Brioche Basic Beanie Let's Bark & Burp!

Why does beautiful Brioche have such amusing acronyms for the stitches? Well, it just does.   As you knit a stitch with its yarn over, that's called brioche knit, also known as a bark.   In the next round, you'll purl a stitch with its yarn over, and that's a brioche purl, also know as a burp.    Once you are familiar with working in Brioche, you can make increases, decreases, cables, and more.  As I tried working a couple hat patterns, I soon noticed I was not familiar enough with Brioche to do any of those, so I developed this pattern, to practice basic Brioche, and would like to share it with you.  

 Brioche Basic Beanie

Marilynn Blacketer '15

 Brioche for beginners! I thought we might benefit from a really basic Brioche beanie pattern with lots of Brioche, and a quick crown. The beanie is designed to be very tall, creating a deep fold-up brim to highlight the reversible brilliance of Brioche. Although the pattern is titled basic, this may be considered an intermediate level pattern because knowledge of stitch construction, and research about Brioche is helpful.

Finished size:

Adult: flat18”, stretches to 24”circumference; height 10”

Child: flat 16”, stretches to 22”circumference; height 8”

Infant: flat 14”, stretches to 20” circumference; height 6”

Gauge:

Worsted, #5 needles, loose Brioche stitch: 5 stitches = 1”

Materials: Yarn: superwash wool in 2 colors

MC = Main Color for the front of work and the knit stitches

CC = Contrasting Color for the back of work and purl stitches. (I used purple for purl!)
Adult: 200 yards /3.5oz; MC 100 yards and CC 100 yards

Child: 180 yards /3.25oz; MC 90 yards and CC 90 yards

Infant: 160 yards /3 oz; MC 80 yards and CC 80 yards

Photo: size Adult: MC: Worsted Merino Superwash Solids by Plymouth Yarn; 100% Merino wool;

218 yards/ 100grams; color #7 soft gray CC: Painted Sky by Knitting Fever; 100% Superwash Wool; 218 yards/ 3.52oz; color #205 Wine Violet (this project used 210 yards/104grams of yarn)

 Needles:

Size US #8, 16” circular needles (one size larger than yarn label recommendation for CO)

Size US #5, 16” circular needles, (two sizes smaller than yarn label recommendation for beanie)

and Size US#5 set of double pointed needles

Notions: Stitch markers, needle caps, tapestry needle

(I used a very small “end of round” marker, to avoid a tangle in the first BrK. When I set down my work, I used green needle caps if working a knit round, and purple caps for a purl round.)

Abbreviations: CO = cast on      CC = contrasting color      MC = main color       k = knit       p = purl k2tog = knit 2 stitches together      Rnd/s = round/s       sl = slip all stitches purlwise      st/s = stitch/es BrK = brioche knit       BrP = brioche purl      BrK2tog = brioche knit 2stitches together

sl,yof = slip one stitch, yarn over&forward      yf, slyo = yarn forward, slip one stitch&yarn over needle

Special Stitches:

BrK = brioche knit,“bark”= Knit the MCslipped stitch together with its CCyarn over.

BrP = brioche purl, “burp”= Purl the CCslipped stitch together with its MCyarn over.

BrK2tog = brioche knit 2 stitches together = MCslipped stitch and CCyarn over are considered one stitch, together with the CCpurl (you'll have 3 loops), knit those “2” stitches together.

yf, slyo = Bring the MCworking yarn under the needle to the front of the work, slip the CCstitch purlwise. Then bring the MCyarn over the needle(and over the CCslipped stitch)to the back, ready to work the BrK. This “yf,slyo” is considered one stitch.

sl, yof = slip one stitch, yarn over&forward = With the CCyarn already in front, slip the MCstitch purlwise, then bring the CCyarn over the needle(and over the MCslipped stitch), and under the needle to the front, ready to work the BrP. This “sl, yof” is considered one stitch.

Resources/ Research:

(I found “2- Color Brioche Knitting on Circular Needles”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgRgfCgQTPA; to be very helpful. If you knit continental, watch Brioche Stitch with Nancy Wynn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TjJelUaxog.)

KnittingBrioche, by Nancy Marchant is an excellent resource for inspiration and getting started.

KnittingWithout Tears, by Elizabeth Zimmerman, p95-97, A Watchcap is knit in the flat, but offers a quick look into Brioche.

Directions: Directions are written for size adult [child, infant are in brackets] (Notes are in italic)

With MC, size US#8needles, use the long-tail cast-on method, loosely cast on 72 [64, 56] stitches.

