Brioche crochet: masterclass

Brioche is a big thing in the knitting world. If you make a quick search, you will find lots of garments, shawls, and accessories with intricate curved stitch patterns. There is a complete concept of doing brioche in knitting. You have exact rules of how to place the stitches, change colors, make increases, and shape the lines. Crochet does not have all those possibilities, yet there are still some means and techniques to achieve the brioche look. 

Introduction to Brioche crochet 

The Wikipedia defines brioche knitting like “a family of knitting patterns involving tucked stitches, i.e., yarn overs that are knitted together with a slipped stitch from the previous row. Such stitches may also be made by knitting into the row below (equivalent to the slipped stitch) and dropping the stitch above (equivalent to the yarn over). The tucked stitches may form a second layer of knitting in front of the first layer, resembling an array of arches or (seen upside-down) of fish scales.” 

And apparently, we can achieve the same effect in crochet. 

I have been developing brioche crochet for several years now. I have started with an overlay mandala is just two colors to imitate the brioche look. Then a few other projects were designed for working in the rounds and rows with chain-spaces. For a so-called airy version of brioche.

Here are examples of my brioche work: Brioche Waves blanket (and cowl), Coral Story Blanket, Alma Sweater, Helios Mandala. And Graphite Mandala is an example of a thick brioche (or, overlay version). All these patterns are available with 25% off through Monday, June 28th, 2021. Please use code BRIOCHE at the check-out.

And you can purchase a masterclass for Brioche crochet from Patterns by Lilla Bjorn website HERE. The e-book includes ready-to-print information from this blog post with extended video tutorial on how to work brioche crochet in rows (and change colors), a complete pattern for the Brioche chair pad (see picture below) with step-by-step pictures and video tutorial for the first six rounds. And additionally, you will receive patterns for the Brioche Heart and Brioche Infinity pillow. All in one printable file without the ads.

Characteristics of Brioche Crochet 

Like knitting, brioche crochet is in fact a ribbing made with front post stitches and chains. Usually, we work with just two colors using one color per round. The rounds can be worked either on the right side, or with alternation of right and wrong sides to prevent stitches from leaning. If the pattern uses rounds on the wrong side, we should work back post stitches instead of front post ones. 

The first two rows or rounds in brioche crochet are usually worked with double crochet (dc – US terms). And on the third row/round we start working with front/back post stitches. Here are two videos showing two set-up rows and how to work front/back post stitches in brioche crochet (I say rounds in the video - sorry, too excited :)

The stitch pattern appears on the right side (so we only see the front post stitches on the right side). And the wrong side appears to be striped with just chain spaces. 

Because the fabric consists of two layers, it is quite thick. That is the reason why fine and soft yarns are recommended for brioche crochet, together with a bigger hook than you would normally use for this yarn. And because we work with a larger hook, the yarn should have a bit of a natural fluff to fill the holes. Alternatively, you can use two different yarns with the same weight, one of which has fluff. 

In my brioche work I am using the following Scheepjes yarns: Our Tribe, Metropolis (with two solid shades or in combination with Spirit). 

The front post stitches are always worked on the right side in front of chains and around of stitches of the same color below (unless otherwise instructed). So basically, we are building long curved cables. 

Special stitches and abbreviations (US crochet terms) 

To achieve an intricate brioche stitch pattern, we need to build increases and decreases. An increase is usually worked as two front post stitches around the same stitch below – with ch2-between: (FPdc, ch2, FPdc) around the next stitch. Here is a video showing an increase.

Those two front post stitches form a V-shape. And on the next round, a brioche double crochet (brdc) is worked into this V. Brdc is a regular dc placed into a ch2-space from two rounds below in front of the chains from the previous round. Here is a video showing how to work brdc.

In some places, two brdc with ch2 worked into the same V will form an increase as well. 

And decreases in brioche crochet are usually front post double or treble two together crochet stitches (FPdc2tog or FPtr2tog). They are always worked around two stitches of the same color below, and the stitch of different color between them is skipped. Here is a video showing a decrease.

Try your hand in brioche crochet with these three patterns: Brioche heart, Brioche infinity pillow and Brioche chair pad which is exclusively available as a part of an e-book via Patterns by Lilla Bjorn website HERE. This ready-to-print e-book includes all three patterns and a complete masterclass on brioche crochet from this blog post, without ads. You will also receive a link to a video on how to work brioche crochet in rows and change the colors, and also a video tutorial for the first six rounds of the Brioche chair pad. 

Hope you enjoy!

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