BUNDLED IN
BRIOCHE
by STEPHEN WEST
Choose nine 100g skeins of worsted weight yarn and cast on
for a plush and bouncy joyride with brioche knitting! This scarf
shows off two-color brioche while frequent color changes keep
you obsessively knitting until you reach your desired length.
Bundled in Brioche was my first two-color brioche project after
taking a class with the Queen of Brioche, Nancy Marchant. I
quickly felt the urge to cover my whole body in brioche stitch
and you will too! The steady rhythm of brioche is soothing to the
soul and you just can’t resist petting the magically voluminous
stitches while knitting. As always, feel free to use more or less
colors than recommended.
SIZES
One Size
FINISHED
MEASUREMENTS
98” / 249cm long, 9” /
23cm wide.
Measurements taken
unblocked.
YARN
Worsted weight
If you wish to use finer
weights, try mixing them
together to get a thicker
multi stranded yarn. For
example, the sample
shown has DK weight held
together with laceweight
mohair for two of the nine
colors. Two-color brioche
works with two colors
of yarn in the same row
so if you select an even
number of colors, half of
those colors will repeat as
the prominent color blocks
on one side and the other
half of the colors will
repeat as the prominent
color blocks on the other
side. For example, if you
select 8 colors then you
will get the effect of 4 color
blocks repeating on one
side with the other 4 colors
displayed on the other
side. The sample shown
uses 9 colors (an uneven
number) so as the 9 colors
are repeated, you will see
a prominent color block of
every color on both sides. I
prefer the color distribution
effect with an uneven number
of colors. So, if the last few
sentences confused you,
select an uneven number of
colors.
Yardage: Approximately
1080yds / 988m total, 120yds
/ 110m in 9 colors
Shown in: Malabrigo Arroyo
held double (100% Merino;
335yds / 306m per 100g
skein), Colorway - Glitter
De Rerum Natura Gilliat
(100% French Merino;
270yds / 247m per 100g
skein), Colorways - Sel,
Aster, Genet
Lorna’s Laces Haymarket
(215yds / 197m per 100g
skein; 100% Blue Face
Leicester Wool), ColorwayOh So Fresh
Malabrigo Rios (210yds /
192m per 100g skein; 100%
Superwash Wool), Colorway
- Black
Schoppel Wolle Alpaka
Queen (50% Wool, 50%
Alpaca; 219yds / 200m per
100g skein), Colorway - 9220
Orkney Angora St. Magnus
D.K. (50% Lambswool, 50%
Angora; 218yds / 199m
per 50g cake), Colorway Ultramarine
held together with
Isager Silk Mohair (70%
Mohair, 30% Silk; 229yds/
210m per 50g ball),
Colorway - 47
NEEDLES & NOTIONS
24” US 8 / 5mm circular
1 tapestry needle
Fibre Company Savannah
GAUGE
(50% Wool, 20% Cotton,
20 sts & 20 rows = 4” / 10cm
15% Linen, 15% Soya;
in two-color brioche stitch
160yds / 146m per 50g
skein), Colorway - Sycamore
held together with
Rowan Kidsilk Haze (70%
Mohair, 30% Silk; 229yds/
210m per 25g ball),
Colorway - Mud
©2013, Stephen West. All rights reserved. Pattern for personal use only. Designer can be contacted at: [email protected]
PATTERN NOTES
In two-color brioche stitch, two rows are
worked for each counted row that appears on
the face of the fabric. The first color is worked
across the row and then the row is worked
again using the second color. The next row is
worked the same way, once across with the
first color and worked again with the second
color. When counting rows, count only the
stitches going up on knit column. For example,
when you work 4 rows, count 4 knit solemn
stitches, even though you will have worked 4
rows back and forth. Two worked rows = One
counted row.
When you put down your knitting and forget
which color you just used and which color to
use next, look at the color of the yo in the row
just worked. That is the last color you used.
This scarf is written using a dark color (DC)
and light color (LC) in the instructions, but as
you repeat the rows and add colors, feel free to
ignore always have a DC featured on one side
and LC on the other.
I highly recommend Nancy Marchant’s classes
and books on brioche knitting. Her online
Craftsy class, Explorations in Brioche Knitting,
offers excellent information on the intriguing
brioche technique.
ABBREVIATIONS
BO: bind off
brk: brioche knit also known as bark,
knit the stitch (that was slipped in the
previous row) together with its yarn
over.
brp: brioche purl also known as burp,
purl the stitch (that was slipped in the
previous row) together with its yarn
over.
brLsl dec: (2-stitch decrease that
slants to the left, involves 3 stitches)
slip the first stitch knit-wise, brk the
following two stitches together, pass
the slipped stitch over.
