Pieces of Eight

Ever since I saw the Infinity Cardi-Wrap by Kristine Omdahl, I wanted to do something similar with fingerless gloves. It took me a three attempts to finally get it right.

Nostalgia Brioche Cowl

I don't know whether it's because of the colours or of the pattern, but with its wavy edge this cowl reminds me somehow of "olden days" - that's why I called it "Nostalgia". It's a brioche pattern - it's reversible and both sides are attractive.

The finished cowl measures 22 cm in height and 116 cm in circumference.




This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Materials:

• 80 grams of DK weight yarn Colour A
• 80 grams of DK weigh yarn in Colour B
• 4.5 mm circular knitting needles
• 12 stitch markers
• a tapestry needle (to weave in ends)

Techniques:
I used the terminology (brioche notation) from briochestitch.com.
However, here are some short (!) explanations in my own words. If these are too short, please refer to the original link.

• brsskpsso = slip 1 stitch (i.e. two loops), brk2tog (i.e. 3 loops), psso -> decrease by 2 stitches
• brk3tog = bkr2tog, return stitch to left needle and pass next stitch over -> decrease by 2 stitches
• brkyobrk = bark 1 stitch (and don't slip it off the left needle), yo, and bark the same stitch again -> increase by 2 stitches
• sl1yof = slip 1 stitch while doing a yarn over -> stitch that's not knitted but just slipped in the brp-round
• yfsl1yo = put yarn in front and slip 1 stitch while doing a yarn over -> stitch that's not knitted but just slipped in the brk-round

Some videos showing two-colour brioche in general

• video part 1 (cast on),  
• video part 2 (general two-colour brioche pattern repeat)

Instructions:

CO 216 stitches using Colour B - or any other number of stitches divisible by 18. Put in stitch markers between each 18 stitches.

Knit one round in Colour B (setup round)

Round 1a (Colour A - first time): *sl1yof p (repeat from * to end)
Round 1a (Colour A - next times): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 1b (Colour B): *brsskpsso yfsl1yo,  6 times: (brk yfsl1yo), brkyobrk yfsl1yo (repeat from * end)

(Note for all brk-rounds: the instructions between stars (*) denote one pattern repeat (i.e. the space between two stitch markers))

Round 2a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 2b (Colour B): *brsskpsso yfsl1yo, 5 times: (brk yfsl1yo),  brkyobrk yfsl1yo, once: (brk yfsl1yo) (repeat from * to end)

Round 3a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 3b (Colour B): *brsskpsso yfsl1yo, 4 times: (brk yfsl1yo),  brkyobrk yfsl1yo, twice: (brk yfsl1yo) (repeat from * to end)

Round 4a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 4b (Colour B): *brsskpsso yfsl1yo, 3 times: (brk yfsl1yo),  brkyobrk yo, 3 times: (brk yfsl1yo) (repeat from * to end)

Round 5a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 5b (Colour B): *brsskpsso yfsl1yo, twice: (brk yfsl1yo),  brkyobrk yfsl1yo, 4 times: (brk yfsl1yo) (repeat from * to end)

Round 6a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 6b (Colour B): *brsskpsso yfsl1yo, once: (brk yfsl1yo),  brkyobrk yfsl1yo, 5 times: (brk yfsl1yo) (repeat from * to end)

Round 7a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 7b (Colour B): *brsskpsso yfsl1yo, brkyobrk yfsl1yo, 6 times: (brk yfsl1yo) (repeat from * to end)



Round 8a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 8b (Colour B): *brkyobrk yfsl1yo, 6 times: (bkr yfsl1yo) brk3tog yfsl1yo (repeat from * to end)

Round 9a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 9b (Colour B): *brk yfsl1yo, brkyobrk yfsl1yo, 5 times: (bkr yfsl1yo) brk3tog yfsl1yo (repeat from * to end)

Round 10a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 10b (Colour B): *twice: (brk yfsl1yo), brkyobrk yfsl1yo, 4 times: (bkr yfsl1yo) brk3tog yfsl1yo (repeat from * to end)

Round 11a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 11b (Colour B): *3 times: (brk yfsl1yo), brkyobrk yfsl1yo, 3 times: (bkr yfsl1yo) brk3tog yfsl1yo (repeat from * to end)

Round 12a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 12b (Colour B): *4 times: (brk yfsl1yo), brkyobrk yfsl1yo, twice: (bkr yfsl1yo) brk3tog yfsl1yo (repeat from * to end)

Round 13a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 13b (Colour B): *5 times: (brk yfsl1yo), brkyobrk yfsl1yo, once: (bkr yfsl1yo) brk3tog yfsl1yo (repeat from * to end)

Round 14a (Colour A): *sl1yof brp (repeat from * to end)
Round 14b (Colour B): *6 times: (brk yfsl1yo), brkyobrk yfsl1yo, brk3tog yfsl1yo (repeat from * to end)

Repeat Round 1a - 14b once more, then repeat round 1a - 7b

Last round (Colour B): *k1 brp1 (repeat from * to end)
Bind off using Colour B.
Weave in ends.

