13. Free Knitting Pattern: The "Marie-Antoinette" Brioche Hat & Cowl Set
Hello, knitters, and raise the anchor!
Winter is on its way, the temperature is dropping, and ministers are breaking out the turtlenecks. But the Wolly Roger crew is always fired up to keep you cozy in all circumstances.
When creating this brioche stitch hat, it was impossible for me not to think of a certain historical figure. In French, the brioche stitch is also called "côtes anglaises," but it is universally known as brioche stitch by our English-speaking friends. I'm therefore presenting the Marie-Antoinette hat & cowl set.
Marie-Antoinette: Between Film and a Delicious Urban Legend
When I think of Marie-Antoinette, the first image that comes to mind is that of the delightful actress who plays the queen, Kirsten Dunst, in Sofia Coppola's eponymous film. Rather polarizing, some will criticize the film for its anachronisms and its sugary, acid-pop feel. I have to admit that this kind of adaptation normally makes me wince, but having seen this film when it came out in 2006, nostalgia has given it a very special place in my heart.
An urban legend attributes the famous quote to Marie-Antoinette, then Queen of France. While in English the line is usually "Let them eat cake," the French phrase is actually "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche." This phrase, which is a key part of the legend, is what makes the connection to the brioche stitch so perfect.
This phrase, however, actually comes from the famous Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, which recounts the author's life up to 1765. The princess our national JJ is talking about is not named, but since Marie-Antoinette left her native Austria to marry Louis XVI in 1770, it is historically impossible that she was the one who made this out-of-touch statement.
Of course, the social tensions of the time and the queen's escapades made this insolence plausible, and it didn't take more for people of all stripes to bring this phrase back into fashion regularly.
The Brioche Stitch: Puffy, Reversible, and Two-Colored
The brioche stitch creates a fabric open to all audaciousness: reversible, two-colored... nothing is too extravagant for it. "Puffy" is an understatement; its texture is perfect for plush, very enveloping, and elastic knits. Goodbye to the Petit Trianon, with the Sand Bank and Reflecting Pool colors of Malabrigo Rios, Marie-Antoinette is at the beach!
A little intimidating at first, the brioche stitch is quickly tamed, and knitting it in two colors has the advantage of acting as a reminder. Each of the two rounds will always be knitted in the same shade, so you won't lose your thread or your head ^^.
This pattern requires a good foundation in knitting. 3 particular techniques will be used here:
- the elastic cast-on
- the two-color brioche stitch
- the brioche decrease
I will guide you step-by-step to perform these techniques on the Wolly Roger YouTube channel, in the MARIE-ANTOINETTE playlist. You can just click on the links above to access them directly.
MARIE-ANTOINETTE
Unisex Hat & Cowl, one size
Gauge: 17 stitches x 21 rows = 10 cm with 5 mm needles in brioche stitch
Materials:
- 2 skeins of Malabrigo Rios
color 1: Sand Bank
color 2: Reflecting Pool
- 5 mm needles
- 1 stitch marker
- tapestry needle
Abbreviations:
- st: stitch.
- k: knit stitch.
- p: purl stitch.
- brk3tog: brioche knit 3 together (knit 3 stitches together with their yarn-over).
Instructions: Cast on 72 sts with color 1 using the elastic cast-on. Place a marker and join to knit in the round. All odd rounds will be knitted with color 1 and all even rounds will be knitted with color 2.
Start knitting in brioche stitch: Round 1 (Color 1): k 1, yarn over, slip 1 st purlwise repeat * * until the end. Place color 2 at the front of the work, with the yarn tail hanging down, and incorporate it into the project.
Round 2 (Color 2): yarn over, slip 1 st purlwise, purl the slipped stitch and yarn over from the previous round together repeat * * until the end. [72 sts] IMPORTANT: You must be vigilant at the join before and after the end-of-round marker: do not forget the yarn overs. When they are waiting, the color 1 yarn will be placed at the back of the work, while the color 2 yarn will remain at the front.
COWL: Continue for 30 cm, then bind off loosely.
HAT: Continue for 24 cm, then decrease as follows:
Round 1 (Color 1): k 1, yarn over, slip 1 st purlwise, brk3tog, yarn over, slip 1 st purlwise repeat * * until the end. Round 2 (Color 2): yarn over, slip 1 st purlwise, purl the slipped stitch and yarn over from the previous round together repeat * * until the end. [48 sts]
Round 3 (Color 1): k 1, yarn over, slip 1 st purlwise repeat * * until the end. Round 4 (Color 2): yarn over, slip 1 st purlwise, purl the slipped stitch and yarn over from the previous round together repeat * * until the end.
Round 5 (Color 1): brk3tog, yarn over, slip 1 st purlwise repeat * * until the end. [24 sts]
Knit all stitches, cut both yarns, and thread them through all stitches several times, pulling firmly. The "Marie-Antoinette" pattern is an exclusive Wolly Roger creation. Anyone who reproduces this pattern without citing thin author will meet the same end as the famous queen.
Take good care, and see you soon for new adventures!
Hopla, Bis bàll!
Jessica