121 comments on “Brioche Stitch”

1. Dear Staci,
   I am so excited about knitting a scarf in brioche (single color). you said you have a pattern for this on your website but I am unable to locate it. Please help. Thank you so much for your great video instructions!
   Karon Freeman

2. Hi Karon – I have a download available that includes instruction for knitting the Brioche Stitch, but it isn’t really a pattern, exactly, because I don’t specify gauge, needles, yarn, etc. But you can choose your own needles and yarn, and follow the instructions to knit a scarf. The link is in the paragraph above the video, on this same page where you have commented.

   S t a c i

3. Hi Stacy 🙂
   I love your videos and tutorials. They are so clear and concise. I’m wondering if you could help me do this stitch in the round. Since there would be no turning involved, would I just do row 1 of the pattern all the way around?
   Thanks 🙂

4. Hi Bree – I’m afraid it’s not quite that simple. I may decide to do a Brioche pattern in-the-round sometime soon, but it’s not something that I can do right now. You might want to explore some patters on Ravelry – I’m sure they’re out there!

   Good luck –
   S t a c i

5. Hi, thank you so much for your clear and helpful lessons! You make knitting as straight-forward as possible, and I really appreciate the effort and quality! 🙂

6. Very useful info and lovely website. But how do you bind off the brioche stitch scarf? If you do it the regular way then the end is different than the beginning? Who can help me? thank you. Marilyn

7. Hi Marilyn – your best bet for binding-off is to bind off “in pattern”. With the brioche stitch, that means to work a normal row, but bind off as you work along. That will keep you from increasing in the BO row.

   Good luck!
   S t a c i

8. I’ve knitted sweaters, and my wedding dress but never attempted SOCKS – until hearing how well you simplified the instructions. Thank you, Melody M.

9. Hi Staci,
   I have problem with the BO in pattern.. should i follow the same as in pattern, i mean should i yo too because if i yo and slip the next stitch, the working yarn is in the front when i BO.. Please help..

10. Hi Surya – your best bet for binding-off is to bind off “in pattern”. With the brioche stitch, that means to work a normal row, but bind off as you work along. That will keep you from increasing in the BO row.

    Good luck!
    S t a c i

11. Hi Staci!

    I’m working on a keyhole scarf in brioche stitch.
    At this time, I’m in trouble 🙂
    How can I do a button hole in this stitch in horizontal way??
    Can you help me please?…
    Thanks! 🙂

    Isabel

12. Hi Isabel – sorry, I’ve received this request before from other knitters, and I have not sat down to figure this out. I’m afraid the answer to your question isn’t a quick one – it will actually require me sitting down and knitting a sample, then writing out the instructions for it. Brioche stitch is tricky that way.
    🙂
    S t a c i

13. Hi Staci,

    Thanks for your help!!
    Well, I will try a vertical botton hole so I can end this keyhole / slip through scarf.
    This stitch is tricky, but so am I! 🙂

    Kisses & hugs!

    Isabel

14. Hi Staci, I’m so excited to try a brioche stitch scarf. I have been having great trouble with a patterned double-knit scarf. wish me luck. Your tutorial is great and I may refer to it a few times, but I did download the pattern. Thanks for your help!

15. I was wondering if you could do a tutorial about using the brioche stitch in the round, the directions on the pattern I’m using are a mess and hard to understand and I’ve had to start over three times…your videos are amazing so if you could, it would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks!

16. I throw but hold the yarn between my thumb and index finger. It’s difficult for me to take my eyes off of Staci’s index throw.

    The more I watch, however, the better it gets for me.

    I’m ADDorable. 😉

17. Thanks, Staci. Your demonstrations are always very clear and unfussy. You and Carol Feller are my absolute favourites for clarity of instructions. Normally, I’m not good with videos but yours and Carol’s are great. I’ve just downloaded your written instructions for Brioche stitch. Again, beautifully concise being just one page. Why so many people find it necessary to burble on in their videos and give half a rainforest of printed instructions beats me.
    Di

18. Hi Staci, Thank you for this wonderful video! I made a beautiful scarf and my husband decided it is now his. I found a pattern in a book I purchased several years ago. The scarf has an i-cord border but it is worked while working the brioche pattern. I have read the pattern over and over, tried and tried to do this but it’s just not working. I’m not sure if something is just not clicking or if the directions are wrong. You work an i-cord for the bottom, then pick up stitches for your first row of the scarf leaving 3 stitches each side for the i-cord, working it up the sides as you go. Do you know how to do this? I’m driving myself crazy! Thank you.

19. Staci,

    Regarding my previous post, this is a 2 color brioche pattern with a 2 color i-cord.

