Knitting Brioche: The Essential Guide to the Brioche Stitch by Nancy Marchant

Knitting Brioche: The Essential Guide to the Brioche Stitch by Nancy Marchant

My Rating: ★★★★★

I am an avid knitter and have been knitting for about eight years now, but I have never tried knitting brioche. I saw a brioche pattern that I want to knit late last year, started planning for it, and picked up this book so I can learn about the technique and work my way up to making a two-color brioche shawl. After reading this, I can honestly say that I feel ready to start making practice swatches and refer to the book for guidance when needed.

Marchant has written a comprehensive guide that includes photos, charts, and written instructions so that people can follow her guide in the way that makes the most sense to them. She also includes a list of abbreviations and chart symbols. I never use knitting charts unless I’m knitting a color work pattern because I find regular pattern charts confusing, so I can’t tell you if her charts make sense. However, I can tell you that her written instructions and photos demonstrating those instructions do make a lot of sense. I now feel comfortable with trying the technique and working my way up to knitting brioche with two colors.

In addition to being a guide, Marchant also includes a bit of history about brioche and some tips before she begins to guide her readers. There are also several patterns included for readers to knit based on their comfort level with the technique, which is wonderful, especially when readers move from practicing the technique to knitting a full-fledged project. All in all, this is a great book to have in your collection as you enter the world of brioche knitting.