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Hand knitting › Texture and colour

Brioche stitch, one colour

Plump, tall knit columns with deep valleys between them; looks like a fat rib and is the same on both sides. Every stitch is either slipped with a yarn over wrapped around it (sl1yo) or knitted together with the yarn over it carries from the row before (called "brk", brioche knit).

What you work it with

Hand knitting · Tools: Needles a size larger than usual; soft, springy wool. Tip: a lifeline helps, as dropped stitches are hard to pick up.

Symbol chart

One or two repeats of the stitch pattern, drawn as seen from the right side.
1234Slip 1 with a yarn over (brioche)Knit on RS, purl on WSRead from the bottom: RS rows (odd) right to left, WS rows (even) left to right.

Steps

  1. Cast on an even number loosely.
  2. Set-up row: *yo, slip 1 purlwise, k1*; repeat.
  3. Brioche row: *yo, slip 1 purlwise, knit the next stitch together with its yarn over (brk)*; repeat.
  4. Repeat the brioche row; it takes a few rows to show.
  5. Cast off loosely in pattern.

The full card

What it looks like
Plump, tall knit columns with deep valleys between them; looks like a fat rib and is the same on both sides.
How it behaves
Very thick, lofty and stretchy across; much wider than ordinary rib on the same stitches and uses about twice the yarn.
How it works
Every stitch is either slipped with a yarn over wrapped around it (sl1yo) or knitted together with the yarn over it carries from the row before (called "brk", brioche knit). The yarn overs stack up and make the extra-thick columns.
Tools
Needles a size larger than usual; soft, springy wool. Tip: a lifeline helps, as dropped stitches are hard to pick up.
Parameters
An even number of stitches. Gauge is much wider than stocking stitch, so swatch in brioche.
Steps
1) Cast on an even number loosely. 2) Set-up row: *yo, slip 1 purlwise, k1*; repeat. 3) Brioche row: *yo, slip 1 purlwise, knit the next stitch together with its yarn over (brk)*; repeat. 4) Repeat the brioche row; it takes a few rows to show. 5) Cast off loosely in pattern.
Charting
Read from the right side: a sl1yo square is a stitch slipped with a yarn over; the k square next to it is a brk (knit the stitch together with its yarn over). Each row is the same, shifted, because the stitch slipped in one row is knitted in the next.
Limits and common problems
A dropped stitch with its yarn over is hard to fix; count pairs often. The cast-off is tight unless worked loosely or with a bigger needle.
Combines with
1×1 rib, Garter stitch, Applied i-cord edge
Pieces and assembly
Warm cowls, hats and scarves; two-colour brioche (not on this card) uses the same moves with a colour change each row.

Written in our own words from machine manuals, knitting references and swatching. Knit a test swatch before a whole piece.

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