Happy Seamstress » Techniques

Two-Colour Brioche Stitch

Ilana — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:49:48 +0000

Brioche stitch refers not to the french pastry, delicious as it may be, but to a family of stitch patterns that include slipped stitches knit together with yarn-overs to make a squishy, stretchy and extra-thick fabric. What I will show you today is called the two-colour brioche rib, also known as the Shaker rib, English rib, or Fisherman’s rib. It resembles regular knit one, purl one ribbing, but the purl stitches are in a different colour than the knit stitches. It’s great for hats, scarves and sweaters, and when done in two neutral colours, it’s a great stitch pattern for men’s garments. Though I have not read it myself, I hear that Nancy Marchant’s Knitting Brioche is an excellent reference, with a good bit of history, a thorough description of the technique, and some really nice patterns.

The technique I’ll be showing you here is for flat-knitted pieces, but it’s easily converted to patterns knit in the round, and I’ll explain how at the end. Also, I will refer to the two colours as the main colour (MC) and the complementary colour (CC). In the photos, the MC is green and the CC is purple.

Step 1Casting on

Cast on an uneven number of stitches onto a double-pointed or circular needle with the MC yarn. This will allow you to have a selvage stitch at each end so you don’t have to do yarn-overs at the end of a row, which can be awkward. The reason that you have to cast on with a double-pointed or circular needle is that you’ll essentially be knitting each row twice with each colour, and so will need to push the stitches to the end of the needle every other row.

Step 2Attaching the CC

Turn your work and knit the first stitch with the CC. Bring the yarn to the front of your work and then slip the next stitch. You will then do a yarn-over, but it will be placed in such a way that it is draped over the stitch you just slipped (see picture). Knit the next stitch. Continue in this manner until all the stitches have been worked.

Step 3Working the first row with the MC

Now, push all the stitches to the other end of the needle, where the MC is hanging. Knit the first stitch, and then purl together the slipped stitch and yarn-over. Bring the yarn to the front and slip the next stitch (this is the CC stitch that was knit in the previous step), and then do a yarn-over in the same manner as in the previous step. Continue in this manner to the last stitch, and knit it.

Step 4Continuing the pattern

Turn your work. Now working with the CC, slip the first stitch (to make a nice selvage edge) and slip the next stitch and yarn-over, as was done for the previous row. Purl the slipped stitch and yarn-over together, and continue this pattern to the end of the row, knitting the last stitch. You can now start to see the pattern emerge: on this side of the work, the MC appears in knit columns while the CC shows up as purl columns. On the other side of the fabric, the opposite pattern emerges.

Now, slide the stitches to the other end of the needle, and with the MC, slip the first stitch and knit the next slipped stitch and yarn-over together. Then slip the next stitch and yarn-over. Again, continue in this manner to end of the row, knitting the last stitch.

Step 5The right side for the CC

Turn your work, and with CC, slip the first stitch (I knit it in the picture, but that shouldn’t change much), and slip the next stitch and yarn-over. Then knit the next slipped stitch and yarn-over together. Work in this way until the end of the row and knit the last stitch.

Slipping all the stitches to the other end of the needle, pick up the MC and slip the first stitch. Purl the slipped stitch and yarn-over together, and then slip the next stitch and yarn-over. Continue the pattern to the end of the row and knit the last stitch.

Step 6Working the pattern to completion

Repeat steps 4 and 5 until your piece is as long as you want it to be. If you forget where you are in the pattern, look at the rows below the one you’re working and determine if you’re on the side where the MC or the CC appears as knit columns. If the MC appears that way, then you’re on step 4 and if the CC appears that way, then you’re on step 5. Also, remember that for each row, you knit with the CC first, and the MC second.