Tomatoes and Coffee - Short Socks

After knitting a pair of Charade socks (pattern by Sandra Park on Ravelry), I started to "research" other sock types and came across the "sweet tomato heel" technique - and I wanted to try it :)
(Another type of heel would be the yo-yo heel, ... maybe I'll try that one later ...)

So, these short socks use the sweet tomato-heel technique by Cat Bordhi (http://catbordhi.com/) and a stitch that's called coffee bean pattern (Kaffeebohnenmuster).

This is not a complete pattern, but just a rough sketch.




Techiques:

• Tomato Heel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRc3309JUyc . In short, the heel is constructed of three short row wedges.

• The "Coffee Bean Pattern" consists of 4 rows.
  Row 1: p1 k2 p1
  Row 2: p1 k1 yo k1
  Row 3: p1 k3 p1
  Row 4: p1 sl1 k2 psso p1

• Toe decreases, as described in this Knitty article (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/FEATsocks101.html, section 9) or shown here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4bEhqXgOIU

Instructions:
With 3.25mm needles CO60
With 2.5mm needles knit 10 rows of ribbing
Switch to 3mm needles and knit 3 sets of coffee bean pattern
Knit tomato heel (while knitting the full rounds, continue coffee bean pattern on the front third)
Continue the foot, knitting coffee bean pattern on the front third and stockinette on the backside (2 thirds).
When foot is long enough, do toe decreases and graft leftover stitches.

Brioche in Montreux

I called this cowl "Brioche in Montreux" because I knitted part of it on the way to the Christmas market in Montreux.
A two-colour brioche technique is used with three cabling strands distributed around the cowl. Since it's a brioche pattern, it's reversible - both sides are equally attractive.

After blocking it had a circumference of 60 cm and a height of 29 cm.





This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.



Materials

• 30-40 grams of fingering weight yarn (Colour A)
• 30-40 grams of fingering weight yarn (Colour B)
• 3.5mm circular needles
• 3 stitch markers
• tapestry needle (to weave in ends)

Abbreviations

• The abbreviations brk & yfsl1yo, brp & sl1yof are taken from briochestitch.com. 
• C8F: make a front cross cable over 8 stitches, i.e. put 4 stitches (here this means on a cable needle and leave them in front of your piece, knit the next 4 stitches from the left needle (in this case the 4 stitches are knitted: brp, sl1yof, brp, sl1yof), then knit the 4 stitches from the cable needle (i.e.  brp, sl1yof, brp, sl1yof,).
• C8B: make a back cross cable over 8 stitches, i.e. put 4 stitches on a cable needle and leave them in the back of your piece,  knit the next 4 stitches from the left needle (in this case the 4 stitches are knitted: brp, sl1yof, brp, sl1yof), then knit the 4 stitches from the cable needle (i.e.  brp, sl1yof, brp, sl1yof).

Techniques

• Two-colour brioche knitted in the round: video part 1 (cast on), video part 2 (pattern repeat) - direct links to YouTube 
• Link to an article that explains two-colour brioche

Instructions
CO120 stitches with colour B (white on the photo), placing a stitch marker after 40sts, 80 sts and 120 sts.
Join in round

Round 1a (Colour A): * p1 sl1yof (repeat from * to end)
Round 1b (Colour B): * yfsl1yo brk (repeat from * to end)
 
Round 2a (Colour A): * brp1 sl1yof (repeat from * to end of round)
Round 2b (Colour B): * yfsl1yo brk (repeat from * to end of round)

Repeat rounds 2a and 2b a total of 4 times


Round 5a (Colour A): * brp1 sl1yof (repeat from * a total of 3 times), C8F, +brp1 sl1yof (repeat from + to next marker);
    * brp1 sl1yof (repeat from * a total of 3 times), C8F, +brp1 sl1yof (repeat from + to next marker);
    * brp1 sl1yof (repeat from * a total of 3 times), C8F, +brp1 sl1yof (repeat from + to end of round)
Round 5b (Colour B): * yfsl1yo brk (repeat from * to end of round)

