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Brioche!

After taking a class at the Northcoast Knittery a couple of weeks ago by Jenny Sorensen, otherwise known as jerinknits, I have fallen for another knitting technique…Brioche!  Jenny taught us plain brioche stitch, syncopated brioche stitch (which is plain done for several rows in the knit version, and then several rows in the purl version). crossover brioche, honeycomb brioche, and two color brioche.  FUN, FUN, FUN!!  Check out my samples from the class.

Syncopated Brioche = Plain Brioche alternating between knit and purl versions (in this example, every eight rows)

Honeycomb Brioche--started with recommended needle size (bottom of swatch) and then moved up 3 needles sizes (top of swatch). This makes a dense fabric...a very warm hat or garment!

Syncopated Brioche in the yarn Panguipulli by Araucania

I really like the syncopated stitch and did a swatch in a yarn that has been beckoning me to do something with it, Panguipulli by Araucania. I love this yarn…and the look that resulted in the syncopated stitch.  Already got my designing juices going…thinking about what to make with this yarn and this stitch.  I expect you’ll be seeing something soon that combines these two!

The two color plain Brioche stitch is fantastic, being reversible with the two colors switching places from front to back.  In fact, all the Brioche stitches are reversible except for the Honeycomb stitch.

Two Color Plain Brioche Side A

Two Color Plain Brioche Side B

Crossed Brioche--This stitch has "crisscrossing" front and back slanting bars. It would look great on a larger needle that would give more openness to the criss-cross design.

Reversible and worked on larger needles for a lofty bounce, I’m sure these Brioche stitches are going to make their way into some future designs!

2012
04/11
POSTED BY
Harry
CATEGORY
General Knitting
Northcoast Knittery
Technical
Uncategorized
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Gills Neck Gaitor

Gills Neck Gaitor

I’ve been wanting to experiment with designing some men’s neckwarmers, and had the perfect opportunity when Skacel Yarn Company sponsored a competition among the men attending the Men’s Fall Knitting Retreat which happens annually on the West Coast over Labor Day weekend. The challenge was this: Design a one skein project using HiKoo Simpliworsted yarn.  All of us participants received a skein of royal blue yarn, and had a few weeks to come up with our designs.  There was to be one, maybe two, winners whose designs would be purchased by Skacel to be made available as free downloads on the Skacel website.  It was fantastic to see the variety of designs that emerged, and Karin Skacel decided that the best thing to do was to purchase all the designs and make them available as free downloads. Here’s the link to all the patterns!

Back of Gills Neck Gaitor

My design is the Gills Neck Gaitor.  The front top of the gaiter is designed to curl inward under the chin (see image above).  There are half gussets (decreases on bottom, increases on top) that shape the flare of the gaiter.  You can see that flare as the downward slope starting right under the ear in the photo to the right.

The Channel Island cast on makes small pointed bumps along the bottom edge, and is mirrored with small picot bind-off bumps along the top back edge.

This is a “tame” version of my original inspiration, but I am very pleased with it. Ever have a moment of wild inspiration when you envision a design that would be an outrageous runway creation?  You know, one of those garments that looks totally extreme, where an idea is pushed to its limit?  I did. And its theme is “Gills”.  I have no idea where it came from, it sort of popped into my head, but I’m planning a whole series of these neckwarmers and cowls within that theme, some pushed to an outrageous limit.  So think of this gaitor as Gills #1 and watch for more to come!

2011
12/13
POSTED BY
Harry
CATEGORY
Designers
Knitting Retreats
Patterns
Uncategorized
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Woven Cable Fingerless Gloves

Woven Cable Fingerless Gloves (made with Aslan Trends Del Cerro)

I’ve finished writing this pattern for four hand sizes, 7.5 “, 8″, 8.5″, and 9 ” hand circumference.  It’s been popular for guys, which was my aim, but just as many women have knitted  it for themselves. In fact, the photo above shows the smallest size on a young women’s hand.  For your free copy of the pattern, click on this link for an automatic PDF download.  I plan to design a matching beanie for men , and then tackle a matching banded hat, like a beret, for women.  Not sure when those will get done, but I’m presently beginning to work on the beanie.

2011
02/27
POSTED BY
Harry
CATEGORY
Gloves
Patterns
Uncategorized
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