Lesson 1: Discovering the Magic of Brioche Crochet

Welcome to the first step in your brioche crochet journey! In this lesson, we’ll dive into the beautiful world of brioche textures — a technique known for its rich, squishy fabric and striking color play. You’ll get to know the logic behind brioche stitch patterns and understand how their rhythmic structure creates depth and dimension in your crochet. 

Archway Square: brioche crochet pattern

We’ll start with the essential building blocks: how to work brioche crochet both in rows and in the round, how to join a new color seamlessly, and how to shape your fabric with increases and decreases. Through hands-on practice, you’ll develop a feel for the flow of the stitches and the balance of color and texture that makes brioche crochet so unique. 

By the end of this lesson, you’ll bring all these new skills together in a small brioche crochet sample — the perfect opportunity to polish your technique, build confidence, and prepare for the creative projects ahead. 

 

Copyright. An original Lilla Björn Crochet Design (Taťána Kuprijančik). Copyright 2014-2025. All rights reserved. These materials are for personal use only. They cannot be sold, redistributed, or edited in any way. Translations and video tutorials are not allowed.   

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Introduction

 

Characteristics of brioche crochet 

Brioche crochet fabric is a ribbing created with front/back post stitches and chain spaces. Usually, you work with only two colors, using one color per row/round. The rows/rounds can be worked either on the right side, or alternating right and wrong sides to prevent stitches from leaning. 

I have recorded a video for a Stitch Library showing all basic stitches used in Brioche Crochet technique.

If the pattern uses rows/rounds on the wrong side, you should work back post stitches instead of front post ones. The first two rows/rounds in brioche crochet are usually worked with double crochet stitches and chains. And on the third row/round you begin working with front/back post stitches. 

The stitch pattern is developed on the right side (so you only see the post stitches here). And the wrong side appears to be striped with horizontal lines and visible chain spaces. This means brioche crochet fabric is not reversible. 

Right side

Wrong side

Because the fabric consists of two layers, it is quite thick. For this reason, fine and soft yarns are recommended for brioche crochet, using a larger hook than you would normally choose for these yarns. And because you work with a larger hook, the yarn should have a slightly fluffy texture to help fill the holes. 

Alternatively, you can use two different yarns with the same weight, one of which has that fuzzy quality. Working in rows and rounds The brioche crochet technique can be worked either in rows or rounds. For both, you always use just one color per row/round and do not cut the yarn at the end of the row/round but carry it up on the wrong side to the next rows/rounds. 

How to change color 

When working in rounds, the color change is done in ch1 at the beginning of every round, unless otherwise instructed. 

Colorchange on rounds

When working in rows, the color change will depend on whether it is done at the beginning or end of the row. To change color at the beginning of the row, insert the hook into the first stitch of the previous row, grab the different color and draw up a loop. 

Colorchange at the beginning of the row

You will turn your work after every two rows, working two rows on the right side and two rows on the wrong side. After finishing the first row on the right side, do not fasten off the yarn, but instead drop the loop off the hook and secure it with a stitch marker. 

On the next row, you will leave the last stitch unfinished (with two loops on the hook), then you will put the loop of different color onto the hook, yarn over the new color and pull through all three loops on the hook. This will create a float of yarn on the side of your work; you should make sure the float does not pull. 

Colorchange at the end of the row

Front/back post stitches 

The texture of brioche crochet fabric is created with front/back post stitches and chain spaces. The front/back post stitches are always worked around the stitches of the same color from two rows/rounds below (unless otherwise instructed in the pattern). 

At the same time, front post stitches are worked on the right side in front of the chain spaces, and back post stitches are worked on the wrong side behind the chain spaces. Chain spaces are skipped; they are not visible on the right side and create horizontal lines on the wrong side. 

FPdc (front post doubl crochet)

 

BPdc (back post double crochet)

Increases and decreases 

To create an intricate brioche stitch pattern with curved lines, you need to work increases and decreases. An increase is usually worked by two front post stitches around one stitch of the same color below with ch2 between these two stitches. For example: (FPdc, ch2, FPdc) around next stitch, (FPtr, ch2, FPtr) around next st, etc. 

Increase (fan-st)

Decreases in brioche crochet are usually front post stitches two or three crochet together (for example: FPdc2tog, FPdc3tog, etc.). They are always worked around two/three stitches of the same color below, and the stitches of different color between the “legs” of the decrease are skipped. 

For example, FPdc2tog is worked around two stitches of same color below, and one stitch of different color between two “legs” of the decrease is skipped. 

Decrease (FPdc3tog)

 Special Stitches 

Brioche crochet technique uses some special stitches. One of them is Brioche double crochet (brdc). It is a regular double crochet which is worked into a V formed by two front post stitches of the increase below. Brdc is placed into a ch2-space of the same color from two rows/rounds below in front of the chains from the previous round. Sometimes an increase of (brdc, ch2, brdc) is worked into the same V. 

Brioche double crochet (brdc)

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EXERCISE 

Now that you’ve learned the logic and fundamentals of the brioche crochet technique, it’s time to put your new skills into practice! 

Now, let’s move on to the practical exercise — it’s time to put your new skills into action! Click HERE to start the next part of the lesson and begin working on your brioche crochet project.

If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below — I’ll be happy to answer them (and I’ll include some of your questions in the next lesson too!).

Hope you enjoy!

Tatsiana