Knitting Project: Bolero Jacket
This bolero would look great over a tank top with jeans or even over a simple black dress for a sophisticated look. You’ll get lots of practice increasing and decreasing rows while knitting this project. It also requires that you pick up stitches to knit the bands. But don’t worry! It only takes a little practice and patience!
Knit bolero.
Close-up of bolero.
Schematic of bolero.
Getting Started
Sizes
Small, Medium, Large
Equivalent finished chest measurement 36″ (39″, 42″)
Note: This is a tight-fitting garment.
Materials
- 8 (8, 10 skeins) Cotton Chenille by Crystal Palace Yarns
- 4 (4, 5) skeins each:
- Color 5800 Kenya
- Color 6130 Melon
- 100% mercerized cotton
- 98 yards/90 meters
- 50 grams/1.75 ounces
- 4 (4, 5) skeins each:
- 2 (2, 2) balls Dragonfly by Crystal Palace Yarns
- Color 9604 Granite
- 70% polyester/30% nylon
- 44 yards/40 meters
- 50 grams/1.75 ounces
- Size 11 U.S. (8 mm) straight needles or size needed to obtain gauge
- Size 11 U.S. (8 mm) 36″ circular needles or size needed to obtain gauge
- Tapestry needle
Gauge
2.75 sts and 4 rows = 1″ in stockinette, with two strands of Cotton Chenille held together
Abbreviations
beg: beginning
BO: bind off
CO: cast on
dec: decrease
inc: increase
k: knit
k2tog: knit 2 together
p: purl
pat: pattern
rem: remaining
rep: repeat
rev St st: reverse stockinette
RS: right side
SSK: slip slip knit
st(s): stitch(es)
St st: stockinette stitch
WS: wrong side
Instructions
Note: Rev St st (the “bumpy” side of St st) is the RS of this garment.
Right Front
With one strand of Dragonfly and each color of Cotton Chenille held together, CO 9 (11, 13) sts with straight needles. Work in garter st (k every row) patterns for 1″.
Change to one strand of each color of Cotton Chenille held together and begin working in St st (p one row and k the next), purling the first row.
Inc 1 st at neck edge every 3rd row 6 (6, 5) times as follows:
RS: P1, p into front and back of next st, p across rem sts
WS: K across to last 2 sts, k into front and back of next st, k1
Tip: How do you increase every 3rd row? Work 2 rows. The 3rd row you work will be the increase row. Work 2 more rows without increasing. You will increase again on the following row.
Tip: The neck edge is the edge that will be next to your neck when the garment is worn.
Work even over 15 (17, 18) sts until piece measures 5 ½″ (6″, 6″) from beg, ending with RS row completed.
Tip: Work even means to continue to work in the pattern stitch—in this case stockinette—without increasing or decreasing.
At beg of next row (armhole edge), BO 3 sts.
Dec 1 st at armhole edge every other row 2 times as follows:
K1, SSK, k across rem sts.
Tip: How do you decrease every other row? Decrease on the row indicated. The next row you will not decrease. The row after you will decrease again as instructed.
Work even over 10 (12, 13) sts until armhole measures 8 ½″ (9″, 9 ½″), ending with RS row completed.
Tip: Measure the armhole length from the point you bound off stitches in a straight vertical line. Don’t try to curve your tape measure around the armhole. Another way to measure the armhole length is to measure from the bottom of the piece where you began, to the point where you are, subtracting the number of inches you knit for the body of the sweater.
BO 5 (6, 6) sts, k rem sts, p 1 row. BO rem sts.
Left Front
As for Right Front, reversing shaping.
Back
With one strand of Dragonfly and each color of Cotton Chenille held together, CO 51 (55, 59) sts. Work in garter stitch for 1″.
Change to one strand of each color of Cotton Chenille held together and work in St st until piece measures 5 ½″ (6″, 6″) from beg, ending with RS row completed.
BO 3 sts beg next 2 rows.
Dec 1 st at each end every other row 2 times as follows:
K1, SSK, k across to the last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
Work even over 41 (45, 49) sts until armhole measures same as fronts, ending with RS row completed.
BO 5 (6) sts beg next 4 rows. Size Large, BO 6 sts beg next 2 rows, then 7 sts beg next 2 rows. Place rem 21 (21, 23) sts on holder for back of neck.
Sleeves
With one strand of Dragonfly and each color of Cotton Chenille held together, CO 30 (32, 34) sts. Work in garter stitch for 1″.
Change to one strand of each color of Cotton Chenille held together and work in St st.
Inc 1 st at each end every 6th row 2 times as follows (34, 36, 38 sts):
K1, k into front and back of next st, k to last 2 sts, k into front and back of next st, k1
Work even until piece measures 7″ from beg, ending with WS row completed.
BO 3 sts beg next 2 rows.
Dec 1 st each end every other row 3 (2, 1) times, then every 4th row 5 (6, 7) times as follows:
K1, SSK, k across to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
BO rem sts.
Finishing
With one strand of either color of Cotton Chenille, sew shoulders of fronts to back. With right side facing, beg at bottom of right front with circular needles and one strand of Dragonfly and each color of Cotton Chenille held together, pick up 49 (50, 52) sts along right front, k 21 (21, 23) sts from holder, pick up 49 (50, 52) sts along left front. Work in garter st for 1″. BO loosely.
Sew in sleeves. Seam sleeves and sides. Weave in ends on WS.
For additional information, check out our Quick Guides Knitting Basics: Picking Up a Dropped Stitch and Knitting Basics: Increasing and Decreasing Rows. Happy stitching!
From The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Knitting and Crocheting Illustrated, Third Edition, by Barbara Breiter and Gail Diven