Place marker & join together by knitting first stitch being careful not to twist.

Continue with MC, size US#5needles, knit one round.


Set up round:

With size US#5needles, leave MC in back, introduce/pull CC to front, * sl, yof, p1; repeat to end.

(With CCyarn toward the front, slip MCstitch, bring CCyarn over needle and to the front, purl 1 stitch)

 

 Hat: (Work hat with size US#5needles)

Rnd 1: with MC, * BrK, yf, slyo; repeat to end

(MC BrK, MCyarn forward, slip CCstitch and bring MCyarn over top needle, ready to BrK again.)

(The very last stitch of the round: MCyarn forward, slip CCstitch, and the MC will just flop)

Rnd 2: with CC in front, * Sl, yof, BrP; repeat to end

(with CCyarn in front, slip MCstitch, bring CCyarn over needle and to the front, CC BrP)

(The very last stitch of the round: be sure to hold-up the floppy MCstitch to work the BrP. Then tuck the MCyarn under the needle tips, ready to slip the marker, and BrK the first stitch of the next round.)

 

Complete Hat rounds 1- 2 until hat reaches desired height,11” [9”, 7”] ending on rnd 2.

(Work hat with Brioche rounds 1 & 2 for 

11”[ 9”, 7”] ending on rnd 2.

For a shorter “cap”, work fewer rounds of Brioche before starting the crown. This pattern has a quick crown decrease, adding no height to the finished hat.)

Crown Decreases as follows: (Work stitches on double pointed needles when needed.)

Rnd 1: with MC, BrK 1, *BrK2tog; repeat from * to end, k1 (the last purl stitch)

(MC BrK just once, then repeat BrK2tog = brioche knit 2 stitches together = MCslipped stitch and CCyarn over are considered one stitch, together with the CCpurl (you'll have 3 loops), knit those “2” stitches together. Repeat to the end, but you'll find one remaining purl, knit that stitch.)

Rnd 2: Remove marker, with MC, *K2tog; repeat from * until 10sts remain.

Finishing: Cut 12” yarn and thread end through remaining 10 stitches.

Pull together, and tie off neatly for a very reversible hat. Weave in ends.

This pattern is available on MarilynnsGardenKnitDesign.blogspot.com

Pattern pdf is available at Ravelry.com (login needed)

Copyright 2015, Marilynn Blacketer. All rights reserved. 4/15/15

For pattern support please contact: marilynnblacketer@gmail.com

  

Let me share the back story:
Ravelry Notes: 3/28/15  Brioche challenge! The manager of the LYS Creative Beginnings has been working on an intriguing Brioche cowl. She also shared a magazine,  cast on, Nov'14-Jan'15, with the article "Best of Brioche".  Arriving home, I started a Brioche hat pattern search, and printed two. I really read details, and project notes. Many notes said, check You-Tube. I found “2- Color Brioche Knitting on Circular Needles” to be the most helpful. If you knit continental, watch Brioche Stitch with Nancy Wynn. I also read project notes about Brioche and Fisherman’s Rib (working a stitch below the stitch), and took another look at my Knitting Without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmermann. Years ago, I had knit the “Prime Rib” watchcap. It was worked in the flat with one color. It was challenging, but fun.

With that, I got started, twice, and this was the third (free pattern) attempt to work a Brioche hat. I really liked the Gina's Brioche Hat and Cowl pattern by Purl Soho. I liked the rolled edge and great explanation for introducing the second color. I was off to a great start.  Modifications/notes:
#8 needles, CO 64sts, (brim 16” circumference)
#6 needles to knit 5 rounds, and work the Brioche hat.
Color B = green; Color A = purple for purl!
I used a very small “end of round” marker, to avoid a tangle in the first BK2tog. When I set down my work, green needle caps if working a knit round, and purple caps if it was a purl round. I kept working a few more inches (5.5"), then work the crown decreases. 

The public library called. Knitting Brioche, by Nancy Marchant arrived through the inter-library search! I walked to the library!

3/29/15 Finished! I was pleased I had the Knitting Brioche because the author said to use  "hanging markers for placement of decreases." I did that for the decrease sequence. With other stash yarn, I also CO 64sts, worked just a few rounds of Brioche, then worked the decreases three attempts/times to be happy with the look and feel. Modifications: (64sts)Started at rnd 4: p3tog for the purl rounds. I didn’t get the raised ridges as in the photo, but p3tog kept the “working in established pattern” established! I was very pleased with the project, and selected yarn for another.