This pattern is a collaboration with Martin’s Lab Hand Dyed Yarn & Fiber

Questions? KALs? Discounts? Drop in: Elzbieta Torenc - Lady in Yarn

Tech-edited. Tested by English-speaking knitters.

I am addicted to Brioche. I love how Brioche magically turns even the simplest and the most regular stitches into breath-taking art. This shawl is great for brioche beginners as it contains only basic brioche stitches. You can choose between a semi-circular shape and a crescent shape.
This shawl is worked top down, from the center. This is a modified half-pi shawl, based on the Elizabeth Zimmermann’s pi shawl construction.

You decide how many repeats each part has. The yardage used is completely up to you. Though there is an ideal section at which to finish the shawl, you can finish with any section you like and it will work.

I find this shawl very simple to knit. If you are a beginner to Brioche, see the video links in the Abbreviations, which should help you with the stitches. If you know how to knit and purl, you know how to knit brioche too. The only difference is that every other stitch worked in brioche will have a yarnover loop, so when you knit, purl, or otherwise manipulate these stitches, you work both the stitch and the loop as one. So if a stitch has a separate loop – always consider it as one stitch and think of it as one stitch.
Don’t be afraid of names that look complicated. It’s not – it’s only a way to describe a brioche stitch. For example brk1 = br (brioche) k1 (knit 1) = knit one brioche stitch. Or brp1 = br (brioche) p1 (purl 1) = purl one brioche stitch.

Suggested yarns: Martin’s Lab BFL Sock in two or more colours
Notions: Circular needles 3.0 mm (US 2.5)
Gauge: 14 sts & 33 rows = 4x4 inches (10x10cm) in ribbing brioche stitch.

The gauge is not crucial, but it will affect yardage and the dimensions of your shawl.

The size of the shawl is adjustable.
The sample shawl is about 1/2 big as it could be.

Sample Yarn: Martin’s Lab BFL Sock in two colours: Dragonfish and Pumpkin Pie
Yardage: used 1 skein of Dragon Fish (MC Colour) 400 m (437 yards), used 0.88 skein of Pumpkin Pie (CC Colour) 351 m (384 yards)
Wingspan: 140 cm (55 inches)
Depth: 58.5 cm (23 inches)