20. Hi, Staci. I would like to try using the Brioche stitch for the sole of some slippers I’m making for my mom. Can you offer help in doing increases in this stitch, as well as decreases? Thanks so much. You’ve helped me a lot.

    Donna

21. Hi Donna – I’ve never actually worked increases or decreases in Brioche stitch, preferring to use it without shaping. You’ll need to experiment with it on your own, and/or research how others have done it. Good luck!
    S t a c i

22. Have just discovered your blog via youtube. I was looking for a tutorial on brioche knitting, and yours is just perfect—so clear and concise! It’s also refreshing to see a knitting demo where the knitter’s hands look so nice–no bitten or dirty nails, or too much jewellery to distract from the lesson.
    Thanks,
    Elizabeth

23. Hi Staci,

    I’ve mastered the single colour brioche stitch and now trying the two colour…I’m quite hopeless at knitting but would really like to make a two coloured brioche stitch scarf! The pattern is great and very clear.

    One question though — for the set up row using the CC – should I first cast on a stitch of the CC or just Sl 1 knitwise of the MC and then knit with the CC?

    thanks a lot and Merry Christmas!!

    Katherine

24. Hi, I am a beginner and am making a scarf, I’ve knitted one line of knit stitch and one line of purl stitch simultaneously, for say 400 lines, then I’ve made brioche stitch of same no. of lines. Now, I want to go back to the knit and purl stitch lines. I wanted to make the brioche stitch in the center as a design to my scarf. However, I donot know how to knit back as in brioche the 2 knots are intermingled. Please help.

25. I’ve been having real success knitting both 1-color and 2-color samples with this stitch using your video and instructions, but I have a couple of questions:

    1) What cast-on do you use for the Brioche Stitch? I used long-tail cast-on, but the bottom isn’t nearly as stretchy as the rest of my knitting, so I’m not sure whether or not I should use that cast-on for something like a scarf.

    2) The stitches along the sides of my 2-color sample seem too loose, and no way I hold the yarn or try to tighten it seems to make any difference. I don’t see this problem on your 2-color sample, so any suggestions on how to deal with this problem?

26. Catherine – to answer your questions…

    I used the long-tail cast-on, and I was happy with it. You can experiment with other COs, you might prefer German Twisted CO.

    I don’t have any specific advice for your edge tension other than to be aware of it and work on it. (That is the solution to all tension problems!)

    Hope that helps!
    S t a c i

27. You said there would be a place to download directions for the brioche stitch but I can not find it. Please help.

28. Jenice – yes, the link on this page says “free Ravelry download”, which will give you the free written instructions. You can also find them here on my Ravelry page: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/brioche-stitch-2

    S t a c i

29. Thank you for a really clear explanation of the Brioche stitch. I am going to try to knit a pattern from the Vogue hat book that has 2 colors in this stitch. Thanks to your video, I know to weave in life lines and I will be practicing A LOT before I start the hat!

30. Hi,

    Just learning to brioche. Wanted some advice on some things:

    ~Can you recommend the best way to add another ball of yarn in brioche stitch?
    and
    ~What’s the best way to finish loose ends in brioche stitch i.e. pull loose ends through stitches? or up/down the sides of the work?

    Thanks!

31. Hi Staci – fabulous instructions as always, thank you. I was wondering if you have plans to show the cast on for two colour brioche? I might be wrong, but I got the impression from something you said that you cast on only in one colour… is that right? I’ve seen other videos that do a two colour cast on, (Italian, etc). As usual my addled brain struggles to retain it! LOL!
    I hope you consider showing two colour cast ons in future. Or if it’s on VeryPink already and I’ve missed it where can I find it please?
    Big thank you!

32. My pattern for mens’scarf in Brioche indicates K1, yf, *Sl1Pwyif, yo K1*. Can you tell me if I bring the yf after I sl1P, or do I already have the yf prior to the Sl1P? And the same question for row 2. Calls for Sl1wyib, yf. *2tog, Sl1Pwyif, yo. Am I moving the yarn in front first or slipping the stitch first? Appreciate any clarity you can give me.

    Thank you

33. i just found your video on brioche knitting and was totally amazed at how well you teach it. i took a video class and was just lost. But your method of teaching is so great and easy to follow. and now that i know about lifelines, i think brioche is going to easily become one of my favorite techniques. i have already made two cowls to put away as gifts for next Christmas.
    thanks for sharing your talents as a teacher and knitter with us all.

    maureen

34. Hi Stacy,

    I love all your videos. I am a beginner knitter, and am really having fun learning. This brioche technique looks like fun and I especially want to try the two color one. You are such a great teacher and I have learned so much by watching your videos. Thanks so much!

