2-Color Italian Cast On & Brioche Set-Up

Note: The video tutorial will be available Thursday, June 10th at 5:30 PM EST

The two color Italian cast-on is a beautiful tubular cast-on that sets you up perfectly to work 2-color brioche! In this video I take you step-by-step through how to work the cast on, the brioche set up rows, and the brioche repeat rows.

The full written instruction that can be paired with this video tutorial are below!

 

Written Instructions for the 2-Color Italian Cast-On!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Repeat Movement 1 (Creating a Knit Stitch)

 
 
 

Repeat Movement 2 (Creating a Purl Stitch)

 
 
 

Closing Movement

 

Begin by creating a slip knot with both strands. Slide the slip knot onto the knitting needle. (NOTE: the slip knot does NOT count as a stitch)

Assign your two colors:

Color A: appears as the main color (knit stitches) when you are looking at the right side of your fabric

Color B: appears as the background color (purl stitches) when you are looking at the right side of your fabric

Place Color A further away from you, and Color B closest to you. With your left hand pick up both strands as if you are setting up for the long tail cast on. Push away from yourself with your index finger on Color A, and towards yourself with your thumb on Color B.

For additional set-up details see the YouTube tutorial.

 
 

  • Move the knitting needle towards yourself and over the strand being held on your thumb, then down the front of the strand, and back up through the center opening

  • Move the knitting needle away from yourself and over the back strand

  • Staying below both strands move the knitting needle all the way back towards yourself, then move up the front of the front strand, and arrive back at the center of the opening again

 

  • Move the knitting needle up over the back strand, then go down below both of the strands to the front again ending up on top of the center opening

  • Move the knitting needle down the center opening below the back strand

  • Come back up behind the back strand and return to the top of the center opening

 

  • Continue repeating the two movements until you have one less than the number of stitches required

  • Pinch the strands close to the knitting needle with your right hand and twist your left hand 180 degrees clockwise so that the strands twist

  • Drop the strands with your left hand and use your left thumb to create a backward loop with the Color A strand, slide this loop off of your thumb and onto the knitting needle to create the final stitch and secure the cast-on onto the knitting needles

Abbreviations

  • BRK (Brioche Knit): Knit the stitch and the yarn over together

  • BRP (Brioche Purl): Purl the stitch and the yarn over together

Set Up Row

 

After completing the cast on, turn your work to begin the Set Up Row. The set up row is worked across the back side (wrong side) of the work. First the set up row is worked in Color A, then it is worked in Color B.

Set Up Row Color A: Purl 1, * Slip 1, Yarn Over, Purl 1 * repeat between *’s across the row

DO NOT Turn work. Slide your work to the other knitting needle point so that the row can be worked again in Color B.

Set Up Row Color B: Slip 1, BRK, * Yarn Front, Slip 1, BRK * repeat between *’s until 1 stitch remains, Slip 1

Turn Work

Repeat Row 1 (Right Side)

 

Repeat Row 1 is worked across the front side (right side) of the work. First Repeat Row 1 row is worked in Color A, then it is worked in Color B.

Repeat Row 1 Color A: Knit 1, * Yarn Front, Slip 1, BRK * repeat between *’s until 2 stitches remain, Yarn Front, Slip 1, Knit 1

DO NOT Turn work. Slide your work to the other knitting needle point so that the row can be worked again in Color B.

Repeat Row 1 Color B: Slip 1, * BRP, Slip 1, Yarn Over * repeat between *’s until 2 stitches remain, BRP, Slip 1

Turn work

Repeat Row 2 (Wrong Side)

 

Repeat Row 2 is worked across the back side (wrong side) of the work. First Repeat Row 2 row is worked in Color A, then it is worked in Color B.

Repeat Row 2 Color A: Purl 1, * Slip 1, Yarn Over, BRP * repeat between *’s until 2 stitches remain, Slip 1, Yarn Over, Purl 1

DO NOT Turn work. Slide your work to the other knitting needle point so that the row can be worked again in Color B.

Repeat Row 2 Color B: Slip 1, * BRK, Yarn Over, Slip 1 * repeat between *’s until 2 stitches remain, BRK, Slip 1

Turn work

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Italian Cast On