Closing in
One reversible brioche stitch hat: finished. Check it!
Peep those perfect decreases!
The decreases turned out exactly as I’d hoped. I also like that the hat construction has a pleasing symmetry to it: the hat is 64 stitches around, there are 32 rounds before the decreases, and the decreases are worked four times per round over four stitches. It’s also reversible, meaning it has two sides. It’s nerdy, but damn I love powers of two!
The hat itself is super easy to make, once you get used to the whole brioche thing. The decreases take a bit of concentration at first, because each decrease has to be set up on the previous round to get that nice, neat spiral, but they’re not so bad. I managed to get through the whole hat without consulting my notes, so it’s pretty easy.
I took copious notes while making this, so I think there’s a real possibility that I could write a legible pattern for this. I also have plans for a brioche scarf to match. I want to make an illustrated pattern for them, but I want to test the written directions first.
Anyone feel like being a guinea pig?
If you can knit Continental and English styles at the same time (Two-handed knitting! Yay!) and would like a pattern for a stretchy, reversible beanie that my boyfriend calls “amazing” (his adjectives are few but very flattering), comment here. I’ll e-mail you the written-out directions, you test them out, and you tell me how easy (or impossible) they are to follow. I’ll keep rewriting them until they make sense. Sound like a deal?
[Edited to add Looks like I've got plenty of guinea pigs, so I'm shutting down this offer. Keep an eye out — when I sell or self-publish the pattern, I'll let y'all know. It'll come as a hat-and-scarf set that will cover my brioche technique both flat and in the round.]
FYI: It takes about 80 yards each of two different yarns to make one hat. I used Grignasco “Top Print” and Classic Elite “Inca Alpaca,” both 100 percent alpaca, but you could swap those for any sport-weight yarns.
13 Comments to Closing in
Ingrid Hastings
February 10, 2007 7:46 pm
Yes please. I love the hat and eagerly await the pattern:) Great photo, btw!
Laura
February 11, 2007 11:57 am
This is gorgeous! I love the spiral. I learned to knit continental a few years ago just so I could knit 2 color fair isle at the same time but never got to use the skill. I would love to try the hat pattern!
Arlette
February 11, 2007 2:26 pm
YAY! Intrepid volunteers! Check your inboxes, guys.
Laura
February 12, 2007 7:11 pm
OK, I am sooo getting it now. I felt like a bit of an uncoordinated moron last night but today I picked it up and it felt much more natural. Especially after I fixed my VERY stupid error after a few rows. I was concentrating so hard on the yarn-in-two-hands thing that I had them working in mirror image. That meant I was wrapping my knit stitch backwards. I untwisted them in the next row but could not figure out what I was doing wrong. Going to try decrease – then rip it out and start again with better yarn choices and fewer errors. Having fun and making notes.
Wavery
February 15, 2007 11:05 am
I’d love to give this a whirl, it’s wonderful!
Hapax Legomena
February 19, 2007 5:49 pm
This is gorgeous! I’m planning to teach a brioche class at our fabulous LYS. I’ve only done scarves before, so I’m in the market for pretty decreases. If you’re willing to have your pattern used by a small group of knitters (with credit and web traffic happily directed your way), I’d be keen to test your pattern. Come to think of it, I’d be keen to test it even if you don’t want me to use it for the class. Just let me know.
Janny
February 20, 2007 7:43 pm
I think I’m in love with your decreases. I’ve made a couple of brioche hats, and I’m working on a couple more, one ready to be decreased and I would love, love, love to try your beautifully made swirls. And to top it off, you’ve done both colors at once! *Smacking forehead* Of course! I salute you with my home-brewed beer.
Fredi
May 20, 2007 7:08 pm
How’s that pattern coming? Any more guinea pigs needed?
Rach
January 23, 2008 8:49 pm
LOVE the brioche hat!! I’m a new knitter and just finished a looooooong two-color brioche scarf and got addicted to knitting the pattern!!! how would i get your pattern for the hat?! much appreciate! =D
Joan
February 7, 2008 10:07 pm
Is it possible to get the pattern, I love it!!!!
Amanda
November 25, 2008 4:13 pm
What size needles/gauge did you use? Thanks!
Stephanie
April 10, 2009 7:26 pm
Have you published the pattern yet? I would love a copy. What a cool design for the decreases, and the colors look really neat too! Thanks!
Wendy
August 19, 2009 4:40 pm
Hi,
Would love a copy of the pattern! It looks gorgeous!
Thanks in advance,
Wendy
from Caracas – Venezuela