Step 7Binding off

Binding off is as simple as it would be for knit one, purl one ribbing. Work in pattern to the end of the row with the CC, but when you slip the stitches to the other end of the needle to work with the MC, instead just knit the knit stitches and purl the purled stitches, binding off normally (by working 2 stitches and then passing the first stitch over the second). That is, work the slipped stitches and yarn-overs together normally, but instead of slipping the next stitch and doing a yarn-over, just knit or purl that stitch, depending on where you are in the pattern.

Taking the technique further

After you’ve completed your inaugural brioche stitch scarf (or maybe just a swatch), you’ll probably want to try some more advanced techniques.

I mentioned at the beginning of this article that it’s also possible to do brioche stitch in the round. To do this, you must cast on an even number of stitches (instead of the uneven number as when you knit flat) and join them in the round on double-pointed or circular needles. After the set-up rounds, you then only work step 4, and forgo the selvage stitches. This Two-Color Brioche Hat by Yana Ivey shows off this technique quite nicely, and also shows how you can do decreases with brioche stitch.

Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s also possible to do much more intricate designs, as can be seen in Nancy Marchant’s Rodekool, a cute little keyhole scarf. Here she uses increases and decreases to create something like “brioche lace”, and the contrasting yarn colours make the design really pop. She also uses the “separate but connected layers” quality of brioche stitch to create the keyhole. It’s a very interesting construction! This pattern also shows how amazing brioche stitch can look with yarns that have long colour variations.

I do hope you try out this very fun technique, and if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!

Knit Button Placket

Joanna — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 16:40:30 +0000

Since releasing my Legend of Baby Link pattern a couple of years ago, a bunch of you have written to me asking for help with adding the button placket to the back of the tunic. Message boards about the pattern on Ravelry include more than a few comments from people generally confused about the pattern, but especially about adding the button placket. Well, what can I say? It was the first knitting pattern I ever wrote. Looking back now I can see how it would be easy to find some of the instructions confusing. Well, I love you guys and want you to enjoy using my patterns, so I will be re-releasing a new-and-improved (and still free!) Baby Link pattern soon. The new edition of the pattern will be written more like a standard knitting pattern, will be easier to follow, and will include better instructions for some of the trickier parts.

In the meantime, I’m posting this tutorial for the button placket. You could also use this technique for any garment that is knit in the round…it doesn’t work for flat items knit back and forth, and would also not work if you want to insert a placket above the point where you divide for the neck or sleeves (although you can, of course, divide for a neck or sleeves after establishing the placket overlap). I don’t know that this is an “official” technique for creating button plackets; it’s just a technique I came up with myself while making the original Baby Link outfit. I like how it keeps everything in one piece and without any need for seaming a separate piece. That being said, if you have a different way you prefer to make button plackets that would totally work too!

Step 1: Establish the placket strip

Let’s assume your button placket will be 6 stitches wide (as it is on the Baby Link tunic). When you get to 3 stitches away from the center of the button opening (i.e. half the width of the placket) purl for 6 stitches (or however many stitches wide your placket will be).

Step 2: Turn and work the wrong side

At this point, you will no longer be working in the round. Turn your work, and purl all stitches (or if you’re not making the Baby Link tunic, work a wrong side row in keeping with your knitting pattern). Keep going until you reach the first stitch you purled in the last round, in Step 1.

Step 3: Pick up stitches for the underlap

While you’re still on the wrong side of the piece (after completing Step 2 above) pick up a stitch from each of the original placket stitches you purled in Step 1. To do this, just purl into any part of the original placket stitch from the wrong side.

When you’re done, you should have two lines of stitches overlapping each other, like this:

Step 4: Work the right side

Turn, and work a right side row. Work all the placket stitches in garter stitch (or whatever stitch pattern you’re using for your placket)

Step 5: Keep working back and forth

Keep working rows back and forth, with the placket stitches in garter stitch. Remember to add a button hole on the overlapping placket every few rows! After a while, you’ll see the placket start to take shape:

Easy-Peasy Bound Buttonholes

Joanna — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 04:18:30 +0000

Add couture quality to any jacket with these tailored buttonholes

Bound buttonholes look great and are very durable, and are the sort of detail you rarely see in store-bought clothing. Like gourmet cooking, it takes a bit longer but the results are well worth it—think of bound buttonholes as gourmet sewing. You wouldn’t put ketchup on a filet mignon, so why would you put flimsy zigzag buttonholes on a beautiful suit jacket you spent many hours lovingly sewing?

