Are you ready to try something a little different with you knitting needles?
Today isn’t just any pattern release day, it’s a chance to stretch your skills with two colour brioche that’s both approachable and inventive. It’s brioche but sideways!
Designed by Bristol Ivy, the Housman Cowl and Mitt Set guides you through bold textures, clever construction, and just the right amount of challenge to keep things interesting.
Because that’s what we like right?
We take a technique we love or one we really want to try and then after we’ve nailed the basics, we like to make it our own.
Bristol Ivy has once again outdone herself with this innovative and fun set of knits. This set uses two colour brioche both in the round and flat. They work from simple pattern repeats into more a complex joining pattern to give you a set of patterns that offer a lot of new techniques. So we can start slowly and then build on what we learn. Just what we love in our Seasons Club.
Housman Mitts
This set of mitts begins from the cuff up in the round using two colour brioche. The thumb introduces a beautiful thumb gusset increase pattern that is both functional and beautiful. When the main mitt body is complete the cuff is worked flat from side-to-side. As you are working the cuff you are joining the stitches from the body at the same time.
There is something almost elven about these mitts. I don’t know why but I feel like they would be at home in a Lord of the Rings movie. What do you think?
If you’re wondering about pattern information for these, this is what you need to know:
SIZES
S (M, L)
To Fit Hand Circumference Up To: 7 (8, 9)” / 18 (20.5, 23) cm
0.5” / 1.5 cm intended negative ease.
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Wrist Circumference: 6 (7, 8)” / 15.25 (18, 20.5) cm
Length: 11.5” / 29.5 cm
Sample size M modelled with 0.5” / 1.5 cm negative ease.
YARN
Cowgirl Blues ‘Merino DK’ (100% Superwash Merino Wool; 186 yds / 170 m per 3.6 oz / 100 g);
Approx. Yardage: MC: 65 (75, 86) yds / 60 (69, 79) m; CC: 60 (70, 80) yds / 55 (64, 74) m
Housman Cowl
The Housman Cowl is a great piece to learn two colour brioche with. It is initially knit flat in rows, working a simple increase and decrease pattern repeat that creates a very beautiful effect.
You begin with a provisional cast-on which means that when you have reached the circumference of the neck that you want you will undo it and begin joining the cast-on stitches on each row to join it together.
When you have finished joining you will then pick up stitches around the bottom edge to end the cowl with two colour brioche in the round. The end effect looks stunning and it’s so wearable and cosy!
SIZES
One size
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference at top: 19.5” / 49.5 cm
Depth at back: 8.25” / 21 cm
YARN
Cowgirl Blues ‘Merino DK’ (100% Superwash Merino Wool; 186 yds / 170 m per 3.6 oz / 100 g);
Approx Yardage:
MC: 110 yds / 101 m; CC: 100 yds / 91 m
How To Purchase
These patterns are part of our Spring Seasons Club 2025. That means when you join the club you get access to these two patterns plus an extensive set step-by-step videos on how to work each technique. We will also have live recordings of our zoom sessions where we chat through the pattern and technique with Bristol and myself.
If two colour brioche is new for you (or if you would like to improve) then this is a great way of achieving that. All you have to do is click this button: