How to increase the brioche stitch - in one color, two colors, or in the round

A step by step tutorial on brioche stitch increases - in one color, two colors, and in the round
►►► VIEW THE FULL TUTORIAL HERE: nimble-needles.com/stitches/h...
Increasing the Brioche stitch (here's how to knit it: nimble-needles.com/stitches/h...) is actually quite simple once you realized this stitch is a form of double knitting and you need to increase the front and back at the same time via a double increase.
Step 1: Knit up until a double stitch
Step 2: K2tog that stitch but keep it on the needle
Step 3: Add a yarn over
Step 4: K2tog into the same double stitch one more time; drop the stitch
Step 5: On the return round, you have to knit the middle stitch of the three stitches. You cannot k2tog that stitch or you would mess up the pattern.
Naturally, you can also increase the 2-colored brioche stitch. The actual increase is knit in the exact same way, so k2tog, yo, k2tog into the same stitch. But you can only do this increase in a knit row of the main color. And as you knit across the increase in the second color, you need to purl (not p2tog) the middle stitch. You also need to take care that this increase will not be reversible.
You can increase the brioche stitch using the same method in the round as well
And of course, you can also do a double increase for each of these techniques by knitting k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog into the same stitch.
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[@MissAryanaChan]

The greatest mystery of the 21th century now very clearly explained, thank you so much!

[@NimbleNeedles]

Make sure to comment with your questions. And let me know if I'm the only one who can't say "Brioche Stitch" two times in a row ;-) ;-)

[@219BakerStreet]

Thank you so much for showing how to handle the "wrong" side of the brioche stitch increase. You are the only tutorial I've found that does this!

[@NimbleNeedles]

Happy to hear I could be of help. I always try to dig deep because that is what I am looking for myself 😊❤

[@jenniferjones-ei8rg]

So helpful, thank you! I can't say how many times I had to tink the return row until you explained it!

[@user-qy4bz9vj1j]

Very good explanation of increasing in the brioche stitch and knitting it on the other side. Thank you!

[@catblues8645]

Thank you for your German thoroughness (I'm a fellow German) in showing the back row / contrast colour row as well!

[@NimbleNeedles]

gerne :)

[@randommusings48]

Thanks for showing what to do in the return row. Took me a while to find one on youtube so thank you!

[@rachelchudley1527]

You’re right ! Only tutorial that covers the reverse side ! Sooo helpful 👏👍👏👏

[@glitterykatie1712]

THANK YOU! I have been struggling to work out the return side of a Brioche increase, you are the first person to explain it and so clearly too!

[@NimbleNeedles]

Glad I could help!

[@hannaniedermann6131]

thanks for showing all these possibilities in one short tutorial --- very helpful. greetings from berlin, germany

[@pixiecharina397]

Thank you Norman for a thorough explanation of how to increase the brioche stitch, especially on how to work on the increase stitch on the reverse side! I've been searching for info on how to handle the new increase stitches on the reverse side and only you have been intuitive enough to know that many wouldn't know how to do this. Kudos!!! To remind myself to address the increases on the reverse side because it can get quite confusing 🤣, I've added a small metal bulb stitch marker every time right after I've made set of increase stitches. 👍 Many thanks again ❤❤❤

[@lynnvan2077]

Thank you, this was a great help. I had been able to do ordinary brioche but when I was doing an increase I kept going wrong because I hadn't seen how to do the return row. I had been getting so frustrated. 😍

[@apcatarino2708]

Such an amazing explanation. Brioche is really challenging, and even though I’m a pretty experienced knitter, I was almost giving up. Thank you😊

[@danpowell2018]

Thanks to much for these videos! I find your videos so much more easily understandable than other tutorials! Your channel is definitely my go-to for knitting technique.

[@NimbleNeedles]

Great to hear!

[@enricaapparuti2848]

Thank you so much! Now I will be able to increase in the sleeves of my brioche sweather. Very helpful tutorial

[@martinafox5696]

Agree with BakerStreet , thank you so much. I spent 2 days trying until I found this video. Brioche is nice, but too thick. Although, very inspiring and full of options. Thank U once again. 🤩

[@ariannatrapani5824]

Your videos are always a joy to watch and the instructions are very clear and detailed because you don't presume the viewer knows already it all. Besides as a non English mother speaker it's more easy for me to understand you :)

[@NimbleNeedles]

I am so happy to hear that Arianna. Thank you for your lovely feedback! :)

[@nicoleyahc]

I just found your channel in the last month or so and I wanted to leave a little comment to say how much I appreciate your explanations of how knitting techniques work! It is a much greater help to memorize these techniques when I understand why it works (vs a basic demonstration without the mechanics behind it being described). Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness!

[@NimbleNeedles]

very happy to hear my way of teaching works so well for you

[@christinejohansson3964]

@stickklar Thank you so much for showing how to handle the "wrong" side of the brioche stitch increase. Have a nice day. Sincerely 🌷 Christine

[@kathleenbeesley3539]

thank you! Your explainations are always so clear and complete! Love your channel!

