Color Play with Syncopated Brioche

Don’t let the complicated name fool you: Syncopation is surprisingly easy and a fun way to play with colors in Brioche. It works by switching the foreground and background color.

The technique creates textural interest and is the basis for stunning graphic two-color brioche design elements on a garter stitch background. In this class, I’ll share the basics of the technique, and then we’ll explore the design possibilities so you can create your own syncopated brioche designs.

After exploring the technique through a swatch, we’ll cast on one of the two class projects:
The Synced Scarflet is a mini scarf or tie headband with a simple textural Syncopated Brioche design.
The Synced Shawlette is a mini shawl with a graphic Syncopated chevron pattern.

Skill level: Basic brioche comfort. This is an advanced brioche class. Please take one of the introductory brioche classes before taking this one!

Materials:

For the swatch: 2 colors of yarn (solid, high contrast colors) and 2 DPNs / 1 set of circular needles in matching size, e.g. fingering weight and US 4/3.5 mm, DK weight and US 6/4.0 mm, or worsted weight and US 7/4.5 mm; stitch markers

For the scarflet: 2 colors of DK weight yarn, 32 m/35 yd of each color, and matching needle size (e.g. US4/3.5 mm)

For the shawlette: 2 colors of DK weight yarn, 89 m/97 yd of each color, and matching needle size (e.g. US4/3.5 mm)

Homework:

For the swatch, cast on 21 sts with Color A (lighter color) and long-tail cast-on and work in two-color brioche as follows.

Setup (WS): (k1, sl1yo) to last st, sl1 wyif
R1 (RS-A): k1, brk1, (sl1yo, brk1) to last st, sl1 wyif; slide
R1 (RS-B): k1, sl1yo, (brp1, sl1yo) to last st, sl1 wyif; turn
R2 (WS-A): k1, brp1, (sl1yo, brp1) to last st, sl1 wyif; slide
R2 (WS-B): k1, sl1yo, (brk1, sl1yo) to last st, sl1 wyif; turn

brk = brioche knit; brp = brioche purl; k = knit; RS = right side; sl = slip stitch (purl-wise); sl1yo = slip stitch and yarn-over at the same time; slide = slide all stitches to the other end of the needle; sts = stitches; turn = turn work; WS = wrong side; wyif = with yarn in front