A BriocheA
The Brioche knitting-stitch is simply—bring the wool forward, slip one; knit two together.
A Brioche is formed of sixteen straight narrow stripes, and sixteen wide stripes, the latter gradually decreasing in width towards the top or centre of the cushion. It may be made in three-thread fleecy, or double German wool, with ivory or wooden pins, No. 8.
Cast on ninety stitches, in black, for the narrow stripe; knit two turns;—then, three turns in gold colour, and two turns again in black. This completes the narrow stripe.
The conical stripe is knitted as follows:—bring the wool forward, knit two together, twice, and turn; knit these two, and two more of the black and turn; continue this,—taking each time two more stitches of the black, until within two stitches of the top, and turn; the wool will now be at the bottom or wide part of the stripe. Commence again with the black, as in the former narrow stripe, knitting the two black stitches at the top. It may be also as well to diminish the narrow stripes by turning when within two stitches of the top, in the centre row of gold colour.
By a turn is meant one row and back again.
The colours for the conical stripes may be any two or four colours, which assort well together; or each may be different. When the last conical stripe is finished, it is to be knitted to the first narrow stripe.—The brioche is to be made up with a stiff bottom of mill board, about eight inches in diameter, covered with cloth. The top is drawn together, and fastened in the centre with a tuft of soft wool, or a cord and tassels. It should be stuffed with down or fine combed wool.
Notes
A So called from its resemblance, in shape, to the well known French cake of that name.