LillaBjörn's Crochet World: crochet brioche
Showing posts with label crochet brioche. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crochet brioche. Show all posts

Brioche Lane Sweater – new pattern



My designing adventure in the garment world continues. I’ve become a little addicted to creating sweaters and cardigans. And brioche crochet became one of my favorite crochet techniques. So why not to combine them into something? A few months ago I got an idea of an oversized cropped summery sweater with slim short sleeves. And today the pattern is ready for release. Let me introduce – Brioche Lane Sweater.
Modern oversized sweater with cropped fit and short sleeves

The pattern is available on Etsy HERE and Ravelry HERE with 20% discount though Monday, April 27th, 2020. The price you see is already discounted and you don’t need any codes.

Recently I have taken an online class in grading knitwear garments (ohh, how thankful I am to find this course!), and Brioche Lane Sweater was the first one to which I applied my new knowledge. So it comes in more sizes than my previous garment designs – XXS-4X to fit the bust 32-48”.
Brioche crochet
Photo credit: frozen-photo.com
Add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue

The sweater was designed to fit with 8-15 in (20-38 cm) of positive ease at the bust and 1.25-2 in (3-5 cm) of positive ease at the upper arm. Because it’s an oversized design, it can also fit larger sizes. Just make sure to take accurate measurements of your actual bust and circumference of the upper arm to see which size might work best for you.

If you fall in between two sizes, I would suggest choosing the larger one. In the picture you can see size S (for bust 36”), and my actual bust is 35”. I like the spacious clothes, so I would probably go even for a wider one for myself.
Brioche crochet technique

The front of my new sweater is decorated with a brioche panel, and its width differs from size to size keep the final look of the sweater balanced. Brioche crochet is very easy to work, and progress pictures in the pattern will guide you through every round.

Because Brioche Lane Sweater was created as a summery garment, I chose Scheepjes Bamboo Soft yarn. It comes in nice and rich colors, and the yarn itself is very soft. My choice of colors was dark gray with golden. This combination is a bit out of my comfort zone (I am not a fan of yellow in general), but surprisingly I like it a lot. And I can already say that this summer my new brioche sweater will be one of the most worn pieces in my modest collection.
Photo credit: frozen-photo.com

You can have a look at Bamboo Soft colors at your local Scheepjes yarn shops, or order yarn online via international retailers (some of them might postpone shipping worldwide in the time of this blog post, because of the lockdown in many countries):

Wool Warehouse*, Black Sheep Wools*
Caro’s Atelier* (NL and Europe),
Taemombo* (US and Canada)

And for another version I used muted hand-dyed Merino Super Wash yarn from a local dyer. It’s warmer of course, but still not too warm and very nice against the skin.
Photo credit: frozen-photo.com

I am also very proud to show you work of my wonderful testers:

1. Sandra Veneman (L, Scheepjes Bamboo Soft)
2. Lisa Marlow (S, Scheepjes Skies)
3. Elizabeth Kalka (XS, Scheepjes Bamboo Soft)
4. Laura Jackson (XS, Scheepjes Bamboo Soft and Skies)
5. Esther Schippers (2X, Scheepjes Bamboo Soft)
6. Pam Hibbert (L, Scheepjes Bamboo Soft)
7. Loele van den Bergh (S, Scheepjes Bamboo Soft)
8. Sarah Fabbri (L, Scheepjes Organicon)
9. Jenna Bowers (L, Scheepjes Bamboo Soft)

How pretty are they?!..

And just to remind, Brioche Lane Sweater pattern is available on Etsy HERE and Ravelry HERE with 20% discount though Monday, April 27th, 2020. The price you see is already discounted and you don’t need any codes.

Wishing you peaceful weekend,


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Brioche Heart: FREE crochet pattern



Brioche crochet has become a huge crochet trend recently. I was amazed with a warm feedback on my latest Esja Sweater pattern. So many beautiful sweaters and original color combinations are popping up in my social media feed every day. Thank you for your support! To respond to all your brioche love I have decided to design something else in crochet brioche technique. A small and cute stuffed Brioche Heart. I believe it will make a nice Christmas decoration, or a garland. Or a last minute gift to your loved ones.
Brioche Heart_free crochet pattern by www.lillabjorncrochet.com
Add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue

Brioche heart is an intermediate pattern but even if you are a beginner, please don’t hesitate and give a try. No tricky stitches were used here and the pattern contains lots of progress pictures to help you.
Brioche Heart_free crochet pattern by www.lillabjorncrochet.com

Brioche Hearts can be made with any yarns. I chose 100% cotton yarn Catona by Scheepjes* for mine. You’ll need just 13-14g in each of two colors for one heart (these amounts are only valid for Catona), stuffing and a little bit of patience ;-)
Brioche Heart_free crochet pattern by www.lillabjorncrochet.com

I believe that small hook and a tighter gauge will work best for this pattern, as we don’t want stuffing to be seen through stitches. And I would suggest picking a smaller hook than recommended by the yarn label. Or just crochet a bit tighter.
Brioche Heart_free crochet pattern by www.lillabjorncrochet.com

Brioche Heart FREE crochet pattern can be found on my blog HERE. And a ready-to-print ad-free pdf version of this pattern is available for a small fee HERE on Ravelry and HERE on Etsy.

