Big Apple Brioche Blanket

Free Blanket Knitting Pattern

This blanket is worked in two colors, using two-color brioche next to two-color garter stitch. The brioche columns and the flatter garter areas meet in a way that draws one large apple across the fabric. Red and cream yarns keep the colors simple while the change in texture does the work. The finished piece makes a warm sofa throw or a generous lap blanket.

Skills required: To knit this blanket, you need to know how to knit 2-color brioche stitch and 2-color garter stitch.

Size: square 36” (90 cm)

Materials: Super Bulky weight wool yarn, 55 yards (50 meters) / 50 gr, color Red – 10 skeins (DC)
Super Bulky weight wool yarn, 55 yards (50 meters) / 50 gr, color Natural – 10 skeins (LC)

Needles: US 10 (6.0 mm) 47” (118 cm) circular needles OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge:

10 sts x 20 rows = 4" x 4" (10cm x 10cm) In 2-color garter st.
10 sts x 10 rows = 4" x 4" (10cm x 10cm) In 2-color brioche st.
Note, that 1 row of brioche consists of 1 row of light color yarn (LC) and 1 row of dark color yarn (DC)

Abbreviations

Please note that I use Nancy Marchant's terminology for brioche stitch. I highly recommend her books Knitting Brioche: The Essential Guide to the Brioche Stitch and Knitting Fresh Brioche: Creating Two-Color Twists & Turns, as well as her lessons on craftsy.com.
yf - yarn forward: bring the yarn to the front, between the tips of the needles.
yb - yarn back: take the yarn to the back, between the tips of the needles.
yfsl1yo - yarn forward, slip 1, yarn over: bring the working yarn between the tips of the needles to front of work, slip the next stitch purlwise, then bring the yarn over the needle and the slipped stitch. Leave yarn in back, ready to knit the next stitch.
brk - brioche knit: knit the stitch together with its accompanying yarnover
brp - brioche purl: purl the stitch together with its accompanying yarnover.
LS – light side
DS – dark side
LC – light color
DC- dark color
k – knit
p – purl
sl – slip the first st


Pattern Notes:

Two-Color Brioche Stitch – Basic Instructions

These instructions are included as a guide to the technique, and as instructions for swatching.

A single brioche row is worked in two passes, one in light color (LC) and the other in dark color (DC). Both colors are worked in one direction, then the work is turned and both colors are worked in the other direction, one by one. The light side (LS) of the project is first worked in light color (LC) yarn, then in dark color (DC) yarn. (The LS of the work is where brioche knit (brk) stitches are worked in light color (LC) yarn.

Odd number of stitches
Set-up row (LC): k1, *sl1yof, p1, rep from *, to last 2 sts, sl1yof, p1. Do not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Set-up row (DC): sl1, yb, *brk1, yfsl1yo, repeat from * to last 2 sts, brk1, yb, sl last st. Turn.
Row 1 (LS, LC): k1, *yfsl1yo, brk1, repeat from * to last 2 sts, yfsl1yo, k1. Do not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Row 1 (LS, DC): sl1, yf, *brp1, sl1yof, repeat from * to last 2 sts, brp1, yb, slip last st. Turn.
Row 2 (DS, LC): p1, *sl1yof, brp1, repeat from * to last 2 sts, sl1yof, p1. DO not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Row 2 (DS, DC): sl1, yb, *brk1, yfsl1yo, repeat from * to last 2 sts, brk1, yf, sl last st. Turn.


Two-Color Garter Stitch

These are included as a guide to the technique, and as instructions for swatching.

Row 1 (LS LC): purl. Do not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Row 1 (LS DC): knit. Turn.

Row 2 (DS LC): knit. Do not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Row 2 (DS DC): purl. Turn.

Chain Selvage

When working the selvage stitches at the beginning and the end of the row, at the start of the LC rows, always bring LC under the DC.

Short Overview of the pattern

The blanket is worked in a combination of 2-color brioche stitch and 2-color garter stitch.


Blanket

Using 2 strands of yarn (LC and DC), cast on 109 sts.
Row SR: K54, (yf sl1yo, p1) × 26, yf sl1yo, p2. (109 sts)
Row SR: K1, p53, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 27, p1.

Row 1 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 27, p54.
Row 1 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 27, k53, p1.

Row 2 (DS LC): Sl, k53, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 27, p1.
Row 2 (DS, DC): Sl, p53, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 27, p1.

Rows 3-12: repeat rows 1-2.

Row 13 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 22, brk, p8, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 4, p47.
Row 13 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 22, yf sl1yo, k8, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 4, k46, p1.

Row 14 (DS LC): Sl, k46, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 4, k8, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 22, brp, p1.
Row 14 (DS, DC): Sl, p46, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 4, p8, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 22, yf sl1yo, p1.

Row 15 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 19, brk, p14, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 7, p41.
Row 15 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 19, yf sl1yo, k14, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 7, k40, p1.

Row 16 (DS LC): Sl, k40, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 7, k14, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 19, brp, p1.
Row 16 (DS, DC): Sl, p40, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 7, p14, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 19, yf sl1yo, p1.

Row 17 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 17, brk, p18, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 9, p37.
Row 17 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 17, yf sl1yo, k18, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 9, k36, p1.

Row 18 (DS LC): Sl, k36, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 9, k18, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 17, brp, p1.
Row 18 (DS, DC): Sl, p36, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 9, p18, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 17, yf sl1yo, p1.

