If you are after a squishy stitch pattern for a warm textured hat or some other seamless project, consider checkered brioche—the easiest variation of brioche stitch with all the benefits of this amazing pattern and none of the confusion.
We’ve already discussed a way to add this stitch pattern to a project worked flat.
If you missed that tutorial, you can read it over here.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
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Now, let’s see how we can knit checkered brioche in the round.
SETUP
Cast on an even number of stitches using long-tail cast on or any other method that forms a sturdy edge.
Arrange the stitches for working in the round on double-pointed needles, one short circular needle, two circular needles, or, if you are like me, on one long circular needle and the magic loop method.
ROUND 1
1.1. Make a regular yarn over, then slip one stitch purlwise with the yarn at the back of the work.
If you hold yarn in your left hand, you can make this step faster and easier when you place the yarn on top of the left needle, then insert the right needle from right to left into the first stitch from the tip of the left needle.
Take the left needle out to slip this stitch to the right needle and turn the strand into a yarn over, all in one simple move.
1.2. Bring the yarn to the front of the work, being careful not to undo the yarn over, and purl one stitch.
Repeat steps 1.1 and 1.2 to the end of the round.
ROUND 2
This is a round of (almost) plain knitting.
2.1. Knit the stitch + yarn over duo together as one stitch.
2.2. Knit one stitch. It will be a solo stitch that is not accompanied by a yarn over.
Repeat steps 2.1 and 2.2 to the end of the round.
ROUND 3
This round is very similar to the first round of the pattern repeat, but to form a checkered pattern, we’ll switch the instructions and purl a stitch before we make a yarn over and slip one stitch.
3.1. Purl one stitch.
3.2. Make a yarn over and slip one stitch purlwise with the yarn at the back of the work, just as we did in step 1.1.
Repeat these two simple steps to the end of the round.
As you rearrange stitches for working the next round, keep an eye on the last yarn over. Because it is not secured, it can easily unravel. Don’t let it happen!
ROUND 4
In the last round of the pattern repeat, we relax and knit every solo stitch, and we knit each pair of stitch + yarn over together.
4.1. Knit one stitch.
4.2. Knit the next stitch together with the yarn over that accompanies it.
Repeat steps 4.1 and 4.2 to the end of the round.
Work rounds 1 through 4 as necessary to add this gorgeous textured pattern to your seamless knits.
Here are the short round-for-round instructions for this lovely stitch pattern:
Round 1: [yarn over, slip 1 with yarn in back, purl 1], repeat the brackets to the end of the round.
Round 2: [knit 2 together (yarn over + stitch), knit 1], repeat the brackets to the end of the round.
Round 3: [purl 1, yarn over, slip 1 with yarn in back], repeat the brackets to the end of the round.
Round 4: [knit 1, knit 2 together (yarn over + stitch)], repeat the brackets to the end of the round.
HERE’S A VIDEO TUTORIAL THAT SHOWS EVERY STEP
When it is time to bind off stitches, do it in round 2 or round 4 of the pattern repeat. Before you pass one stitch over the other as you bind off, knit all solo stitches, and knit each duo of a stitch + a yarn over together as one stitch.
SAVE IT FOR LATER
This and 31 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #8.
