How to Choose the Best Yarn for Your Brioche Shawl
Creating a Floret Brioche Wrap is a joyful process that allows knitters to play with textures, colors, and patterns. One of the most critical steps in ensuring your shawl looks and feels great is picking the right yarn. This guide will help you choose the perfect yarn for your project, whether you're using hand-dyed yarn or exploring different blends.
Hand-Dyed Yarn for a Unique Touch
The first version of the Floret Brioche Wrap (the pink one above) I created used my own hand-dyed yarn. This is a single-ply base yarn in fingering weight, made of 100% Superwash Merino. This yarn has about 415 yards per 100 grams, making it perfect for shawl projects that need both softness and structure.
Gradient Yarn for Brioche
For the second version (the green one above), I used Marianated Yarns’ Scrumptious HT, a fingering weight yarn made from a springy 2-ply blend of superwash merino, cashmere, and nylon. With a high twist, this yarn provides structure and durability while maintaining a luxurious softness. It offers about 400 yards per 100 grams and is available in gradient kits from the Marianated Yarns website.
Yarn Characteristics for Brioche Patterns
Brioche stitch patterns, like the ones used in the Floret Shawl, can stretch more than typical knitting stitches. Here are some important considerations when selecting yarn:
Avoid overly slippery yarns: Slippery yarns can cause your brioche stitches to stretch excessively. Look for yarns that provide a bit more grip, such as those with a wool base.
Superwash wool yarns: Both of the yarns I used had superwash wool content, and the finished shawl had an excellent drape while maintaining its shape, even though superwash yarns may stretch more than non-superwash yarns.
Pattern structure: The triangular brioche leaf section of the Floret Shawl adds structure to help maintain the shawl's shape, even with yarns that may have more stretch.
Choosing the Right Colors for Your Shawl
Color choice is essential for a standout brioche pattern. Here are a few tips for selecting the best color combinations:
High Contrast: Brioche patterns really pop when you choose contrasting colors. For example, the pink version of the shawl used low-contrast colors in the leaf section, but higher contrast for the floral edging, making the flower motifs stand out.
Foreground and Background Colors: Typically, I prefer placing the lighter color in the foreground (LC) and the darker color in the background (DC). This makes the motifs appear more clearly defined. However, reversing the colors can also create a striking effect, depending on your color choices.
Testing Contrast: To get an idea of how your colors will behave, try swatching both combinations. As seen in the green and white swatch, the appearance of contrast changes dramatically when switching the foreground and background roles. Darker colors tend to appear lighter when placed in the foreground.
Yarn Choices for Textures and Patterns
Tonal and speckled yarns work beautifully with brioche stitch patterns. In my shawls, I used lightly speckled and tonal yarns. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even try a variegated yarn paired with a more subtle contrasting solid color to let the variegation shine without overpowering the brioche pattern.
Yardage Guidelines for the 3-Color Version
Below are the actual yarn amounts I used for the 3-color pink version of the Floret Brioche Shawl:
Foxglove (LC1): 140 grams / 581 yards
Marigold (DC1/LC4): 78 grams / 324 yards
Rosebud (DC4): 31 grams / 129 yards
Conclusion
Choosing the right yarn for your Floret Brioche Wrap is an exciting part of the knitting process. Whether you decide on hand-dyed yarn for its unique texture or go for a blend of merino and cashmere for extra softness, the key is to find something that works for both the pattern and your personal style. Don’t forget to play with colors and textures to make your shawl truly one-of-a-kind!