Repeat rounds 2a and 2b a total of 3 times

Round 9a (Colour A): brp 1 sl1yof, C8B, C8B *brp1 ysl1yof (repeat from * to next marker);
     brp 1 sl1yof, C8B, C8B *brp1 ysl1yof (repeat from * to next marker);
     brp 1 sl1yof, C8B, C8B *brp1 ysl1yof (repeat from * to next end of round)
Round 9b (Colour B): * yfsl1yo brk (repeat from * to end of round)

Repeat rounds 2a and 2b a total of 3 times

Round 13a = Round 5a
Round 13b = Round 5b

Repeat rounds 2a and 2b a total of 5 times - you have now completed round 18b

Repeat from round 5a to round 18b a total of 5 times, ending with round 17b - or until the cowl has reached your desired height.

Bind off in a p1k1-pattern using colour B. 

Weave in ends - and block.

Triangulation Wrist Warmers

Knitted in one piece without cutting the yarn, these mitts formed first in a triangular then diagonal shape. They are first knitted back and forth, then in the round, then back and forth and in the end in the round again. Since they are knitted in one piece, you won't have to cut your yarn and you'll only have two ends to weave in per mitt.

Since they don't cover much of the hands, they are rather wrist warmers than fingerless gloves. 

About 4 years after publishing this pattern, Bernadette from Törtchens Blog tried to translate this pattern into German (thank you!!). And during the course of this translation, she discovered quite a few mistakes. So, in October 2017 I duly corrected them.

The German translation is available here.
Eine deutsche Übersetzung findet sich hier. (erstellt von Bernadette von Törtchens Blog)

This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.


Materials

• about 40 grams of fingering weight yarn
• 2.5 mm needles
• 3 (different) stitch markers

Techniques:

• Knitted cast-on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nJKC2xT0Q4

Construction

These mitts are constructed in a different manner of the normal in-the-round loom-style fingerless gloves. They are started at the lower edge with only 4 stitches CO. Then a triangle is knitted flat (part I); when the lower edge is wide enough, both ends are joined in the round and knitted upwards diagonally (part 2). Part 3 is knitted flat with decreases at the upper end, while part 4 is knitted in the round again, drecreasing again until thumb width is reached (see picture on the right).



Instructions

Part I - knitted flat

CO4
Set-up row: k2 place marker k2 (this marker will be called middle marker)
Row 1: kfb; k to st before marker kfb; slip marker; kfb k to last stitch; kfb
Row 2: k
Repeat until there are 60 sts on your needles (or until the lower edge is wide enough to fit around your wrists).
End with row 1,
then join in round - place marker (this marker will be called end marker)


Part II - in the round

Round 1: k
Round 2: k2tog; k until 1 st before middle marker; kfb; slip marker; kfb; k until 2 sts before end marker; ssk
Repeat these 2 rounds a total of 5 times

Round 11: p
Round 12: k2tog; k until 1 st before middle marker; kfb; slip marker; kfb; k until 2 sts before end marker; ssk
Repeat rounds 11 and 12 a total of 5 times

Round 21: k
Round 22: k2tog; k until 1 st before middle marker; kfb; slip marker; kfb; k until 2 sts before end marker; ssk
Repeat rounds 21 and 22 a total of 5 times

Round 31: p
Round 32: k2tog; k until 1 st before middle marker; kfb; slip marker; kfb; k until 2 sts before end marker; ssk
Repeat rounds 31 and 32 a total of 5 times

Round 41: k
Round 42: k2tog; k until 1 st before middle marker; kfb; slip marker; kfb; k until 2 sts before end marker; ssk
Repeat rounds 41 and 42 a total of 5 times

Afterwards k to middle marker - remove middle marker; and TURN WORK.
Now there is only one marker left.


Part III - knitted flat

Row 1: k to last stitch before end – if you want to avoid a gap at the upper outer edge, you can now connect the first and last stitches of that row like this: slip the last stitch to the right needle and - using a crochet hook - draw the working yarn through the first stitch of that row, put the loop on the left needle, move the last (not yet knitted) stitch back to the left needle, knit the two stitches together (see picture on the left). Alternatively, just knit the last stitch.

Row 2: ssk; k until the last two stitches; k2tog
Row 3: k
Row 4: ssk; k until two stitches before marker; ssk; slip marker; k2tog; k until two stitches before end; k2tog
Row 5: k
Repeat rows 2-5 rows twice more more.