[@suzannejones5992]

Another brilliant tutorial, thank you.

[@unasigtryggsdottir7440]

Thank you for this perfect explanation! It really helped!

[@NimbleNeedles]

Hey hey, I am glad it it!

[@boops1192]

Norman, Thank you 🙏🏻 so very kindly for your time and effort in teaching such clear, accurate information. Because of your videos, my husband now wants to learn to knit! I’m so excited for him to join us all in this journey and begin his yarn addiction 😂 He is starting by helping me stash bust my own collection and remnants.

[@NimbleNeedles]

how very exciting!

[@annalovescrafting]

Thanks for this video! Very helpful 🙏🏼

[@koosverheul6474]

Thank you again Norman.

[@yliberal6355]

Excellent tutorial, thank you Norman.

[@NimbleNeedles]

Thank you! Always glad to be of help! 😎

[@Alittlebitfarm]

thank you!

[@mariaedgren8242]

🎉🎉 thank you!!!!

[@jongoh3554]

Love you!

[@NimbleNeedles]

glad you like this tutorial so much :)

[@claudiajara8026]

thank you so much!

[@NimbleNeedles]

You're welcome, Claudi!

[@moniqueyung2088]

Thanks!

[@NimbleNeedles]

you are very welcome, Monique! thank you for supporting my work

[@lindahughes9360]

Thank you. Your video is very easy to follow. I have a project that switches from a garder stitch and starting the next section brioche with no set up rows. Any video on that?

[@NimbleNeedles]

hm...well if it's a pattern I'd stick to that. brioche and garter stitch will have a different gauge. So, if you do a setup row the rest would probably be too stretchy. I dunno..would have to toy around myself and I don't have the time for that currently.

[@user-vl4oy6nb3e]

You were so right. Every tutorial shows the stitch but not the return. Thank you so much for this clear explanation and demonstration. The pattern I'm working on says to increase the way you showed at the beginning of the round, but when I am 3 stitches away from the center the instructions say to brpl p1. brpl. How does this return get knitted with the brioche increase and stay in pattern? Thank you so much once again.

[@NimbleNeedles]

i am not quite sure I understand the question. sorry.

[@michelebovero5286]

Norman, thank you for explaining this so clearly. What do you do the return round for Half Brioche?

[@NimbleNeedles]

Go to my blog. I have a tutorial on half brioche there

[@noriskern7385]

I love your videos because they show the reason behind every move. My question would be: when transitioning from brioche to stockinette, how do we compensate for the width difference between these two fabrics? Should we increase stitches and when/where should we do it?

[@NimbleNeedles]

weeeelll...one could argue that you simply don't. But here's the thing. Brioche is a form of (sloppy) double knitting. So, in theory you would have to decrease every second stitch. but there are two buts :P - brioche is, as I said, sloppy, so the stockinette stitch on each side (what appears to look like ribs) is stretchier than normal stockinette stitch - due to the double-knitting process your gauge will also be much looser so, typically decreasing a third of the stitches is a good bet. but that's something you would hae to test with your individual gauge and yarn on a swatch

[@holdingmyown]

another great tutorial :) Do you have any plans on making your gift recommendations blog post into a video for the holidays?

[@NimbleNeedles]

I was considering it. But realistically speaking I won't have the time until it's too late. Right, now, i rather focus on my blog and new pattern. YT is more of a side-product. And such a guide, if done right, would probably take 6 hours or so to produce >.

[@sabbya.8112]

Would you consider doing an i cord episode. ?/ icord incorporated at the beginning of brioche so you knit the icord as you go. Thank you...

[@NimbleNeedles]

not sure what you mean exactly but I already got an episode on the icord bind off, and there's also one with cast-ons where I included icord cast-on.

[@koosverheul6474]

Dear Norman, Thank you so much yet again for this and many of your other tutorials. I agree with everyone here that it's brilliant that you thought to tell us about the return row, because I wouldn't have figured it out otherwise. I have another question related to brioche and increasing. It's this: Say you're making a shawl in two-colour brioche, and you're making i-cord edges. Both colors are incorporated in the i-cord, so it's a striped little fellow. I'm wondering if it would be possible to make regular, non-brioche increases right next to the i-cords. I keep thinking it must be possible but I can't seem to figure it out. How would you do it in such a way that you can then fall back into the brioche rhythm? I'm particularly interested in this because I think it would create a bit of 'breathing space' between the i-cord and the first brioche ridge. Whereas now, that first ridge is snugly adjacent to the i-cord, which means it doesn't stand out as much as I would like it to. I'm just having fun with this shawl really, I'm making it up as I go. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! Edit: I have no idea if there are multiple ways to knit an i-cord edge or whether that would make a difference, so here is the method I'm using: RS, main color: K3, brioche brioche brioche etc., sl3wyib RS, contrast color: K3, brioche brioche brioche etc., sl3wyib WS, main color: P3, brioche brioche brioche etc., sl3wyif P3, brioche brioche brioche etc., sl3wyif

