Texture and Color

I don't think I mentioned it on the blog, but I started knitting the As You Wish MKAL back in February when it began.  After I finished my brioche projects, I took a good look at it and decided I just wasn't feeling it.  I really like some of the projects being knit in this MKAL, but I wasn't loving mine.  I don't know if it was the way the colors I'd chosen were working in design or just where my head is at right now, but I decided to frog it.

Then I decided to use those colors and knit something else!  This is the Elsom wrap, knit in Cascade Heritage Sock.  So far I've used Vintage Indigo and I'm working on Caribbean Sea, but I will work into Jade and Herb as well.  I'm working some stripes to blend the colors a little where they change, but I'm really enjoying this simple wrap right now.  It's been great TV knitting and I can easily pick it up and put it down without losing my place.  The pattern is currently available only in the ebook, which has both knitting patterns and sewing patterns.  This is the first project I've made from it, but both the knitting and sewing patterns are classic and simple.  I fully intend to do more from this book.  

I was happy to see that there are still a few readers out there (waves furiously in your general directions) and from the comments it sounds like either you haven't done brioche knitting yet, or you haven't enjoyed what you did do.  I just want to make a suggestion or two, if I may.  There are several designers working with brioche knitting, but the two I've used and can suggest for their well written patterns and clear directions are Andrea Mowry and Stephen West.  Also, I found looking at the BrK and BrP stitches on YouTube, watching them being knitted, made a difference for me.  I'd suggest looking for these in the specific style you use to knit (English, Continental, etc.), so I'm not going to link to specific videos.  In some ways brioche is similar to knitting ribbing: there's a definite rhythm to it and it can be both simple and complex.  I love knitting it and find it fun, but not everyone does, and that's OK too!