Stylish and Free: Knit Bolero Sweater Shrug Pattern

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. The Pattern: "Just the Sleeves"
3. Materials Needed
4. Creating the Neck Hole
5. Binding Off for the Neckline
6. Purling the Stitches
7. Casting Stitches Back On
8. Knitting the Back Rows
9. Adding the Sleeves
10. Picking Up Stitches
11. Knitting in the Round
12. Decreasing Stitches and Working the Cuff
13. Adding a Turtleneck
14. Final Steps and Conclusion

"Just the Sleeves" - A Practical Yet Trendy Garment

Are you tired of wearing full sweaters but still want to enjoy the coziness of sweater sleeves? Look no further! In this tutorial, I will guide you through making a unique and versatile garment called "Just the Sleeves." Whether you find it cool or weird, this quasi-bolero piece is sure to capture attention. I have employed some interesting techniques to ensure a seamless and adjustable fit. So, let's dive in and create a fashionable item that may leave others perplexed yet impressed!

Materials Needed

Before we begin, let's gather all the materials required for this project. You will need two balls of Bernat Softy Chunky yarn and a pair of 10-millimeter circular needles with a 20-inch cord. These materials will provide the necessary warmth and comfort for the sleeves. Once you have everything ready, we can proceed to create the unique design of "Just the Sleeves."

Creating the Neck Hole

To start this project, we first need to create the neck hole. It may sound peculiar, but this part of the pattern is actually just a rectangle with a hole in the middle. Begin by knitting the first seven rows according to the size indicated. The numbers for different sizes will be provided on the screen for your convenience. Once the seven rows are complete, you can proceed to knit across nine stitches for the shoulder.

Binding Off for the Neckline

Now it's time to bind off in the middle to form the neckline. We will use a somewhat stretchy bind off technique to ensure comfort while putting on the garment. Start by slipping the first stitch knitwise, followed by the next stitch. Then, insert your needle into the front of these stitches to position them correctly for knitting them together through the back loop. Repeat this process until you have bound off 18 stitches, leaving nine stitches remaining.

Purling the Stitches

After binding off, the next step is to purl the stitches until you reach the bound-off ones. This will create a smooth transition and prepare us for casting those stitches back on to complete the other side of our work. Once you have purled across, we can move on to casting on the stitches to bridge the gap in our work.

Casting Stitches Back On

To ensure a seamless look, we will pick up stitches to knit in the round and eliminate the need for additional seaming. To achieve this, we need to cast on extra stitches in the middle of our work to achieve the right circumference for our sleeves. Start by picking up stitches along the edge, next to the twisty strands of the edge stitches. Insert your needle into the space under the edge stitch, wrap a new yarn counterclockwise, and pull it through. Continue this process, picking up three stitches and skipping one, until you reach the corner. Use the backward loop method shown earlier to cast on additional stitches according to your size.

Knitting the Back Rows

Now that the neck hole is complete, we can focus on knitting the back rows. The pattern calls for knitting back and forth until the back piece is approximately three times longer than the front piece. Once you reach the desired length, bind off all the stitches using a basic bind off technique. This will give us a dicky-like structure, marking the completion of the first part of the pattern.

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