Brioche Del Mar

Brioche Del Mar: Seamless Oversized Knit Top

What Is Being Made

Brioche Del Mar is an oversized knit top designed by Jennifer Shiels Toland, inspired by Mediterranean shorelines and the relaxing aesthetic of Café del Mar music from the late 1990s. This is a seamless garment worked primarily in the round, combining flat and circular knitting techniques to create a sophisticated, relaxed-fit pullover suitable for intermediate knitters.

Construction Method and Techniques

The garment employs a top-down seamless construction approach, which allows for easy fitting adjustments and eliminates the need for seaming. The pattern begins with a separate back piece worked flat on straight needles, followed by the front worked flat to the armholes. Once the fronts and back are complete, all pieces are joined together to continue working in the round down to the hem, creating a continuous, seamless garment from yoke to hem.

The signature design element is the two-colour brioche hem featuring a scalloped shell edge, which adds visual interest and a refined finishing detail. This brioche technique creates a reversible, textured fabric with excellent stretch and recovery, making it both beautiful and functional.

Sleeve Options

Brioche Del Mar offers knitters flexibility with two distinct cuff finishing options:

• A mesh eyelet cuff for a lighter, more open aesthetic
• A simple twisted rib cuff for a more traditional, fitted finish

This choice allows customization based on personal preference and desired drape.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The pattern utilizes brioche knitting as its primary stitch technique, which involves knitting into the yarn overs from the previous row to create a distinctive, puffy, reversible fabric. Additional techniques include:

• Seamless top-down construction using circular needles for in-the-round knitting
• Flat knitting for the initial back and front pieces
• Two-colour brioche for the decorative hem
• Scalloped shell edging for a finished, polished appearance
• Mesh eyelet or twisted rib options for sleeve cuffs

Materials and Yarn

Brioche Del Mar is designed to be knit using KPPPM yarn from Koigu, which is hand-painted yarn known for its beautiful, variegated coloring and excellent stitch definition. The pattern calls for 4-ply weight yarn, which provides good drape and allows the brioche stitch definition to shine while remaining lightweight enough for a comfortable, wearable garment.

Knitters will require circular needles for the in-the-round sections and straight needles for the flat-worked back and front pieces, with specific needle sizes determined by the yarn weight and desired gauge.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with solid foundational skills who are ready to tackle more advanced techniques. The brioche stitch and seamless construction require attention to detail and familiarity with reading patterns, but the top-down method provides built-in fitting opportunities before completing the entire garment.