Bound buttonholes work best on tailored garments, especially jackets and coats. Shirts, blouses and other lightweight clothing don’t really suit bound buttonholes very well. As you’re following along with your jacket or coat pattern, start making the buttonholes before you put in the facing and lining, following these instructions up to Step 12. Then complete your jacket or coat and finish the buttonholes on the side of the jacket facing, following the rest of the instructions.

If this is your first time making bound buttonholes, I recommend trying it out using scrap fabric first so you can get a feel for it before you move on to the real thing. It’s easy to do, but it does take accuracy and a bit of finagling.

What You’ll Need

A jacket or coat, without the facing and lining put in yet OR a scrap of fabric and scrap of fusible interfacing to practice with
Sharp scissors
A clear ruler gridded in 1/8″ increments
(a regular ruler will do in a pinch, but a clear gridded ruler is much, much easier to use)
A small amount of fabric to bind the buttonholes (you will need about a 2″ by 1.5″ piece for each buttonhole you make, but the amount will vary slightly depending on the size of your buttons). You can use a piece of the main fabric to bind with, but I often like to use a contrasting fabric—you’ll be putting some extra effort into making these buttonholes, so let them stand out a little!
A ballpoint pen or sharp pencil
A small sharp hand sewing needle
The width of the buttons you plan to use

Step 1Interface the Fabric

Interface the front and front facing pieces of your jacket or coat with a lightweight fusible interfacing. Do this to both the left and right sides, as both the buttonholes and buttons themselves will benefit from the support. If you’re following along with these instructions using scrap fabric, interface your scrap. Also apply interfacing to the small piece of fabric you will use to bind the buttonhole.

Step 2Cut a patch out of the binding fabric

Cut out a rectangle from your binding fabric that is 1″ wider than your button and 1 1/2″ high.

Step 3Draw guide lines

Mark 5 horizontal lines on the interfaced side of your main fabric, each 1/8″ apart. The middle line (#3 in the photo) will end up being the opening of the buttonhole, so keep that in mind. Mark the exact width of your button with vertical lines—these lines will determine the location of the left and right edges of the buttonhole.

Step 4Mark the Sides

Use pins to mark both of the vertical lines you drew in Step 3. Flip the fabric over, and use the pins visible from the right side to center your patch of binding fabric (interfaced side up, right sides together) on the right side of the main fabric. Pin the patch to the main fabric.

Step 5Baste the Fold Lines

Machine baste along the top and bottom lines (lines #1 and #5 in the Step 3 photo). Be careful to keep your stitching straight and accurate.

Step 6Press the binding fabric

On the right side, fold the sides of the binding along the basting stitches and press.

Step 7Sew the binding

On the marked/interfaced side, stitch using a regular machine stitch on the two lines next to the basting stitches (lines #2 and #4 in the Step 3 photo).

Carefully to stitch along the line, and use the hand wheel to start and stop exactly at the vertical lines. Carefully backstitch for one or two stitches at the beginning and end, and make sure not to fold back the other side of the binding as you sew.Accuracy is very important here—if you don’t stitch exactly on this line, or don’t start and stop exactly at the vertical lines, you will end up with a crooked buttonhole.

When you’re done, this is what it should look like on the right side:

Step 8Remove the Basting

Remove the basting stitches you made in Step 5. You may be able to simply pull the threads out. If not, use a stitch ripper and remove the thread bits as best as you can.

Step 9Cut the binding fabric

On the right side, cut the binding fabric between the stitching. Do not cut the main fabric at this point (or the sewing police will come after you!).

