Brioche Steps Scarf

Free Scarf Knitting Pattern

The Brioche Steps Scarf is a beautiful and unique pattern that combines two-color brioche stitch and two-color garter stitch. This scarf is worked sideways, making it a great project for those who enjoy a change of pace from the traditional top-down or bottom-up methods.

The pattern features three shades of grey for the Light color, ranging from dark to light, and black for the Dark color. This creates a striking contrast that is sure to turn heads. The scarf is also reversible, adding versatility to your wardrobe and making it an excellent gift option.

If you are looking to learn the art of two-color brioche stitch, this pattern is an ideal starting point. The combination of brioche and garter stitches will keep your knitting skills sharp and provide you with a beautiful finished product. With its stylish design and ease of construction, the Brioche Steps Scarf is a must-have for any knitter's collection.

Skills required: To knit this scarf, you need to know how to knit/work 2-color brioche stitch and 2-color garter stitch.

Size: length 74” (185 cm), width 8” (20 cm)

Materials: Knit Picks (affiliate link) Wool of the Andes 100% wool worsted weight yarn 110 yards (101 meters) / 50 grams, color Cobblestone Heather – 1 skein. (LC1)
Knit Picks (affiliate link) Wool of the Andes 100% wool worsted weight yarn 110 yards (101 meters) / 50 grams, color Silver – 1 skein. (LC2)
Knit Picks (affiliate link) Wool of the Andes 100% wool worsted weight yarn 110 yards (101 meters) / 50 grams, color Dove Heather – 1 skein. (LC3)
Knit Picks (affiliate link) Wool of the Andes 100% wool worsted weight yarn 110 yards (101 meters) / 50 grams, color Coal – 3 skeins. (DC)

Needles: US 6 (4.0 mm) 47” (118 cm) circular needles OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge: 16 sts x 32 rows = 4" (10 cm) in garter stitch

Please note, that 1 row of brioche consists of 2 rows: 1 row of light color (LC) and 1 row of dark color (DC)

Abbreviations

Please note that I use Nancy Marchant's terminology for brioche stitch. I highly recommend her books Knitting Brioche: The Essential Guide to the Brioche Stitch and Knitting Fresh Brioche: Creating Two-Color Twists & Turns, as well as her lessons on craftsy.com.
yf - yarn forward: bring the yarn to the front, between the tips of the needles.
yb - yarn back: take the yarn to the back, between the tips of the needles.
yfsl1yo - yarn forward, slip 1, yarn over: bring the working yarn between the tips of the needles to front of work, slip the next stitch purlwise, then bring the yarn over the needle and the slipped stitch. Leave yarn in back, ready to knit the next stitch.
brk - brioche knit: knit the stitch together with its accompanying yarnover
brp - brioche purl: purl the stitch together with its accompanying yarnover
LC – light color
DC- dark color
k – knit
p – purl


Pattern Notes:

Two-Color Brioche Stitch – Basic Instructions

These instructions are included as a guide to the technique, and as instructions for swatching.

A single brioche row is worked in two passes, one in light color (LC) and the other in dark color (DC). Both colors are worked in one direction, then the work is turned and both colors are worked in the other direction, one by one. The light side (LS) of the project is first worked in light color (LC) yarn, then in dark color (DC) yarn. (The LS of the work is where brioche knit (brk) stitches are worked in light color (LC) yarn.

Odd number of stitches
Set-up row (LC): k1, *sl1yof, p1, rep from *, to last 2 sts, sl1yof, p1. Do not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Set-up row (DC): sl1, yb, *brk1, yfsl1yo, repeat from * to last 2 sts, brk1, yb, sl last st. Turn.
Row 1 (LS, LC): k1, *yfsl1yo, brk1, repeat from * to last 2 sts, yfsl1yo, k1. Do not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Row 1 (LS, DC): sl1, yf, *brp1, sl1yof, repeat from * to last 2 sts, brp1, yb, slip last st. Turn.
Row 2 (DS, LC): p1, *sl1yof, brp1, repeat from * to last 2 sts, sl1yof, p1. DO not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Row 2 (DS, DC): sl1, yb, *brk1, yfsl1yo, repeat from * to last 2 sts, brk1, yf, sl last st. Turn.


Two-Color Garter Stitch

These are included as a guide to the technique, and as instructions for swatching.