CO: cast on
LS: light side of work - the “knit”
columns on this side of the work are in
the light color
pm: place marker
sl: slip (slipped stitches are slipped
purl-wise)
sl1yo following a k or brk st: (slip
1 yarn over) bring the working yarn
under the needle to the front of the
work, slip the next stitch purl-wise,
then bring the yarn over the needle
(and over the slipped stitch) to the
back, in position to work the following
stitch.
DS: dark side of work - the “knit”
columns on this side of the work are in
the dark color
sl1yo following a p or brp st: (slip 1
yarn over) working yarn is already in
front, slip the next stitch purl-wise, then
bring the yarn over the needle (and
over the slipped stitch), then to the
front under the needle, into position to
work the following stitch.
k: knit
st/s: stitch/es
LC: light color, use the light colored
yarn
yf: yarn forward
DC: dark color, use the dark colored
yarn
©2013, Stephen West. All rights reserved. Pattern for personal use only. Designer can be contacted at: [email protected]
INSTRUCTIONS
CO 45 sts loosely (with loose tension or with a needle that is
a few sizes larger than the main needle) using the Two-Color
CO.
>>>> TWO-COLOR CO <<<<
Tie both yarns together - remove the knot after working a few
rows. Tie a slip knot in the dark color (DC) and slide the slip
knot onto the left-hand needle.
Step 1: Knit into the DC slip knot with light color (LC), leaving
the stitch on the left needle. Place the new stitch onto left
needle, by slipping it knit-wise.
Step 2: Bring DC from behind and knit into gap between last
two stitch on left needle with DC (like a cable CO)
Step 3: Place new knitted stitch onto left needle by slipping
it knit-wise. Repeat from * using the LC. Repeat from step 2
until 45 sts are cast on. The first and last stitch should be with
DC.
Continue repeating Rows 1 & 2 six more times and then add
a new color. When a color is worked so that you see 24 knit
column stitches then that color is ready to be replaced. The
first DC used will only show for 12 rows, but you will start to
see all other colors featured for 24 rows.
Knit until scarf measures approximately 98” / 249cm or
desired length.
>>>> FINISHING <<<<
BO all sts using the Two-Color Bind Off when both threads
are hanging from the same end. Weave in ends.
>>>> TWO-COLOR BO <<<<
Work each stitch with its opposite color so the bound off
stitches that lie across the top of each column will match the
column color. Remember to bind off loosely. For example:
work a dark color column stitch with the light color, then work
the following stitch with dark color, bind off one stitch loosely,
work following stitch with light color, bind off one stitch loosely,
work following stitch with dark color, bind off one stitch, etc.
Set-Up Row 1 DS DC: (K1, sl1yo) to last st, k1. Do not turn,
slide stitches to work the same row with the other color.
Set-Up Row 1 DS LC: LC is hanging in back, sl1, yf, (brp1,
sl1yo) to last 2 sts, brp1, drop LC to front, sl last st. Turn Work.
Set-Up Row 2 LS DC: P1, sl1yo, (brp1, sl1yo) to last st, p1.
Do not turn, slide stitches to work the same row with the other
color.
Set-Up Row 2 LS LC: LC is hanging in back, sl1, (brk1,
sl1yo) to last 2 sts, brk1, drop LC to back, sl last st. Turn work.
Row 1 DS DC: K1, sl1yo, (brk1, sl1yo) to last st, k1. Do not
turn, slide stitches to work the same row with the other color.
Row 1 DS LC: LC is hanging in front, sl1, (brp1, sl1yo) to last
2 sts, brp1, drop LC to front, sl last st. Turn Work.
Row 2 LS DC: P1, sl1yo, (brp1, sl1yo) to last st, p1. Do not
turn, slide stitches to work the same row with the other color.
Row 2 LS LC: LC is hanging in back, sl1, (brk1, sl1yo) to last
2 sts, brk1, drop LC to back, sl last st. Turn work.
Repeat Rows 1 & 2 (DS & LS) 4 more times. You should be
able to count 12 knit column stitches on each side. Break DC
and replace it with the next color in your sequence.
Repeat Rows 1 & 2 six more times (12 knit column stitches of
the most recent color). Break LC and replace it with the next
color in your sequence.
©2013, Stephen West. All rights reserved. Pattern for personal use only. Designer can be contacted at: [email protected]