Ch. 4 Two-Color Brioche in the Round
Now that you’ve done one-color brioche in the round, adding a second color will be an easy transition.
It is actually easier to know what to do with two colors, because one color always knits, and the other color always purls.
There are still some tricky bits, but I’ll give you pointers in each video that will help you avoid any pitfalls.
I’ll be teaching you on a small swatch, but if you would like to work an actual project, I recommend Haven Leavitt’s Newsprint Cowl or my Easy Brioche Hat for Men.
The Newsprint Cowl (above) is a free pattern from Haven’s brioche popular Brioche class, and it uses exactly the skills I’ll be teaching you here.
The Easy Brioche Hat (left) is slightly more advanced as it contains decreases at the crown. With either pattern, you’ll learn everything you need to succeed in the videos that follow.
How to Do Two-Color Brioche in the Round
Select two contrasting colors of wool yarn for this swatch.
For this exercise, we’ll call one color the dark color (DC) and the other the light color (LC). This is a naming convention in two-color brioche patterns in general.
Abbreviations
- LC or lc – Light Color
- DC or dc – Dark Color
The following video shows how to knit two-color brioche in the round. Written instructions below the video.
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Two-Color Brioche Stitch in the Round
With larger circular needles and DC, CO an even number of sts (here, 20 sts). Slide sts to other end of circular needle.
Set-up row: with LC, *k1, yf sl1yo; rep from * to end.
Prepare for working in the round, making sure there are not twists in the round. PM for BOR.
Round 1: with DC and smaller needles, *br-p, yf sl1yo; rep from * around.
Round 2: with LC, *br-k, yf sl1yo; rep from * around.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until you are ready to bind off.
With DC, bind off using the Yarnover Bind-Off or any stretchy bind off.
Remember
- DC is always brioche-purling,
- LC is always brioche-knitting.
Tips And Skills To Practice
- On LC rounds, leave your yarn hanging to the front as you do the last sl 1.
- On DC rounds, make sure to catch the LC-wrap on the last br-p of each round.
- Every time you switch colors, make sure both yarns are out of the way, so you don’t get any twisted colors at the beginning or the round.
How to Read Your Work on Two-Color Brioche
Here’s how to read your work without having to look at the instructions, and some tips for finding out where you are in case you get lost.
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How to Decrease in Brioche Knitting – Brioche SSK
You’ll need to know a good two-color brioche decrease if you want to make hats or other shaped projects in brioche.
There are many different ways to decrease in brioche – I’ve chosen a basic one that looks great: the 3-round Brioche-Slip-Slip-Knit.
Abbreviations
- Br-ssk – Brioche Slip, Slip, Knit.
This decrease is worked in the round over three rounds. Watch the video and practice on your swatch.
Written instructions below the video.
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Brioche Slip, Slip Knit
Round 1: Work in two-color brioche stitch up to 2 sts before the stitch you want to decrease (you can place a marker on this stitch, if that helps). Slip the next st knitwise, twice. Br-k the next st (the marked st). You will have two same-color sts next to each other. Work in two-color brioche stitch to end of rnd.
Round 2: Work in two-color brioche stitch up to the two same-color sts next to each other. Wyif, sl 2 yo. Work in two-color brioche stitch to end of rnd.
Round 3: Work in two-color brioche stitch up to the two slipped stitches. Br-k the two slipped sts together with their wrap. Work in two-color brioche stitch to end of rnd.
Brioche Hat Patterns to Try
If you’re ready to try a two-color brioche hat, you can check out my free Easy Brioche Hat for Men (left).
I also recommend the many hat patterns by brioche guru Nancy Marchant.
Also try the Brioche Hat from Weekend Knitting (a gorgeous book to own, with a few brioche patterns), or the Rainbrioche Hat by Katrin Schubert (right).
Great work! You’re now ready for the last challenge – a flat two-color scarf.
You might think that knitting two-color brioche flat is easier than in the round, but it’s actually not – knitting from both ends of the work adds an extra dimension of trickiness.
