Westbury Bolero in Berroco Floret - Downloadable PDF

Westbury Bolero in Berroco Floret

What Is Being Made

The Westbury Bolero is a women's open-front cardigan designed as a lightweight layering piece. This bolero-style garment features a relaxed fit with approximately 2 inches of ease and is intentionally designed so the fronts do not meet, making it an ideal shrug or shoulder-covering accessory. The pattern includes six size options ranging from X-Small to 2X, with finished bust measurements from 32 inches to 52 inches and lengths between 15½ and 18½ inches.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

The Westbury Bolero employs fundamental knitting techniques suitable for beginners. The garment is constructed using straight knitting needles for the main body pieces and a circular knitting needle for seamless finishing work. The pattern utilizes a combination of stockinette stitch and a decorative pattern stitch that creates visual texture and interest throughout the piece.

Stitches Used

The primary stitches featured in this design include:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The foundational stitch used for the majority of the garment, providing a smooth, classic knit fabric
• Garter Stitch: Created by knitting every row, used for borders and structural sections
• Wrapped Yarn Stitch: A decorative technique where yarn is wrapped around the needle twice in Row 5, then dropped in Row 6, creating elongated loops and texture variation
• Pattern Stitch (Pat St): A multi-row repeat combining knit rows with the wrapped yarn technique to establish the garment's textured appearance

Materials and Specifications

The Westbury Bolero is designed to be knitted with Berroco Floret yarn in colorway #7613 Peppermint. The pattern requires 6 to 11 balls (50 grams each) depending on the selected size, making it an economical project. This yarn is an aran weight, a medium-weight yarn that knits quickly and produces a fabric with good drape and structure.

The recommended needles are size 8 (5.00 mm) straight knitting needles for the main body sections and a 29-inch circular knitting needle in size 8 (5.00 mm) for finishing. The pattern emphasizes the importance of checking gauge before beginning: the stockinette stitch gauge is 19 stitches and 23 rows over 4 inches, while the pattern stitch gauge is 19 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches. Achieving proper gauge ensures the finished garment will meet the intended measurements and drape correctly.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is classified as Easy, making it an excellent choice for beginner knitters. The straightforward construction, basic stitch repertoire, and clear sizing instructions provide an accessible introduction to cardigan knitting without overwhelming complexity.