Row 1 (LS LC): purl. Do not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Row 1 (LS DC): knit. Turn.

Row 2 (DS LC): knit. Do not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Row 2 (DS DC): purl. Turn.

Chain Selvedge

When working the selvedge stitches at the beginning and the end of the row, at the start of the LC rows, always bring LC under the DC.

Color Sequence

Rows 1-12 - LC1
Rows 13-24 - LC2
Rows 25-36 - LC3

DC is the same for all rows.


Short Overview of the pattern

The scarf is worked sideways in a combination of 2-color brioche st and 2-color garter st. The change of color is achieved by using dark grey, grey and light grey yarn for the LC and black yarn for the DC.


Scarf

Using 2 strands of DC yarn cast on 269 sts.

Set-up Row (DS, LC): K4, (p1, yf sl1yo) × 2, p1, (k27, (p1, yf sl1yo) × 2, p1) 8 times, k3, p1.

Set-up Row (DS, DC): K1, p3, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo, (p27, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo) 8 times, p4.

Row 1 (LS, LC): Sl, p3, ((brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p27) 8 times, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p4.
Row 1 (LS, DC): Sl, k3, ((yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k27) 8 times, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k3, p1.

Row 2 (DS, LC): Sl wyif, k3, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 2, brp, (k27, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 2, brp) 8 times, k3, p1.
Row 2 (DS, DC): Sl wyif, p3, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo, (p27, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo) 8 times, p4.

Rows 3-6: Repeat rows 1-2 two more times.

Row 7 (LS, LC): Sl, p3, ((brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p3, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p11, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p3) 8 times, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p4.
Row 7 (LS, DC): Sl, k3, ((yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k3, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k11, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k3) 8 times, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k3, p1.

Row 8 (DS, LC): Sl wyif, k3, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 2, brp, (k3, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 2, brp, k11, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 2, brp, k3, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 2, brp) 8 times, k3, p1.
Row 8 (DS, DC): Sl wyif, p3, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo, (p3, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo, p11, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo, p3, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo) 8 times, p4.

Rows 9-12: Repeat rows 7-8 two more times.

Row 13 (LS, LC): Sl, p3, (((brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p3) × 4) 8 times, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p4.
Row 13 (LS, DC): Sl, k3, (((yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k3) × 4) 8 times, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k3, p1.

Row 14 (DS, LC): Sl wyif, k3, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 2, brp, ((k3, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 2, brp) × 4) 8 times, k3, p1.
Row 14 (DS, DC): Sl wyif, p3, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo, ((p3, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo) × 4) 8 times, p4.

Rows 15-24: Repeat rows 13-14 five (5) more times.

Row 25 (LS, LC): Sl, p3, (k5, (p3, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk) × 3, p3) 8 times, k5, p4.
Row 25 (LS, DC): Sl, k3, (k8, ((yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k3) × 3) 8 times, k8, p1.

Row 26 (DS, LC): Sl wyif, k8, ((k3, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 2, brp) × 3, k8) 8 times, k3, p1.
Row 26 (DS, DC): Sl wyif, p8, ((p3, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo) × 3, p8) 8 times, p4.

Row 27 (LS, LC): Sl, p3, (p8, ((brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p3) × 3) 8 times, p9.
Row 27 (LS, DC): Sl, k3, (k8, ((yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k3) × 3) 8 times, k8, p1.

Row 28 (DS, LC): Repeat row 26.
Row 28 (DS, DC): Repeat row 26.

Rows 29-30: Repeat rows 27-28 one more time.

Row 31 (LS, LC): Sl, p3, (p8, k5, p3, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p3, k5, p3) 8 times, p9.
Row 31 (LS, DC): Sl, k3, (k16, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k11) 8 times, k8, p1.

Row 32 (DS, LC): Sl wyif, k8, (k11, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 2, brp, k16) 8 times, k3, p1.
Row 32 (DS, DC): Sl wyif, p8, (p11, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo, p16) 8 times, p4.

Row 33 (LS, LC): Sl, p3, (p16, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p11) 8 times, p9.
Row 33 (LS, DC): Sl, k3, (k16, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k11) 8 times, k8, p1.

Row 34 (DS, LC): Repeat row 32.
Row 34 (DS, DC): Repeat row 32.

Rows 35-36: Repeat rows 33-34 one more time.

Bind off

Finishing

Weave in ends. Make fringe (optional).

Enjoy!

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