Row 11: p
Row 12:  ssk; k until two stitches before marker; ssk; slip marker; k2tog; k until two stitches before end; k2tog
Row 13: p
Row 14: ssk; k until the last two stitches; k2tog
(if you started part 2 at 60 stitches, you should now have 40 sts on your needles)

Place marker (this will be called M2) and add 20 stitches by using a knitted cast on – place marker (this is the new „round end marker“) join in round. The picture on the right shows the naming and placement of the markers. I opted to distribute the stitches on three needles instead of using markers.



Part IV & thumb - knitted in the round

Round 1: k to M2: ssk *k1 p1 (repeat from * to two sts before) marker k2tog slip marker (this creates a small ribbing at the upper edge to prevent it from rolling)
Round 2: k to M2: ssk *p1 k1 (repeat from * to two sts before) marker k2tog slip marker (this creates a small ribbing at the upper edge to prevent it from rolling)
Round 3 = Round 1

Round 4: ssk k to two stitches before marker k2tog, repeat once more; you're now at M2, ssk *p1 k1 (repeat from * to two sts before) marker k2tog slip marker
Round 5: ssk k to two stitches before marker k2tog; repeat three times
Round 6: k all

Round 7 = Round 5
Round 8 = Round 5
Round 9 = Round 6

Repeat rounds 7 to 9 once more

 – if you started part 2 at 60 stitches, you should now have 18 sts on your needles.

For the thumb, knit 9 rounds of k2 p1-ribbing, bind off in pattern in 10th round.
Weave in ends.

Make two.

Zimtstern Mitts

Since Advent season starts this weekend, here's a "christmassy" pattern. It's called "Zimtstern" because its look reminds me of the traditional Christmas cookie of the same name (the cookies have cinnamon in them ("Zimt") and are formed as a star ("Stern") - here's a recipe (not mine!)).

The Zimtstern mitts are started at the thumb then increased - they combine techniques used in the hexagon mitts and the circle mitts. The stitches in star shape are added as surface crochet (or surface slip stitches) in between the knitted rows. Because of the unusual construction and since surface crochet is fiddly work, the pattern is not really suited for beginners.






This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.


German / Deutsch: Eine deutsche Version dieser Anleitung wurde von Bernadette von Törtchens Blog erstellt. Vielen lieben Dank. Details dazu in diesem Blogpost.

Danish / Dansk: A danish translation was written by MarianneHo (Ravelry name) and is available here. Hjertelig tak

Japanese / 日本語: A video tutorial in japanese has been provided by Kabosu (かぼすの手しごと). It can be found on YouTube here: Part 1, Part 2


Construction

These mitts are knitted in 5 parts: they are started at the thumb and then "grow" in a hexagon (knitted in round and refered to as part 1 and 2 in the pattern),  a bind-off of one side of the hexagon creates part of the upper edge the mitts; they then grow bigger in an open hexagon until the edge of the hand is reached (that's part 3 - knitted flat). During part 2 and 3 rows of surface crochet slip stitches are added to create the star pattern. A three needle bind-off creates a seam along the edge of the hand. Now the lower edge of the mitt is lopsided. To even it out a series of short rows is knitted that also include some decreases (part 4 - knitted in the round). With an even lower edge the shaft is lengthened a bit and ribbing is added (part 5).

As with the patterns mentioned above, these are knitted in one piece, i.e. no yarn is cut which minimizes the weaving in of ends.

Materials

• about 30 grams of fingering weight yarn - preferably variegated - the yarn I used is called Corolli by Schulana (link to the yarn's Ravelry page)
• 3mm dpns (even if you prefer the magic loop technique you will need a 3rd needle for a three-needle bind-off)
• 2.5mm crochet hook
• 6 stitch markers

Gauge / Size

• 7 sts and 9 rows = 2cm x 2cm
• the finished mitt is about 20 cm high (highest point) with 15 cm circumference at the lower edge (ribbing) and about 14 cm at the top

Techniques and Non-Standard Abbreviations

• Surface Crochet or surface slip stitches: Using a crochet hook, you make slip stitches through your knitted fabric. The photo on the right shows how it looks when adding surface slip stitches to a knitted fabric. Here's a video and here's a tutorial that both show surface crochet.
  
  
• Three-Needle Bind-Off: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpJUrCX52DU
• Short Rows in the Round (and t+ky) I learned short rows in the round with this helpful video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCgycxLce94; however, I ended up doing the pick-ups differently.
  
