2 sizes, 2 brim options. A great way to use up scraps. The Brimmed Brioche Beanie is a quick project that includes easy knitting but also some interesting techniques such as two colour brioche and brioche decreases.

Fit and features
I’ve written instructions for two different sizes, two types of brims, and fitted or slouchy style. The pattern takes you throught he different options.

The navy sample is a size M, with a folded brim, fitted style
Yarn used:
MC Lana Grossa Meilenweit Tweed Colourway 112
CC Lana Grossa Meilenweit Merino Extrafine Uni Colourway 2426

The pink sample is a size XL, with a double brim, slouchier style
MC La Bien Aimée Merino Singles Colourway Bois de rose
CC Qing Fibre Melted Baby Suri Colourway Petrichor

Bust those scraps
Due to the small yardage requirement, this hat is a perfect scrapbuster! For the main colour you need about 15m for the brim, and 25m for the head.

For a really scrappy hat or to bust even smaller yardages, you may knit the brim in a different colour, or include some stripes in the ribbing. The brioche B colour is even easier to include colour changes. You will have a nice stripey background.

Techniques
These are some of the techniques used in the pattern:

• Brioche
• Brioche decreases
• Knitting and purling
• Knitting in the round
• Creating a double brim
• The double brim requires a provisional cast on but no specific method is described
• German twisted cast on is used but not described

Sizes
M: fits heads that have a circumference of approximately 55cm or 21 5/8”
XL: fits heads that have a circumference of approximately 60cm or 23 5/8”

Gauge
24 stitches in brioche is 10 cm or 4” (blocked and unstretched)
Row height is less relevant, but in my sample 28 rows of brioche is 10 cm

Yarn requirements
Main colour / Yarn A: 40g (45g) fingering weight
Contrast colour / Yarn B: 20g (25g) fingering weight

The main colour shows as knit stitches on the finished project, the contrast colour are the ‘background stitches’ whowing the brioche yarnovers. Often when knitting two colour brioche, it is recommended to opt for a lighter colour for the contrast colour.

Variations of gauge or yarn
Knit up, the fabric is quite light due to nature of brioche, the larger size needles and fingering weight yarn. However, you can easily use the instructions knit the larger size at a smaller gauge (and end up with an in between size) or knit it with heavier yarn on same size needles to obtain a thicker fabric. I’ve not tried any of these variations so of course I recommend you swatch it and make adjustments to the number of stitches you cast on accordingly.

Needles and notions
Keep this at hand when you are working on the project:

• 3.25mm circular needles in length 40cm (16”) or DPN
• 3.75mm circular needles in length 40cm (16”) or DPN
• 3.75mm circular needles in longer length for magic loop or DPNs for crown shaping
• Stitch markers
• Spare cable (any length) to transfer the provisional cast onto
• Scrap yarn
• Crochet hook for provisional cast on