Brioche knitting needle set

Master Class for the Brioche Set

Note: the main, detailed process of the master class is in the video, links to which are provided in the author's Telegram channel.

Materials

• Yarn Lana Gatto Maxi Soft (50 g / 90 m) — 4 skeins for the set.
  Depending on size and gauge you may need 5–6 skeins.
  The main color (pink in the master class) requires slightly more.
  For example, for size 54–57 — 3 pink skeins and 2 black skeins.
  Brioche technique can be finicky, so it’s important to use this yarn or an equivalent with the same parameters: twist, length and weight.

• Circular needles size 4.5 and size 5.5 (for the snood).

• Straight knitting needles size 4.5.

• Crochet hook for closing the snood.

• Tapestry needle.

• 6 markers.

• Scissors.

Skills

• Ability to knit knit and purl stitches on circular needles.

Abbreviations

St — stitch
Knit — knit stitch
Purl — purl stitch
HC — head circumference
YM — yellow marker
GM — green marker
See video — watch the video

Preparation

The knitting is designed for a head circumference of 54–57 cm.
Yarn Lana Gatto Maxi Soft in one ply, circular needles size 4.5.

Needles with a flawless join are recommended so that the stitches slide easily.
Keep a tight tension in the thread — brioche technique does not tolerate loose knitting.
If the fabric turns out loose — use smaller needles.

Gauge

After blocking, in a 1×1 brioche rib with yarn-overs:
14 sts = 10 cm,
therefore 1 cm = 1.4 sts.
1.4 × 55 (HC) = 77 sts.
Subtract a few stitches for stretch — cast on 70 sts + 1 for joining in the round.

Calculation

Size 54–57 cm = 70 stitches + 1 stitch, 5 repeats of 14 stitches, hat height before decreases — 19–20 cm.

For other sizes, simply change the needle size by ±0.5–1 mm. The number of stitches does not change — the hat is very stretchy.

Knitting the Hat

Take the main color yarn (pink).
Cast on 70 stitches + 1 stitch on two needles (one thinner).
Join to work in the round.

Knit Brioche Rib, alternating colors:
1st row — light yarn (YM),
2nd row — dark yarn (GM).

Tip: write down the rows in a notebook to avoid getting tangled.

Brioche Rib

1st row (YM):
1st stitch — knit,
2nd stitch — slip with yarn over behind the back loop.
Repeat to the end of the row.

2nd row (GM):
1st stitch — slip with yarn over behind the front loop,
2nd stitch (with yarn over) — purl 2 together.
Repeat to the end.

Before every new row cross the strands behind the work to avoid ladders.

3rd row (YM):
1st stitch (with yarn over) — 2 together knit,
2nd — slip with yarn over behind the back wall.

4th row (GM):
1st — slip with yarn over behind the front wall,
2nd (with yarn over) — purl 2 together.

Continue alternating until the rib height reaches 4 cm (for a child — 3–3.5 cm).

Pattern Repeats (always light color — YM)

One repeat = 14 stitches. Total of 5 repeats.

Row 1 with repeats

Rows 1–6 — follow the pattern.
Row 7 (with yarn over) — turn, knit into the next purl stitch, return to the left needle, pass the next stitch over the knitted one. Decrease from stitches 7–8–9.
Rows 10–12 — follow the pattern.
Row 13 — from one stitch, knit three (knit, yarn over, knit).
Row 14 — follow the pattern.

Repeat 5 times. Then 3 rows follow the pattern.

Row 2 with repeats

Rows 1–4 — follow the pattern.
Rows 5–7 — decrease.
Rows 8–12 — follow the pattern.
Row 13 — increase (from one).
Row 14 — follow the pattern.

Repeat 5 times, then 3 rows follow the pattern.

Row 3

Rows 1–2 — follow the pattern.
Rows 3–5 — decrease.
Rows 6–10 — follow the pattern.
Row 11 — from one stitch, knit three.
Rows 12–14 — follow the pattern.

Repeat, then 3 rows follow the pattern.

Row 4

1–3 stitches — decrease.
4–8 — as per chart.
9th — three from one.
10–14 — as per chart.

Repeat and then 9 rows in pattern.

Repeat the entire block (rows 1–4) 3–4 times, between blocks — 3 rows per pattern, at the end — 9 rows per pattern.
Height of the hat after 3 blocks — about 19–20 cm.

Finishing the Hat

Decreases are performed in rows with repeats (always the light yarn — Ж.М).
Mark the repeats with markers.

Row 1:
1–6 stitches — as per pattern.
7–9 stitches — decrease (turn the 7th stitch, purl the 8th, turn, then the 9th — knit).
10–14 — as per pattern.
→ in the repeat there remain 12 stitches.
Knit 3 rows in pattern.

Row 2:
1–4 — as per pattern,
5–7 — decrease,
8–12 — as per pattern.
→ 10 stitches.
3 rows in pattern.

Row 3:
1–2 — as per pattern,
3–5 — decrease,
6–10 — as per pattern.
→ 8 stitches.
3 rows in pattern.

Row 4:
1–3 — decrease,
4 — as per pattern,
5–7 — decrease,
8 — as per pattern.
Repeat to the end of the row.

Then 1 row in pattern (dark yarn — Ж.М).

Last row — without yarn-overs, with light yarn (Ж.М):
simply knit the knit and purl.

Cast off the remaining stitches with a needle, hide the ends neatly — the hat is double-sided.

Snood

Snood is knitted with needles one size larger than the hat (for example, size 5.5).
It is knitted the same as the hat up to the decreases.

Ribbing with yarn-overs — 4–5 cm.
After the 4th pattern block and 9 rows in pattern —
add a few centimeters of ribbing so the edges match.

Close the stitches with the light-colored yarn using a crochet hook (same needle size), loosely, without tightening.

Blocking (wet-heat treatment)

1. Soak the hat and snood for 5 minutes in 30°C water with wool detergent.

2. Gently rinse, without stretching.

3. Place in a pillowcase and spin in the machine on the "Spin" setting.

4. Lay out on a horizontal surface:

   • the hat slightly gathered toward the center,

   • the snood carefully stretched.

5. The edges may be wavy — that is normal. When drying, straighten.

6. Dry on a radiator — merino wool after blocking becomes elastic and takes the desired shape.

Tips

• Use only high-quality yarn and needles.

• Watch the yarn tension.

• Knit tightly, not loosely.

• Do not disrupt the order of color changes.

• Block exactly according to the instructions.

If you follow all these simple rules, you will get a neat, warm, and beautiful Brioche set.