It's Part 2 of our multi-part series on Brioche Knitting, and we are featuring the Striped Brioche Baby Blanket. Make sure to purchase the kit or download the pattern and follow along. In Part 1 of this series, we demonstrated the basics of knitting brioche with one color on the flat. We knitted a quick swatch using size 6 bulky weight yarn and if you haven't tried Brioche Knitting that post is a great place to start.
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Brioche Baby Blanket Pattern
The Stripped Brioche Blanket is designed with Mary Maxim Trendy Baby Yarn. Trendy Baby yarn is Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Pill making it a wonderful choice for baby projects. Each ball of Trendy Baby Yarn has approximately 250 yards (235 meters) of yarn and weighs 3.5 oz (100 gm). This is an Intermediate Pattern and is available as a kit that includes the pattern and 6 balls of Trendy Baby Yarn in your color choice or a downloadable pattern (free for a limited time). Items knitted using the brioche technique are incredibly stretchy. Consider the k1 p1 rib often used alongside the brioche stitch. The k1 p1 rib has the most stretch among all of the rib combinations and it still isn't as stretchy as when using the brioche technique. In this pattern, we knit seamlessly from a k1 p1 rib into basic Brioche Knitting.
When knitting brioche you are only working every other stitch in the current row or round. The stitches you left unworked (yo sl 1P) are then worked in the next row or round. Because of this, each counted row when measuring gauge is equal to the two rows worked. Let's look at this basic brioche stitch combination k1, yo sl 1P. The yarn over and slip stitch combination is considered one stitch. In the following round or row, they will be knit or purled together. It is the yarn over that creates the stretch in the fabric of this technique. It's important to note that the instructions below are for knitting a flat brioche, not brioche in the round or with dpns. In Part 3 of this series, we will be knitting brioche in the round.
Brioche Knitting Flat
Make sure to take a look at the stitch guide and view all of the notes before casting on.
Cast on and Rib
We start our Striped Brioche Blanket by casting on 129 stitches then working a k1,p1 rib. Work the rib until the blanket measures approximately 1 inch and end on an even row. When you turn your work the tail from your cast on should be on the right-hand side of your work. Later we will mark this row to indicate that it is the right side of the blanket.
Using MC, cast on 129 sts.
Row 1: (right side) *K1,p1: rep from * to last st, k1.
Row 2: P1, k1; rep from * to last st, p1 Repeat last 2 rows until Blanket measures 1" ending with a Row 2
Setting up the Brioche Technique
For this pattern, we want to have an even number of stitches. Begin the Set-Up Row 1 by knitting 2 together (k2tog). Now we set up our brioche. Take a look at the pattern, notice that every slip stitch is matched with a yarn over, to continue in the rib that has already been knit. Each knit stitch is matched with a knit and each purl is matched with a (yo, sl 1P) combination. Start the set-up row 1 with a slip stitch purlwise with your yarn in front. This begins the yarn over, there isn't a need to wrap the yarn around the needle. Next, knit the (yo, sl 1P) together, these stitches in the previous row should be a knit.
Set-Up Row 1: (right side) K2tog, yo, k1, *yo, sl 1P, k1; rep from * to end. (192 sts when counting the yo's as a separate st and 128 sts counting the yo and slipped sts as one st)
Knitting Brioche
Start row
Row 1: Sl 1P with yarn in front, yo, k2tog, *yo, sl 1P, k2tog; rep from * to end. Repeat row 1 for pattern until blanket measures 4" from cast on edge, ending after a wrong side row.
Repeat row 1 until blanket measures 4" from cast-on edge, ending after a wrong side row. Look to the downloadable pattern for further instructions on color changes and to continue this blanket pattern.
Check out these Video Instructions on Brioche Knitting
We hope you enjoyed knitting this Brioche Baby Blanket. Next week join us for our August Blog Exclusive Pattern. For this pattern, we will be making a 2 color Brioche Cowl in the round. This pattern comes in both Youth and Adult sizes. Follow the Shopping list below
Stay Tuned
We have more tutorials, yarn reviews, and guest posts in the works, so stay tuned. Make sure to stay tuned for Part 3 of this series coming soon.