Step 10Cut the buttonhole

OK, now you can cut the main fabric. Cut a slit across the middle and a diagnoal snip into each corner as shown by the dotted line. Make sure that each “V” made by the corner snips is at least 3/8″ wide to make the next step easy. Be careful not to cut into the folded parts of the binding fabric on the other side, and make sure to cut right up to but not beyond the corners. If you don’t, your finished buttonhole may have a “pulled” look in the corners.

Step 11Turn the binding

Pull all the binding fabric to the wrong side, and press flat while keeping the buttonhole square (well, rectangular of course, but you know what I mean!).

Step 12Finish sewing the binding

Fold the main fabric back, and make sure the triangle (formed from snipping into the corners in Step 10) is visible. If it isn’t, it’s probably still on the other side and needs to be pulled through. Sew along the “base” of the triangle and both strips of binding fabric, as shown by the dotted line in the photo. Keep everything straight and square as you sew. Repeat for the other side.

Stop

Are you making a jacket or coat? If so, stop here. Complete sewing your jacket or coat, then follow the rest of the steps to finish the buttonhole on the facing side.

Are you following the tutorial with scrap fabric? If your scrap of fabric is large enough, fold it over to cover the back of the buttonhole to simulate a facing. If not, get another scrap of fabric to use as a facing. Apply fusible interfacing to your “facing”, and continue with the rest of the steps.

Step 13Baste the buttonhole

On the right side, hand or machine baste around the outer edges of the buttonhole as accurately as you can. If machine basting, use the hand wheel as you approach the corners in order to mark them precisely.

Step 15Clip the Facing

Using the basing lines as a guide, clip the facing as shown (the same way you clipped the buttonhole
in Step 10). Make sure you clip right up to the corners, and be careful not to cut the binding or front fabric. Remove the basting.

Step 16Fold and press the facing

Fold back the facing to match the perimeter of the buttonhole binding, and press with an iron.

Step 17Sew the Facing

Thread a hand sewing needle with thread that matches your main fabric as closely as possible. Slipstitch all around the buttonhole opening in the facing, to attach the facing to the binding. Catch only the top layer of the facing with the thread, so that no stitches are visible on the right side.

You’re done!

Now you never need to use boring automatic buttonholes on your jackets and coats every again. Woot!

Pretty Lace Hem Tutorial

Joanna — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:15:24 +0000

I used this technique for the hem of the lining of a skirt I made this weekend. It’s really easy to do, it looks really pretty, and it adds no bulk to the hem. It adds a charming vintage look, and I think it would be great on just about any dress or skirt lining hem, or use a nice silk lace for the hem of a gorgeous silk charmeuse slip or nightgown. Most recently I used this technique to finish the hem of the lining of this skirt. The best part of this technique is that the lace edge is so soft, you don’t notice as much if the hem is a bit crooked.

What You’ll Need

Something lightweight that needs hemming (like a skirt lining or slip)
Enough ½ inch–1 inch wide lightweight lace to go all the way around the hem, plus 1 inch
Scissors
Thread to match the colour of your lace

Step 1Pin the Lace to the Hem

You should have at least a ½–1 inch hem allowance, and it’s easiest if your hem allowance exactly matches the width of your lace (that way you can just pin the lace all around with the bottom edge matching the bottom of your hem allowance). Otherwise just pin the lace keeping in mind that the bottom edge of the lace will be the bottom of your hem. When you get back to the beginning, overlap the lace by about 1 inch.

If you’re making this hem for a skirt or dress lining, it’s usually best to make the lining about ½ inch shorter than the dress hem, just to make it look neat and tidy from the outside.

Step 2Sew on the Lace

Using a short and narrow zigzag stitch, sew the lace to the hem along the top edge all the way around.

Step 3Trim the Hem

Fold the lace back along the zigzag stitching, and cut as close as possible along that line without cutting the stitching or lace. When you’re done, stitch over both ends of the overlap with the same narrow zigzag stitch.