[@NimbleNeedles]

I am not sure I understand this question. You can just do it like this Row 1: [icord] k1, KLL, sl1, yo, k2tog, And then you always treat the increase stitch in the next row/round the way you would a brioche stitch. So add a yarn over or just knit it (you can't knit it together,yet. Round 2: sl1, yo, p1, p1,[icord] Row 3: [icord], k1, KLL, sl1, yo, k2tog....etc

[@koosverheul6474]

@@NimbleNeedles That helps! I wasn't familiar with the KLL but it looks quite good. I was afraid of what would happen if I had only half a brioche stitch added, but it does work like you said. For the 'breathing space' between the striped i-cord and the first ridge, I needed a stitch that is always the contrast color on the right side. I tried last night to just add in one stitch between the i-cord and the first ridge and to only knit (or purl) that stitch with the contrast color. So when I'm working with the main color, I just slip it with the yarn on the wrong side. That way, the stitch gets 'worked' once every row but it shows just the contrast color on the right side. On the wrong side, it shows a tiny 'ladder' of the main color, which doesn't bother me at all. I'm quite happy with it now! It's very hard to explain all of this in text so I don't blame you for not being sure whether you understood the question. I guess that's why these videos are always so helpful, because you can actually see what's happening. I hope my rant about the colors here makes sense. If not, nevermind, I figured it out anyway! Have a happy day Norman.

[@NimbleNeedles]

@@koosverheul6474 it kinda does. But I had to test this myself to find a solution that works best in this case. And I don't have the time to do that :)

[@justplainamerican]

Thanks for your videos. I've subscribed. You might want to encourage others to do so, I think it helps you when we do. Your explanations of the why of things are helpful. My knitting bff sent me a link to your videos. I'll share and hope it helps you out. Happy knitting! I came across an Alternative br4stdec that doesn't require a cable needle. I can't figure out the instructions to do it. Do you know how? If you do I'd love a video of it and I'm sure others would too. I have the br4stdec figured out and it works great.

[@NimbleNeedles]

My next video will be aboutbruoche decreases and I'll try to tinker around a bit and see if I can give a good alternative ☺️ And so happy to hear you want to share my videos. It means a lot to someone who is just starting out here on youtube ☺️☺️

[@NimbleNeedles]

I hope you are reading this. I sat down and toyed around a bit and I think I found a truly ingenious way to decrease without a cable needle. I'll write a little blog post today, but will be recording a video at the soonest :)

[@justplainamerican]

@@NimbleNeedles Wow! I'll have to find your blog later. Thank you! This is way above and beyond.

[@dianabodin4743]

I´m on a brioche pattern for a cardigan right now and on my second round (it´s knitted flat), I´m supposed to increase. But the increase stitch is at a single-stitch, not a 2tog-stitch. What´s wrong, I can´t seem to figure it out? I start with 25 stitches on my starting row.

[@NimbleNeedles]

i wouldn't know. contact the designer? there are single increases as well and many other ways to knit the brioche stitch. some people also do it fisherman's rib style.

[@dianabodin4743]

@@NimbleNeedles Thank you for answering my comment :) I solved it eventually ^^

[@fatimaal-zuhairi7373]

Hello thanks so much for the useful explanation would please help me to explain for me some techniques for the different reduce when I am knitting a hat and before the end there is reduce if it is just knit in front and purl in the wrong side it is easy I know how to reduce it But Any shapes or types of stitches and colors, I cannot make a decrease so I need the technique Best regards Fatima

[@NimbleNeedles]

please don't ask the same question multiple times. Thank you. I will not answer spam.

[@fatimaal-zuhairi7373]

@@NimbleNeedles sorry I made a mistake thanks

[@fatimaal-zuhairi7373]

I already said sorry and I don’t need anything that is it

[@Korwinexile]

👍💯❤‍🔥

[@fatimaal-zuhairi7373]

I was supsI was subscriber with your channel but now I am unsubscribed

[@NimbleNeedles]

if you are looking for personal instant support for your knitting problems, I don't think you are right here on this channel. But maybe you will find it elsewhere. good luck to you

[@isabellaaruso]

Your videos are great! Unfortunately I cannot for the life of me find a video that shows PAST what you have shown here! How do I know what stitch to continue the increase on in the next row after what you’ve shown?? This brioche increase business is making me lose my mind 🫠 thank you for any help you can give me

[@NimbleNeedles]

oh...you mean as in stacking increases? well..you just follow the lines :) It works like a cable.

[@isabellaaruso]

@@NimbleNeedles thank you for your quick reply! Which line?? The new one I created or the old one I started following with the first one?

[@Ihaveplants]

@@isabellaaruso that entirely depends on your pattern and the kind of effect you want to create! :)

[@isabellaaruso]

@@Ihaveplants thank you! The pattern I’m following is translated from Norwegian and it’s been a nightmare to figure out.. says I should increase on the 16th stitch every time but the 16th stitch on every other increase falls on a single stitch instead of the knit stitch recommended so just losing my mind over here 😅