Stretch Your Skills with This Brioche Shawl Knitting Pattern

I usually post knitting patterns that are relatively easy, not necessarily because I expect my audience is mostly beginners, but because knitters of all skill levels can potentially enjoy projects on the easier end of the skill level scale, especially when they have interesting design elements or details.

But every now and then I come across a pattern that’s decidedly not easy but is just so pretty I can’t resist sharing it for people who have those skills or want to learn those skills. (Remember: skill levels in knitting patterns do have specific meanings, but any pattern is doable as long as you can learn the skills involved.)

This is one of those “not easy but totally worth it” kinds of knitting patterns.

The String of Pearls shawl from Padma R. is a top down triangular shawl worked in brioche stitches in three colors. It also features cables and lace, but the designer has worked hard to make it approachable.

She notes in the pattern description on Ravelry that there are no complex cast ons or bind offs (though the bind off does include bobbles, there’s an option that doesn’t use them if you prefer). She also notes that shaping and patterning only occur on light color, right side rows, which leaves a lot of resting rows where nothing complicated is going on.

In addition, the pattern includes a 19-page photo tutorial to help you through the tricky bits, so it’s actually a good introduction to doing lace and cables in brioche (it’s a good idea to be familiar with brioche knitting and two-color brioche before you take this one on, though).

And while the name sounds like it was inspired by, well, pearls, the design was actually inspired by a plant called the string of pearls, which is a succulent that grows like a vine with round leaves that look like pearls. So fun!

You can grab a copy of this pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Padma R.]

Next Pattern:

If you’re looking for a fun project to play with brioche knitting, check out the My Buddy knitting pattern/recipe from Casuarinagirl on Ravelry.

This project doesn’t include a brioche tutorial, so it’s good to know the basics, including how to increase and decrease, but you can always practice on a swatch before you start the project if you want.

The design is meant to be flexible for the yarn you have and what size and shape of project you want to make, from a skinny neck scarf to a asymmetrical triangle or a more classic triangular shape.

The shape you end up with will depend on how often you increase (and then decrease on the other side). The pattern mentions increasing every fourth, fifth or six row (and the one shown increases and decreases every sixth row) but you can do it even more or less often depending on the shape you’re looking for an how much yarn you want to use.

You can work to whatever depth you would like, or use almost half of the yarn you have set aside for the project and begin decreasing.

When it comes to yarn, she used three strands of yarn held together to make a super fluffy shawl, but you can work it with whatever yarn and needles you like to make a wrap that’s all your own.

If you are new to brioche (or to increasing and decreasing in brioche) it might be a good idea to make a little scarf or head wrap first before diving in to the bigger pattern, just so you’re more comfortable with the technique. Or just give it a go; nothing about brioche knitting is that difficult. (But you might want to use a lifeline because I find brioche hard to rip out or fix mistakes in properly.)

You can grab the free pattern for the Buddy Wrap on Ravelry.

[Photo: Casuarinagirl]

Next Pattern:

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