35. I have read your replies to binding off and you recommend BO in pattern. My question(s) are for the 2 color Brioche. Which row do you recommend binding off in the 4 row repeat? Also, would you simply tie the MC and CC together to keep the second color from unraveling then weave in the ends? Thank you for you videos. They help me trendiest as a somewhat new knitter 🙂

36. Hi Mindy – for binding-off, you can really BO on any row, as long as you knit the knits and purl the purls, and make sure you keep the same stitch count (with the decreases).

    Regarding the ends – I always tie knots before I weave in the ends. Especially if the yarn is “slippery” at all, and there is a chance that the end could come loose with wear and washing.

    S t a c i

37. Is it necessary to keep turning to crochet the precious stitch. Could you not just wind the yarn from the back and then crochet it the same way?

38. Just gorgeous. I could not understand the pattern which first introduced me to the stitch. I then watched many, many, demos on u-tube to no avail.
    Stumbled across your demo which was so easy to follow, you have a lovely style of teaching. Thank you.

39. Nice response in return of this issue with genuine arguments and telling
    all concerning that.

40. I am trying to follow your instructions for brioche stitch and I am stuck on the setup (row 1). The instructions say ” yfwrd sl 1, k1″. When I knit that one, do I leave my yarn forward or do I put it to the back as in a normal knit stitch?

41. Susan – the video demonstrates it better than I can explain it here…you need to put the yarn back between the two needles to do a knit stitch.

    S t a c i

42. I every tiime used to study article in news papers but now as I am a user of web thus from
    now I am using net for content, thanks to web.

43. Staci, can you make a video for the brioche stitch, how to tear out a couple of rows. I have been a month now trying to do this stitch and got about 10″ long and made a mistake…started ripping out the stitches and have a big mess…I am not quite down to my life line. I am really struggling with this.
    God bless, Kay

44. Kay – ripping out Brioche Stitch and recovering your stitches is very difficult. I recommend stringing “proactive” lifelines periodically through your work. That means to take some thin, smooth yarn and a blunt sewing needle (tapestry needle), and running a string through all of the active stitches on the needle, which is a quick and simple thing to do. Then knit on, as if the lifeline isn’t there. Then, if you do make a mistake, you can rip back to that point, and easily retrieve your stitches.

    S t a c i

45. HI,
    Is the setup row the very first row after CO?
    thank you
    Deepa

46. Deepa – yes, you work the Setup Row once after casting-on, then begin with Row 1.

    S t a c i

47. I really enjoyed discovering your website and instructionals.
    I have a tip ( might not work for everyone) on storage. I have a variety of fixed circular needles that I’ve collected over the years. Ranging from plastic to nickle to wood. I picked up a simple 5″ x 7″ photo booklet. It has 18 double sided pages. I put one circular needle per page. I put a note inside each page that shows the length and size. On the back side I can store favorite yarns from the yarn sleeves, favorite pattern ideas, tips, etc. Just don’t bulk it up. I have 13 needles in this booklet from a size 2 to 10 1/2. I use a thick elastic hair tie to keep it closed. Now I can choose a needle without having to check the gauge. It’s easy to flip through, pack up and store.
    I would love to try that wooden kit.
    I hope this tip helps.

48. Hi Staci. Just writing to say thanks for your wonderful videos. I started knitting a striped 6ft x 4ft 6in brioche stitch blanket for myself, and it worked so well my daughter asked me to do one for her. I knitted her a plain one using a variegated wool which has given a lovely rich, deep red pattern. The brioche stitch produces a soft and thick result which is perfect for the blankets. I haven’t knitted for 25 years, and feel so pleased with myself! Thanks for your clear instructions. Linda

49. I had problems casting off (binding off), and made a few mistakes (because of the yarn forward part of the pattern), but finally found the perfect way of doing it:
    Knit first stitch (rather than slip it). Following the pattern, knit two together, pass first stitch over, purl one, pass previous stitch over. Continue casting off using this formula to the end, then knit one, pass previous stitch over, cut yarn and slip through last stitch to form a knot. Stitch end in.

    Hope that helps.

50. I saw questions on how to pick up these stitches after unraveling and I think it might help those just learning the stitch to use ‘lifelines’ so that when they unravel, the stitches are held ready for them on the lifeline thread. I use cotton crochet thread (because it’s not fuzzy and doesn’t interfere with fuzzy yarns) and a wide eye needle and when I’ve finished a pattern and know the count/stitches/pattern is correct, I thread the needle with some of the crochet thread and run it through each stitch and leave about a 2″ tail hanging on either side of the piece I’m working on. As I move up in the piece, every so often, I place another lifeline and continue until I’m done. I’d say, on the average, I’ll place a lifeline about every 10-15 rows or at the point where a lace pattern set ends and another is ready to begin. Boy!, this has saved me a dozen times. Hope it helps. Barb

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