
Learn the chic and doughy brioche technique!
Brioche Knitting for Beginners: Lucky 7 FREE Patterns and More!
Hey there! I hear you want to get into brioche knitting but hesitating because of how difficult it looks. Well, I can relate to that! Unlike other knitting techniques, brioche stopped me in my tracks.
It looked really tricky. But the more I looked into it, the more achievable it seemed. So I’m here to help you ease into this wonderful knitting technique!
Is Brioche Knitting beginner-friendly?
Brioche knitting looks deceptively difficult. While there is a learning curve, the technique is much more straightforward than you think. It’s all in the slipped stitches, darling!
Two Magical Brioche Stitch Techniques
The brioche knitting technique comes in two beautiful variations: the single-color brioche stitch and the two-color brioche stitch techniques. Let’s talk about them!
Single Color Brioche Knitting
The single-color brioche knitting technique results in a stretchy, ribbed knit fabric that feels fun to squish and even more fun to wear! The protruding rib details in brioche is more than enough to create an eye-catching masterpiece.
Two-Color Brioche Knitting
Want your design to pop more? The two-color brioche knitting technique might be a worth-while option to try out. You work it the same way you would the single colored brioche technique. The only difference is that you alternate each worked row or round between two contrasting colors.
Basic Brioche Stitch Terminologies for Beginners
A new knitting technique brings a few new terms to learn. Here are some important brioche knitting terms you’ll run into in your knitting journey!
BRK – BRIOCHE KNIT
Brioche Knit refers to when you knit the next stitch together with the corresponding yarn over from the previous round you knitted.
BRP -BRIOCHE PURL
Brioche Purl refers to when you purl the next stitch together with the corresponding yarn over from the previous round you knitted.
Yf – YARN FORWARD
Yarn forward means that you have to bring your working yarn under your right needle towards the front of your work.
Sl1 – SLIP 1
Slip 1 means that you must slip into the next stitch as if to purl (slip purl-wise).
YO – YARN OVER
Yarn Over means that you have to bring your working yarn over your needle.
Yf-Sl1-YO – YARN FORWARD, SLIP 1, YARN OVER
Yarn Froward, Slip 1, Yarn Over is a stitch pattern telling you to bring your working yarn under your right needle in front of your work. Slip the next stitch purl-wise, then bring your working yarn over your right needle towards the back of your work.
Remember: The SL1 with the YO is counted as ONE STITCH. You will work a BRK once you reach this stitch on the next row.
Handy Tips and Tricks for Brioche Knitting
Time for some handy tips! While beginner-friendly, there are still some new challenges you while you learn about the brioche stitch. So check these out:
Tip #1: Use “grippy”/springy yarn
Brioche knits are well-known to be squishy and stretchy. Springy fibers like wool and wool blends will be your best friends. This is one of those rare knits where you will want to avoid slippery yarn like cotton. They look pretty at first, but your brioche knit will likely lose its shape over time.
Tip #2: You need more yarn than you think you do!
One thing beginners don’t know is just how much yarn it takes to finish any brioche knit. Being squishy and stretchy, it’s safe to say that you will need twice the amount of yarn you have right now. Brioche knitting is not the time to be playing yarn chicken!
Tip #3: Go smaller with your knitting needles
We normally go for the recommended knitting needle size found on yarn bands for projects, but that’s not the case with brioche knits. This time, you will need to go smaller — specifically 2 to 3 times smaller than recommended!
Learn more about knitting needles! >
Tip #4: Loosen up
Brioche knits have a lot of elasticity. It’s springy, squishy, and bounces back when tugged on. To achieve this, you will need to use a looser tension when you cast on and cast off. You will also want to use a stretchy cast on and cast off for your project.
I made sure to include an easy-to-learn cast on and cast off technique below. So make sure to give them a look:
Cast On
Long Tail Tubular Cast On
This cast on is one of the easiest to learn for beginner knitters. It’s stretchy and oh so versatile!
Cast Off
Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off (JSSBO)
Your cast off should be as stretchy as your cast on. JSSBO will be your best bet for your brioche knit cast off!
Tip #5: Add a new color!
Two-colored brioche knits are a fun way to easily spot your Sl1 YO stitches. Using 2 different yarn colors is also the perfect way to spruce up a brioche knit!
7 Free Brioche Knitting Patterns
Test out your new-found skill! These breathtaking brioche knitting patterns will take your knits to the next level:
1. High Seas Hat
By: Tayler Harris
Yarn: Super Bulky
Size: Toddler – Adult
Beanies are a fantastic starting point for brioche knitting. They are small pieces that allow you to get the hang of the new knitting rhythm often used in brioche knits!
2. Seafaring Scarf in Big Good Wool
By: Purl Soho
Yarn: Bulky
Size: 9.5 ” wide x 72 ” long
Something warm to pair for your brioche knit beanie is this chunky scarf! It’s another fantastic beginner-friendly pattern and adds a ton of elegant texture to basic OOTDs.
3. Two-Color Cotton Cowl
By: Purl Soho
Yarn: Sport
Size: 10.5 ” wide x 57.5 ” in circumference
Adding a new color into your brioche knit will take your fabric to whole new level. The Two-Color Cotton Cowl will take you step-by-step on how to knit the brioche stitch with two different color yarns!
4. Hawthorne Cowl
By: Ana Campos
Yarn: Worsted
Size: 12″ length x 29″ circumference
Just in time for fall, this beautiful brioche knit cowl is a worthy addition to your cozy collection. It’s another fun spin on the classic brioche knit cowl that is perfect or beginner knitters looking to spice up their wardrobe this season!
5. Orbit Cowl
By: Lisa R. Myers
Yarn: DK
Size: 8″ length x 23.5″ circumference
This eye-catching brioche knitting pattern shows you another unique way to use the two-color brioche stitch technique!
It gives fun a fantastical galaxy vibe. A perfect pop of color for the gloomy days to come.
6. Brio Brioche Hat
By: Louise Robert
Yarn: DK
Size: Adult – Small – Extra large
Once you eventually get the hang of brioche knitting basics, you might want to dabble in some unique patterns.
The Brio Brioche Hat should be a must-add to your list of future knitting endeavors!
7. Rain Chain
By: DROPS design
Yarn: Super Bulky
Size: Small – 3XL
Why stop at knit scarves and beanies when you can knit a brioche stitch sweater too?
You don’t want to miss out on this cozy knit sweater pattern. It’s perfect for new brioche knitting enthusiasts looking for a new big project to embark on!
A Step Up from Your Usual Knitting!
Brioche knitting is a whole new world of unique knitting patterns. Looking at brioche knits, it looks like an extremely advanced skill with tons of learning curves along the way. But it’s a lot more straightforward than you might be thinking.
Just like all knitting techniques, you will encounter new terms and even never knitting motions. Today, we talked about the two different types of brioche knitting techniques, new terms that you will encounter, and some awesome free patterns to practice on.
It’s important to remind yourself to take things slow. Brioche knitting can be a bit fidgety to work with. Even pros need to pause and slow down in their brioche knits!
Explore More Knitting Patterns:
The knitting world is filled to the brim with the most talented knitters to ever exist. Take a look at these gorgeous knitting patterns!