Row 19 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 15, brk, p22, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 11, p33.
Row 19 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 15, yf sl1yo, k22, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 11, k32, p1.

Row 20 (DS LC): Sl, k32, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 11, k22, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 15, brp, p1.
Row 20 (DS, DC): Sl, p32, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 11, p22, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 15, yf sl1yo, p1.

Row 21 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 14, brk, p24, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 12, p31.
Row 21 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 14, yf sl1yo, k24, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 12, k30, p1.

Row 22 (DS LC): Sl, k30, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 12, k24, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 14, brp, p1.
Row 22 (DS, DC): Sl, p30, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 12, p24, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 14, yf sl1yo, p1.

Row 23 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 13, brk, p26, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 13, p29.
Row 23 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 13, yf sl1yo, k26, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 13, k28, p1.

Row 24 (DS LC): Sl, k28, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 13, k26, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 13, brp, p1.
Row 24 (DS, DC): Sl, p28, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 13, p26, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 13, yf sl1yo, p1.

Row 25 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 12, brk, p28, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 14, p27.
Row 25 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 12, yf sl1yo, k28, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 14, k26, p1.

Row 26 (DS LC): Sl, k26, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 14, k28, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 12, brp, p1.
Row 26 (DS, DC): Sl, p26, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 14, p28, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 12, yf sl1yo, p1.

Row 27 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 11, brk, p30, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 15, p25.
Row 27 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 11, yf sl1yo, k30, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 15, k24, p1.

Row 28 (DS LC): Sl, k24, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 15, k30, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 11, brp, p1.
Row 28 (DS, DC): Sl, p24, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 15, p30, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 11, yf sl1yo, p1.

Rows 29-30: repeat rows 27-28.

Row 31 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 10, brk, p32, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 16, p23.
Row 31 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 10, yf sl1yo, k32, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 16, k22, p1.

Row 32 (DS LC): Sl, k22, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 16, k32, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 10, brp, p1.
Row 32 (DS, DC): Sl, p22, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 16, p32, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 10, yf sl1yo, p1.

Rows 33-34: repeat rows 31-32.

Row 35 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 9, brk, p34, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 17, p21.
Row 35 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 9, yf sl1yo, k34, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 17, k20, p1.

Row 36 (DS LC): Sl, k20, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 17, k34, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 9, brp, p1.
Row 36 (DS, DC): Sl, p20, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 17, p34, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 9, yf sl1yo, p1.

Rows 37-40: repeat rows 35-36.

Row 41 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 8, brk, p36, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 18, p19.
Row 41 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 8, yf sl1yo, k36, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 18, k18, p1.

Row 42 (DS LC): Sl, k18, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 18, k36, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 8, brp, p1.
Row 42 (DS, DC): Sl, p18, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 18, p36, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 8, yf sl1yo, p1.

Rows 43-64: repeat rows 41-42.

Row 65 (LS LC): Repeat row 35.
Row 65 (LS DC): Repeat row 35.

Row 66 (DS LC): Repeat row 36.
Row 66 (DS, DC): Repeat row 36.

Rows 67-70: repeat rows 65-66.

Row 71 (LS LC): Repeat row 31.
Row 71 (LS DC): Repeat row 31.

Row 72 (DS LC): Repeat row 32.
Row 72 (DS, DC): Repeat row 32.

Rows 73-74: repeat rows 71-72.

Row 75 (LS LC): Repeat row 27.
Row 75 (LS DC): Repeat row 27.

Row 76 (DS LC): Repeat row 28.
Row 76 (DS, DC): Repeat row 28.

Rows 77-80: repeat rows 75-76.

Row 81 (LS LC): Repeat row 25.
Row 81 (LS DC): Repeat row 25.

Row 82 (DS LC): Repeat row 26.
Row 82 (DS, DC): Repeat row 26.

Row 83 (LS LC): Repeat row 23.
Row 83 (LS DC): Repeat row 23.

Row 84 (DS LC): Repeat row 24.
Row 84 (DS, DC): Repeat row 24.

Row 85 (LS LC): Repeat row 21.
Row 85 (LS DC): Repeat row 21.

Row 86 (DS LC): Repeat row 22.
Row 86 (DS, DC): Repeat row 22.

Row 87 (LS LC): Repeat row 19.
Row 87 (LS DC): Repeat row 19.

Row 88 (DS LC): Repeat row 20.
Row 88 (DS, DC): Repeat row 20.

Row 89 (LS LC): Repeat row 17.
Row 89 (LS DC): Repeat row 17.

Row 90 (DS LC): Repeat row 18.
Row 90 (DS, DC): Repeat row 18.

Row 91 (LS LC): Repeat row 15.
Row 91 (LS DC): Repeat row 15.

Row 92 (DS LC): Repeat row 16.
Row 92 (DS, DC): Repeat row 16.

Row 93 (LS LC): Repeat row 13.
Row 93 (LS DC): Repeat row 13.

Row 94 (DS LC): Repeat row 14.
Row 94 (DS, DC): Repeat row 14.

Row 95 (LS LC): Repeat row 1.
Row 95 (LS DC): Repeat row 1.

Row 96 (DS LC): Repeat row 2.
Row 96 (DS, DC): Repeat row 2.

Rows 97-108: repeat rows 95-96.

Cast off.


Finishing

Weave in ends. Block.

Enjoy!