  "Wrapping" of the Stitches
  Basically, when you're on the RS, you do wrap the working yarn around the next stitch (from front to back) and then turn your work, i.e. the "normal" wrap and turn (w+t).
  When you are on the wrong side you slip the last stitch, turn your work with the yarn in front, wrap the yarn around the RIGHT needle and knit the slipped stitch. That creates a sort of double-stitch - one half of it has to be knitted together with the stitch in front when you're picking up the stitches. In the pattern, throughout the pattern I will call this stitch, t+ky (short for "turn and knit w/yarn-over").
  
  Picking-up
  When encountering a w+t, I turned the wrapped stitch on the needle, picked up the wrap from the front and knitted the stitch and the wrap together through the back of the loop.
  When reaching the stitch BEFORE the “double-stitch”, I turned this stitch and knitted it together with the yo through the back of the loop.
  

• “Make One Purl”-Stitches (a video that shows these stitches):
• mk1p right-leaning: make one purl stitch by inserting the needle from the back in the bar between the two stitches and purl
• mk1p left-leaning: make one purl stitch by inserting the needle from the back in the bar between the two stitches and purl through the back of the loop

Instructions

Part I - Thumb

CO18
Join in round
Rounds 1-10: *k1tbl p2 (repeat from * till end of round)

Round 11: *k1tbl p1, mk1p, p1 (repeat from * till end of round)
Rounds 12-15: *k1tbl p1 (repeat from * till end of round)
Round 16: *place marker, k1tbl p1 k1tbl p1 (repeat from * till end of round)

(You have 24 sts on your needles)

Part II - Increases in the Round

Round 0: k
Round 1: *slip marker, k1, mk1l, k to marker; mk1r  (repeat from * till end of round) (after this round you have increased by 12 sts)
Round 2: k
Round 3: k
Round 4: add surface crochet, put the loop from the last stitch on the knitting needle
Round 5: pass loop from crochet hook over the first stitch; knit first stitch; k to end, k to end

Repeat rounds 1-5 a total of 4 times

Then repeat them once more but add a "mini-ribbing" (k1 p1) and bind-off in the last sixth of the hexagon, i.e.:


Round 21: *slip marker, k1, mk1l, k to marker; mk1r  (repeat from * till end of round)
Round 22: k
Round 23: k until the last marker k1, *k1 p1 (repeat from *) until last stitch, k1
Round 24: apply surface crochet, put the loop from the last stitch on the knitting needle
Round 25: pass loop from crochet hook over the first stitch; knit first stitch; k until the last marker binding off in pattern (i.e. k1, *k1 p1 (repeat from *) until last stitch, k1 - this creates the upper bind-off.

(Now you have 70 sts (84 - 14 BO sts) on your needles.)

The diagram shows where to insert the surface crochet stitches during part 2.

 When adding surface crochet,

• use your working yarn to add slip stitches to the knitted surface, i.e. insert the crochet hook into the first live stitch on the needle and pull the loop, then insert the crochet hook into the stitch below the second stitch and make a slip stitch (see photo), insert the crochet hook into the second stitch below the 3rd stitch on the needle and make a slip stitch; 
• continue slip stitches "one to the left, one down" until you have reached the middle between two markers, 
• then go up again, i.e. make a slip stitch into the stitch one to the left and one above; continue until you have reached a live stitch on the needle - this should be a stitch just after a marker
• when you have pulled a slip stitch through the stitch below the last stitch of the round, put the loop back on the left knitting needle and pass it over the first stitch of the round.
• make sure to keep your slip stitches loose, i.e. don't pull them too tight, in order to keep the fabric stretchy
• insert your knitting needle between the legs of the stitch - except when you are at the upper edge (i.e. life knit stitches on your needle), here you draw the slip stitch through the life stitch.

The diagram shows where to put the slip stitches - it shows one sixth of a round or the space between two stitch markers.

Part III - Increases knitted flat

Complete the BO by slipping the last stitch over the first stitch and continue the pattern flat.

