Reversible Brioche Sweater

Free Sweater Knitting Pattern

The sweater is knitted in two-color brioche stitch. Although the construction of it is a regular raglan seamless sweater, you have to be familiar with the two-color brioche technique. If you’ve never used it before, I suggest knitting a simpler project first (e.g. hat or cowl).

SIZE: S (M, L, XL, 2X, 3X)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 34 [38, 42, 46, 50, 54] inches (86 [96, 106, 117, 127, 137] cm)

MATERIALS
Patons Lace light fingering weight yarn (80% Acrylic, 10% Wool, 10% Mohair), 498 yards (455 meters)/85 grams, color Bonfire – 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 4) balls
Patons Lace light fingering weight yarn (80% Acrylic, 10% Wool, 10% Mohair), 498 yards (455 meters)/85 grams, color Antique – 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 4) balls
Stitch markers

Note about the yarn used for the sweater: although it is marketed as light fingering weight, it is closer to fingering or even to sport weight. If you are going to substitute the yarn, it might be better to go with a sport or fingering weight. Just make sure you achieve the gauge specified in the pattern.

Needles: 1 set of 24” circular US 2 (2.75  mm) OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE


GAUGE : 14 st x 22 rows = 4" x 4" (10 x 10 cm) for brioche st

Note, that 1 row of brioche consists of 1 row of DC and 1 row of LC

PATTERN NOTES

Abbreviations:
Please note that I use Nancy Marchant 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. You can also visit her website at http://www.briochestitch.com/

k – knit
p  - purl
sl – slip st
yo – yarn over
yf – yarn forward
yb – yarn back
sl1yof – slip 1, yarn over, yarn to front: with working yarn in front, slip the next stitch purlwise, then bring the yarn over the needle and the slipped stitch, then bring yarn back to the front, ready to purl the following stitch.
yfsl1yo - yarn forward, slip 1, yarn over: bring the working yarn under the needle 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 yarn over
brp – brioche purl: purl the stitch together with its yarn over
brkyobrk – brk1, yo, brk1: [brk1, yarn over (yarn over under needle, then over needle to back), brk1] in the same stitch. This is an increase of 2 stitches.
LS – light side
DS – dark side
LC – light color
DC- dark color

Two-Color Brioche Stitch in rows

Please note that one brioche row consists of 2 rows, one worked in LC and the other in DC. Both colors are worked in one direction, then the work is turned and both colors are worked in the other direction.

Odd number of stitches

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

Two-Color Brioche Stitch in rounds

Please note that one brioche round consists of 2 rounds, one worked in DC and the other in LC.

Set up row (LC): *k1, yfsl1yo, repeat from * to the end of the round. Bring the LC yarn forward and leave it hanging in front of the work.
Round 1 (DC):  yf, *sl1yof, brp1, repeat from * to the end of the round.  Bring the DC yarn back.
Round 1 (LC): yb, *brk1, yfsl1yo, repeat from * to the end of the round. Bring the LC yarn forward and leave it hanging in front of the work.
Repeat round 1 (DC and LC)

Selvedge Stitches

The 1st and last stitches of the pattern are selvedge stitches. Selvedge stitches are used to make the edges of the work even and smooth 2. You should slip the first stitch as if to knit and purl the last stitch. The selvedge stitches are not counted in the pattern unless otherwise specified.


Raglan

 The raglan sts are brp, in DC. Increases for raglan are made on each side of the raglan st every 4th row, since each increase is for 2 sts.

Sweater

The sweater is knitted in two-color brioche stitch top-down, in rows first, then in rounds, without seams, one round in DC followed by one round in LC. The LC is the “right” side of the sweater. However, the sweater is effectively reversible.


With LC, loosely cast on 41 (43, 49, 49, 51, 53) st. Work two-color brioche st in rows.
Divide stitches as follows: 1 selvedge st, 1 st (left front), 1 st (raglan line), 7 (7, 9, 9, 9, 9) sts (left sleeve), 1 st (raglan line), 19 (21, 23, 23, 25, 27) sts (back), 1 st (raglan line), 7 (7, 9, 9, 9, 9) sts (right sleeve), 1 st (raglan line), 1 st (right front), 1 selvedge st. Place markers on brk sts immediately before and after each raglan st. This is where the increases are to be worked.

Increase round (LC): work to the marked sts before the raglan st, * (brkyobrk, yfsl1yo) 2 times, repeat from * for every raglan st. You will increase by 4 sts at every raglan st.

Increase round (DC): work to the marked sts before the raglan st, *( sl1yo, p1, sl1yo, brp1) 2 times, repeat from * for every raglan st.

Work 10 rows increasing by 16 sts (4 at each raglan st) in every 4th row (or round).
At the same time increase by 2 sts at the beginning and the end of the row 2 times in rows 5 and 9.
Row 11: at the end of the row cast on 15 (17, 19, 19, 21, 23) st with the single cast on and continue to work in rounds.

Work 22 (22, 26, 34, 34, 38) more rows and continue to increase by 16 sts per round in every 4th round.

Work 16 (20, 20, 18, 20, 20) rounds, increasing by 2 sts at the back and front sides of the raglan sts every 4th row, but at the sleeve sides increase by 2 sts in every 8th row only.

Divide for sleeves
Transfer left sleeve sts to a length of yarn, cast on 6 (8, 10, 12, 14, 16) sts with single cast on for left underarm, work back sts, transfer right sleeve sts to a length of yarn, cast on 6 (8, 10, 12, 14, 16) sts with single cast on for right underarm and work front stitches.

Body
Work as established for 90 (92, 92, 92, 94, 94) rounds or to desired length. Bind off.


Sleeves

Sleeves worked in rounds on circular or double pointed needles.
Transfer sleeve sts from the yarn to the needles and pick up 6 (8, 10, 12, 14, 16) sts over the 6 (8, 10, 12, 14, 16) underarm sts. Work as established to desired sleeve length. The sleeves are meant to be without shaping to wrist.

Collar

Collar is worked in the rounds from the neckline out. The increases are worked on the back side (the back side becomes the front side of the collar)
Pick up 54 (56, 62, 62, 64, 66) sts along the neck line. Place marker on the middle brk of each sleeve. In the next DC row work brkyobrk on the marked st. Now continue to work the same increases as at the raglan line (2 sts on each brk) in every 4th row.
Work 52 more rounds making 13 increase or to desired length of the collar. Bind off

FINISHING
Weave in ends.