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FIBERuary Day 25 Knitting with Jane Dunning
BRIOCHE KNITTING
I am so glad that I signed up for the class at Sheep and Shawl for “brioche” knitting. I had tried to learn it from both a book and from an internet video, and it seemed to be very complicated. This class proved that it is not above my ability, and is actually a very pleasant way of knitting, once you get into the rhythm. I was, however, glad that she had us put in a lifeline after a few row. I lost concentration at one point, and I was glad that I was able to use it. I had chosen a green heather yarn that I came to love, the more I worked with it. The class was time well spent, a it of time away, and a new skill to lay with.
There are two type of brioche… the one color brioche, which I learned this week, i relatively simple, specially if you have the advantages of a good teacher and a small class. The Basics are here:
Cast on an even number of stitches
We cast on 24, using a loose cast on.
Row 1: *Yarn over, (yarn in front), slip 1, knit 1, Repeat from * across.
Row 2: *Yarn over (yarn in front), slip 1, knit 2 together. Repeat from * across.
Repeat only row 2 for pattern. Note that with the preparation row you’ll be working on more stitches then you cast on, so plan for that when determining gauge.
When ending a project or area of brioche, work the row by eliminating the yarn overs and simply purling 1 and knitting 2 together across, loosely.
You will notice that I have put a marker on the right ide of my piece o that if I choose to add another color at some point, I can add it on that side.
This make a soft and “squishy” fabric that i warm and cozy. The two color brioche is a bit more complicated, but produces a fabric that is very dramatic in appearance. Sheep and Shaw in South Deerfeld will be offering a course in April so that we can work on the two color version.
Brioche stitch was named for a type of a light, sweet yeast bread typically in the form of a fluffy buttery bun. The Stitch was used in 18th Century England to create a soft cushion.
This is a dramatic example of a two-color brioche stitch.
To see more examples of two-color brioche, use this link: https://www.pinterest.com/source/briochestitch.com/
Posted by Jane Dunning, February 25, 2016
FIBERuary 