Free Knitting Pattern with Brioche Stitch: Dots'N Dashes Cowl
Updated: Jan 15
Ready for some fun brioche knitting that's beginner friendly? Look no further than the Dots'N Dashes Cowl. If you're new to brioche, let me assure you that two-color brioche in the round is the EASIEST way to get familiar with the technique. This pattern is surprisingly simple give the complex-looking result, and you'll be able to grow your confidence in brioche in no time.
Maybe you're not new to brioche. Maybe you're an old hand at it -- well, then this is also for you! You can make a useful squish to add to your wardrobe while enjoying the energizing fun of brioche knit, with very little need to focus on the pattern, just let it take you away!
Find the way you like to wear it best, folded down for more neck warmth, or straight up across your face to cut the wind, or just squish it down on your neck in a hurry; it'll all look good, because, well, it's BRIOCHE!
This cowl is available in four different sizes, so you can make one for everyone. Make sure to use cast-ons and bind-offs that have plenty of stretch, since the body is super duper stretchy and gives a lot more room than the stitch count might lead you to believe.
I know I mentioned in the email that I sent earlier this week that I would have some tutorial photos. I was working on it and found out that a tutorial video is even better, but I'm struggling to get all the editing done in time, so for now I just have the pattern. The tutorial video will be up as soon as I can manage.
Materials:
Caron’s Simply Soft yarn in 2 colors:
Color A - 1 Skein 6oz, 315 yds
Color B - 1 Skein 6oz, 315 yds
I made two samples for this pattern, one in a child's size and one in adult women's. The child's size used "Purple Ombre" and "Cool Green" Caron Simply Soft; the adult women's used "Black" and "Strawberry" Caron Simply Soft. There are so many colorways in the Simply Soft yarn, including solids, speckle, ombre, glitter. The
yarn can be found here.
Tools and Notions:
-U.S. size 8/5mm in 16” circular knitting needles, DPNs, or long circular using the Magic Loop Method
-Yarn needle
-Stitch marker(optional)
Gauge:
14 stitches and 23 rows = 4"x4" square
Brioche is very stretchy, so getting an exact measurement on gauge can be tricky. Unless you intend to use it to fit snuggly over your face as a gaiter, you can err on the side of a slightly bigger gauge without problems. Going smaller will make fit difficult as the cast-off and cast-on edges will be snug to pull over your head.
Finished Size:
Child: 7" wide and 9" long
Teen: 8" wide and 10.5" long
Women: 8.5" wide and 11" long
Men: 9" wide and 11.5" long
Abbreviations:
There are four available sizes. Differences on how many repeats or stitches are needed for the four sizes will be denoted as XS (S, M, L) where XS is for the child size, S is for the teen size, M is for the women's size, and L is for the men's size. If it says repeat 17 (18, 19, 20) and you are making a teen size, you will repeat it 18 times.
CO: Cast on/BO: Bind off
K: Knit
Sl1yo: Slip the next stitch while also doing a yarn-over
Brk: Brioche knit stitch
Brp: Brioche purl stitch
ST(S): Stitch(es)
RS: Right side
Directions
SECTION 1: Setup: With Color A and U.S. size 8/5mm needles, CO 50 (56, 60, 64) STS. Join for knitting in the round, being sure not to twist the stitches, and place a stitch marker to denote the beginning of the round. You may choose to go without the stitch marker because two-color brioche has its own natural markers at the beginning of the round made by the working tail that's not being used, but I like to use them because it make it more foolproof.
Round 1 - Color B: (k1, sl1yo) repeat across
Round 2 - Color A: (sl1yo, brp) repeat across
Round 3 - Color B: (brk, sl1yo) repeat across
--Repeat Rounds 2-3 for 15 (17, 19, 20) more times.
--You should be able to count 17 (19, 21, 22) stitches in the brioche rib on the RS.
SECTION 2:
(Note that in Section 1 you switched colors after each round. In Section 2 you will be knitting two rounds in the each color before switching to the other color.)
Round 4 - Color A: (sl1yo, brp) repeat across
Round 5 - Color A: (brk, sl1yo) repeat across
Round 6 - Color B: (sl1yo, brp) repeat across
Round 7 - Color B: (brk, sl1yo) repeat across
--Repeat Rounds 4-7 for 16 (20, 20, 22) more times.
--You should be able to count 18 (22, 22, 24) stitches in the brioche rib since the color change from Section 1.
SECTION 3:
(Now when you go in to the repeats for Rounds 9-10, you go back to switching colors each round, but you will be using the opposite colors in the front and back as Section 1.)
Round 8 - Color A: (sl1yo, brp) repeat across
Round 9 - Color A: (brk, sl1yo) repeat across
Round 10 - Color B: (sl1yo, brp) repeat across
--Repeat Rounds 9-10 for 16 (18, 19, 20) more times.
--You should be able to count 17 (19, 21, 22) stitches in the brioche rib since the color change from Section 2.
Cast off in Color B. Be sure to use a very stretchy cast-off, especially when making a child's size.
With yarn needle, weave in ends. Block if desired.
