🧶 BRIOCHE Knitting Symbols & How to knit

Brioche knitting has a reputation for being one of the most complicated techniques in knitting. The new words and stitches can even make the most experienced knitters a little confused from time to time.

Below are symbols commonly used in the Brioche patterns

Brioche symbols

Language of knitting patterns

Symbol	ABB	Explanation
	brk	Brioche knit, also known as bark
	brp	Brioche purl, also known as burp
	yf sl1yo	Yarn Forward, Slip 1, Yarn Over
	yf sl1yo plus	Bring yarn to front, slip next stitch and all yarnovers purlwise, then bring yarn to back over needle and slipped stitch
	brk2tog	Brioche knit 2 stitches together
	brssk	Slip, slip, brioche knit slipped stitches over
	brk3tog	Brioche k3tog
	brsssk	Brioche sssk
	brp2tog	Brioche purl 2 stitches together
	brssp	Brioche ssp
	brp3tog	Brioche p3tog
	brsssp	Brioche sssp
	brcdd	Brioche centred double decrease
	brcddp	Brioche centred double decrease purlwise
	brk tbl	Brk tbl: Brioche knit 1 stitch through its back loop

	yf sl2yo	Bring yarn to front, slip next 2 stitches purlwise, then bring yarn to back over needle and slipped stitches
	brkyobrk	(Brioche knit, yarn over, brioche knit) into same stitch
	br4st inc	(Brioche knit, yarn over, brioche knit, yarn over, brioche knit) into same stitch

If you're interested in taking your knitting skills to the next level and exploring new techniques, these resources may be helpful to study:

1. Knitting Abbreviations
2. Cabel Symbols
3. Lace Symbols
4. Advanced Symbols

Brk: Brioche knit

To work the Brk: Knit together both the next stitch and its corresponding yarn over from the previous row.

Brp: Brioche purl

- To work the Prp: Purl together both the next stitch and its corresponding yarn over from the previous row.

Brk tbl: Brioche knit 1 stitch through its back loop

To work the Brk tbl: Knit together both the next stitch through the back loop and its corresponding yarn over from the previous row.

Yf sl1yo: Yarn Forward, Slip 1, Yarn Over

- Bring the working yarn under the right needle to the front of the work.
- Slip the next stitch purlwise, then bring the working yarn over the right needle to the back of the work.
This slipped stitch with a yarn over on top of it is considered one, and will be worked as a BRK on the next row.

Brk2tog: Brioche knit 2 together.

To work Brk3tog: Reach under the yarn over and brk the next two stitches together. The yarnover then falls behind the stitch when it is slipped off the needle.

Brssk: Slip, slip, brioche knit slipped stitches over

There are 3 steps to a Brssk:
- Slip one stitch knitwise (a stitch with yarnover counts as one stitch).
- Slip next stitch knitwise.
- Insert the left needle into the fronts of these two stitches and knit them together.

Brp2tog: Brioche purl 2 together.

To work the Brp2tog: Purl both stitches together with their yarn over.

Brssp: Slip, slip, brioche purl slipped stitches together

There are 3 steps to make a Brkyobrk:
- Slip 2 stitches knitwise. Since a stitch and its yarn over are considered 1 stitch, this could mean that you slip 3 loops, 1 at a time, onto the right needle.
- Slip the stitches back onto the left-hand needle.
- Insert the right-hand needle through their back loops, going into the second stitch, then the first, and purl them together.

Brk3tog, also known as brRsl dec or brkRsl dec: Brioche k3tog, Brioche right slant decrease.

There are 6 steps to make a Brk3tog (BrRsl dec)
- Slip knitwise the first brioche stitch (in brioche knitting the stitch and the yarn over from the previous row are considered as one stitch).
- Knit the next brioche stitch.
- Pass the slipped stitch over.
- Slip the stitch to the left needle.
- Pass over the next brioche stitch (with the yarn over).
- Slip the stitch to the right needle.

Brsssk, also known as brLsl dec or brkLsl dec: Brioche sssk, Brioche left slant decrease.

There are 3 steps to make a Brkssk (BrLsl dec):
- Slip knitwise the first brioche stitch (in brioche knitting the stitch and the yarn over from the previous row are considered as one stitch).
- Knit together the second and third stitch (with its yarn over).
- Pass the slipped stitch over.

Brcdd: Brioche centered double decrease

There are 3 steps to make a Brcdd:
- Slip two stitches together knitwise under the yarn over while leaving it in place.
- Brk the next stitch with the yarn over.
- Pass the two slipped stitches over the brk stitch.
This is a symmetrical decrease. By avoiding the yarnover until you knit the third stitch the contrasting yarn will not be worked into it but sit behind it.

Brkyobrk: (Brioche knit, yarn over, brioche knit) into same stitch (2-stitch increase).

There are 3 steps to make a Brkyobrk:
- Brk1 leaving stitch on the left needle.
- Yarn over (yarn forward under needle then over needle to back).
- Then brk1 into same stitch, 2 stitches increased.
When a brkyobrk increase is used, three single stitches bloom out of the center of one stitch.