Gauge: There is no gauge in practicing, but if you want to try. I got 7sts in pattern per 2”.

Brioche is one of those “it looks hard so I will wait until I am a better knitter to try it” kind of things. I say Phooey! If you can knit and you can purl you can brioche! It is a matter of knitting and purling a 4-row repeat. It’s the brioche terms that seem confusing. I have written this pattern in regular knit & purl terms to help you understand the stitches. I have also written it in brioche lingo at the end of the pattern 
Throw in a little felting for the hot pad and you can be (or play one on TV) a knitting master!