Row 1 (RS): * k to marker mk1r slip marker, k1, mk1l  (repeat from * until the last marker), k to end (-> after this row you have increased by 8 stitches)
Row 2 (WS): p
Row 3 (RS): k
Row 4: apply surface crochet (on RS), put the loop from the last stitch on the knitting needle
Row 5 (RS): k2tog (loop from crochet hook and first stitch on knitting needle); k to end

Row 6 (WS): * p to 1 st before marker, mk1p left-leaning, p1, slip marker, make1p right-leaning (repeat from * until last marker), p to end
Row 7 (RS): k
Row 8 (WS): p
Row 9 : apply surface crochet (on RS), put the loop from the last stitch on the knitting needle
Row 10 (WS): p2tog  (loop from crochet hook and first stitch on knitting needle); p to end

Repeat rows 1-7 once again.
(You should now have 102 sts on your needles; 4 times increases of 8 sts per row (4*8 = 32), added to the 70 already on the needles: 70+32 = 102)

When you're applying the surface crochet in part 3, you don't start through the 1st live stitch on the needles but below (see picture). In the first two instances (rows 4 and 9), this is not a problem because you only need to insert your crochet hook one or two stitches below, i.e. you don't need to draw the yarn too far. Afterwards (row 14) you can bring your yarn down to the starting point of the surface crochet by doing one surface slip stitch on the WS of the mitts.
On the diagram below you can see that even though you have finished row 3 for the 2nd time, the first crochet slip stitch would be 3 stitches below the first live stitch.

Hold the RS togehter and do a three-needle bind-off 26 stitches. Place a marker ("end-marker") on the back needle and put the last stitch on the back needle: then turn the mitts inside out, so that the RS shows.


Part 4 - Short rows to even out the shaft

As you can see in the photo, the lower edge of the mitts is now lopsided. This can be evened out by knitting a wedge of short rows.

This wedge is highest around end-marker and gets flatter towards the sides, i.e. short rows are knitted around the end-marker that get shorter by 2 stitches each row. At the same time decreases are made around the end-marker in order to finish with 45 stitches before part 5.

After the three-needle BO you have 51 sts on your needles (102-26-26+1, the +1 is the one stitch is left after the BO that is placed on the back needle).

Row 1: (RS) mk1, k25 w+t
   (WS) sl1, p21 p2tog p1, slip marker, mk1p, p23 t+ky
   (RS) k to 3 before end marker, ssk
(-> increases and decreases cancel each other out in this row (still 51 sts), the mk1-stitches are used to avoid holes between the stitch left over from the three-needle-BO and the next stitch on either side)
Row 2: (RS) k22 w+t
   (WS) sl1 p19 p2tog p1, slip marker, p2togtbl, p20 t+ky
   (RS) k2 to end marker (-> decrease by 2 sts, 49 sts)
Row 3: (RS) k19 w+t
   (WS) sl1 p16 p2tog p1, slip marker, p2togtbl, p17 t+ky
   (RS) k2 to end marker (-> decrease by 2 sts, 47 sts)
Row 4: (RS) k16 w+t
   (WS) sl1 p13 p2tog p1, slip marker, p2togtbl, p14 t+ky
   (RS) k2 to end marker (-> decrease by 2 sts => there should be 45 stitches on your needles, however, they may be difficult to count because of the double stitches created with the short rows.
Row 5: (RS): k13 w+t
   (WS): sl1 p to end marker, p12 t+ky
   (RS): k to end marker
Row 6:  (RS): k11 w+t
   (WS): sl1 p to end marker, p10 t+ky
   (RS): k to end marker
Row 7: (RS): k9 w+t
   (WS): sl1 p to end marker, p8 t+ky
   (RS): k to end marker
Row 8: (RS): k7 w+t
   (WS): sl1 p to end marker, p6 t+ky
   (RS): k to end marker
Row 9: (RS): k5 w+t
   (WS): sl1 p to end marker, p4 t+ky
   (RS): k to end marker


Knit one round picking up all stitches.

Part 5 - Lengthen the shaft and ribbing
Knit 5 more rounds.
Then do 12 rounds of k1tbl, p2-ribbing.
Bind off (loosely) in pattern (or use your favourite stretchy bind-off).

Brioche

Inspired by a KAL (or rather its German Version StriMiMi - Strick mit mir) in the facebook-group of nadelspiel.com, I've started to dabble around in two-colour brioche.

Using to skeins of fingering weight yarn and 3.5mm needles, I did two colour brioche in the round (with a CO of 120 sts). Cabling is added at three points around the cowl ...

Here's a list of videos that explain the technique:

Two-colour brioche knitted flat:

• the original eliZZZa video (nadelspiel.com) - in German
• the same video in English (direct link to YouTube - nadelspiel's English site is called knitaholics.com - it's a great resource of knitting and crochet videos)

Two-colour brioche knitted in the round:

• video part 1 (cast on), video part 2 (pattern repeat) - direct links to YouTube 

Further information about brioche stitch:

• an article that explains two-colour brioche