Soft and Squishy Knitting

While not an adventurous person in my regular life, I do love trying out new needlework stitches and crochet and knitting techniques. (Check out the combo crochet and cross stitch project I’m working on right now.) When a friend of mine mentioned that she was taking a Craftsy class on something called brioche knitting, I decided I needed to give it a try too.

Jacki Scarf, designed by Nancy Marchant (WIP)

I’m about a 1/3 of the way through the first project for the class, the one-colour brioche stitch Jacki Scarf (Ravelry link). I’m using Stylecraft Special Aran in colourway 1019 Cloud Blue (a very soft acrylic yarn).

Brioche stitch – close up of right side with increases and decreases

Brioche knitting doesn’t look too special in pictures, but in person you can see and feel that it is soft and squishy and absolutely lovely. The stitch is done, essentially, by making a yo around a slipped stitched and then knitting a stitch together with its yo that was itself slipped on the previous row (so it takes two rows to actually knit a full row). I’ve embedded a little video from Very Pink Knits below so you can see how it is done.

Although I haven’t tried it yet, I do know that the brioche stitch really shines when it is done with two colours. One colour floats to the top as knit stitches and the other recedes as purl stitches, and the colours switch roles on the other side. The effect is stunning.

Italian Cast On

Along with learning this new stitch, I also learned a new cast on: the Italian Cast On. It makes a rounded edge that flows into ribbing perfectly. It is also stretchy, making it great for mittens and socks. I can’t wait to try it in some other projects. (Check out this article from New Stitch a Day to learn how to do this cast on yourself.)

What new stitches (needlework, crochet, or knitting) have you learned lately? Have you tried any Craftsy or other online classes? What did you think of them? What did they teach you? I’d love to know! Please be sure to leave a comment below.

Resources

• Explorations in Brioche Knitting – Craftsy class with Nancy Marchant
• Brioche Knitting Made Easy – Craftsy class with Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark
• Brioche Knitting: Exploring Colour and Texture – Craftsy class with Nancy Marchant
• Knitting Fresh Brioche: Creating Two Colour Twists and Turns by Nancy Marchant
• Knitting Brioche: The Essential Guide to the Brioche Stitch by Nancy Marchant
• Brioche Chic: 22 Fresh Knits for Women & Men by Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark

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