Norsk - oversatt av Hilde Tindlund

Nederlands - vertaald door Loele van den Bergh


Enjoy and see you soon! :)

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Esja Sweater and Crochet Brioche: new pattern release



Today when I sat down to write a blog post about my new design, I didn’t really know what to begin with. I’ve been working on it for one full year, and I still can’t believe it is ready to be released! I have so many feelings right now. Mostly excitement and happiness. As my first true garment pattern is out now. Ta-dah! Esja Sweater is here!
Esja Sweater crochet pattern by www.lillabjorncrochet.com
Add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue
or Pin it for later

About my Designing Journey…


It’s hard to believe now that my designing journey started with a small mandala coaster four years ago. Since then I’ve designed dozens of overlay mandalas, and blankets, and I have always thought that interior decorations would be my path. But then… Then I designed my first garment. And got hooked.

Now I can’t recall who was it, but nearly a year ago I read a comment to my picture somewhere with a suggestion to design and Icelandic crochet sweater. At that point an idea of designing a real sweater in several sizes sounded unreal. But as time passed, I was coming back to it again and again.

I bought a bunch of patterns from famous knitting designers to study the anatomy of top down sweaters. I bought a book on theory of garment construction. And I even signed up for a Craftsy class. My notebook looked like a mess of endless numbers and calculations. I was jumping from one gauge to another. I was swatching like crazy. Long months without a proper sleep. And finally it WORKED!
Esja Sweater crochet pattern by www.lillabjorncrochet.com

Today I am very proud to introduce my newest crochet design – Esja Sweater, named after a mountain in Iceland.

Esja Sweater pattern is now available for purchase on both Ravelry HERE and Etsy HERE and is offered with 30% discount to kick the beginning of a Make-a-long (read below) through Wednesday, November 7th, 2018. The price you see is final and no codes needed. After this date is will be listed at a regular price.


Details about Esja Sweater


Esja Sweater is the first one in my future collection of Icelandic top down garments. I wanted to make it look like knitted but affordable for crocheters. The pattern combines very simple linen stitch together with crochet brioche. No intricate or complicated stitches are used here. And I am safe to say the pattern is aimed to Intermediate crocheters, or even Adventurous beginners.
Esja Sweater crochet pattern by www.lillabjorncrochet.com

 This sweater is worked seamlessly from top down. First the yoke is worked in rounds, then some short-rows are worked back and forth to create a higher back and then the crocheted piece is separated for body and sleeves. The lower body is worked in rounds to hem. Sleeves are worked top down to the cuffs. The length of the body and sleeves is easily adjustable.
Esja Sweater crochet pattern by www.lillabjorncrochet.com


Esja Sweater comes in 7 sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL) with finished bust 90 (95, 100, 105, 110, 116.5, 121.5) cm/ 35.4 (37.4, 39.4, 41.3, 43.3, 45.8, 47.8)”. It’s a fitted design with 5cm/2” positive ease.

Soft fingering yarn is recommended, and I used Our Tribe yarn by Scheepjes. I’ve made several samples. One of them is with two solid shades and another one uses variegated color with a solid one (980 Simy2 and 983 Motivate). And I love both.
Esja Sweater crochet pattern by www.lillabjorncrochet.com

If you would like to use the same yarn as me, please, check your local Scheepjes shops, or purchase yarn online via online retailers (affiliate links are marked with *):

Wool Warehouse*, Deramores*, Black Sheep Wools* (all in UK, international shipping),
Caro’s Atelier* (NL and Europe)
Taemombo (US & Canada)
Knotty House* (Canada)

Esja Sweater can be also made as a short sleeved version. I made one for myself with Rhythm Alpaca* yarn by Scheepjes.
Esja Sweater crochet pattern by www.lillabjorncrochet.com

The pattern has been thoroughly tested in all sizes and professionally tech edited! I am sending lots of thanks and hugs to my amazing testers who did a wonderful job and helped me to improve the pattern.

Esja Sweater pattern contains detailed row by row instructions. And you will also find a step-by-step photo tutorial in the end of the pattern. So you really don’t have anything to worry about. The pattern is available in English (US terms), Dutch and Norwegian.
Esja Sweater crochet pattern by www.lillabjorncrochet.com
Photo credit: Esther Schippers, Loele Van Den Bergh, Laura Jackson

Esja MAL (make-a-long)


If you are fairly new to crochet and never made any crochet garments, but would like to give Esja Sweater a try, please, feel free to join a make-a-long which will be hosted in my Facebook group HERE. We will make Esja sweater all together, the MAL will be broken into parts and each of them will be completed weekly. You will receive all necessary help and support. And also there will be weekly prizes waiting for you!!
Esja Sweater crochet pattern by www.lillabjorncrochet.com

To participate in Esja MAL you need to purchase your own copy of Esja Sweater pattern (HERE on Ravelry or HERE on Etsy), join my Facebook group and create a project page on Ravelry which will be linked to my pattern page. The pattern is offered with 30% discount through Wednesday, November 7th, 2018 to kick the beginning of the MAL. After that date the pattern will be listed at a regular price.

Every Wednesday there will be a new part announced in my Facebook group and after you complete this part you will add a new picture to your Ravelry page (or Instagram) and comment under my post on Facebook in order to participate in weekly giveaway. The winner will be announced next week on Tuesday.

Here is an approximate time frame for Esja MAL:

November 7th, 2018 – yarn choice and gauge swatches
November 14th, 2018 – beginning of the yoke
November 21st, 2018 – end of yoke
November 28th, 2018 – shaping back, dividing for body and sleeves and starting lower body
December 5th, 2018 – completing of one sleeve and working on the rest of the sweater

Hands up who is in! :) Join my Facebook group and I will approve you asap (please, read group rules before you start posting, thank you!).

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