Brioche Queen is my lastest pattern, a lovely brioche col, squishy and reversible, which will be published in two sizes on May 21st. Read on to discover the kits I put together to knit your own, as well as advice on how to choose alternative color combinations or substitute yarn bases.
Brioche Queen calls for three different yarn bases:
Slub fingering and Mohair & Silk laceweight held together for the dark color
Fingering yarn for the light color
I put together 10 different color kits to knit Brioche Queen, in two formats: a kit with three balls of yarn to knit one cowl (50g of slub, 50g of fingering and 25g of mohair & silk) and a kit with 3 skeins of yarn to knit two cowls (100g of slub, 100g of fingering and 50g of mohair & silk). Options for the kits are a coordinated marker and the pattern at the special price of 5€ instead of approx. 8€ on Ravelry (depending on the country you live in).
There was a first batch of kits for sale on May 7th, 2020 and I will add more to the shop in the coming weeks. Here are the colorways available:
How to choose your own colors?
In Brioche you want to have enough contrast between your dark and light side to maximize the wow effect. That said, there’s nothing keeping you from experimenting! My favorite method of color association is to start with a variegated colorway and' “deconstruct” it, i.e. associate semi-solids in the same palette. That way you can have both contrast and visual harmony.
If you’re looking for inspiration, here are a few alternative combos which did not make it as kits but still, were very pretty - I had such a hard time choosing!
Important note: Customized Brioche Queen kits are available in full skein size only (2 cowls)
How to substitute yarns?
The association of three different yarn bases gives Brioche Queen its unique personnality. Slub and mohair are a match made in heaven! Together they create the squishiest texture, with a lovely halo that slightly dilutes the colors, like in a watercolor painting. The fingering on the light side creates a sharp pattern, contrasting in color and texture with the dark side. Knitting Brioche Queen is a treat, it is also highly addictive! I have completed four, have a fifth on the needles and several others in my near future!
If you wish to substitute yarns for this pattern, here is what I think you can do, although I have not tested it myself:
You can replace the slub yarn by any fingering weight yarn. The cowl will look different, less textured but it will still have a lovely halo and gauge should not change much.
You can replace Mohair by Suri or by any laceweight yarn. If you choose a less “hairy” yarn, the cowl will loose the halo effect. If you wish to drop the laceweight altogether, please carefully check gauge as this might sensibly affect the size of your finished cowl.
Please always take time to check your gauge, to make sure you like the way the yarns you chose play together. Blocking your swatch will also enable you to check if you like the texture, the drape and if you’re on track in terms of size.