Bolero cashmere

Wedding Bolero Cashmere by Beemohr

What Is Being Made

This is a cashmere bolero, a short, tailored jacket-style garment designed for wedding occasions. The bolero features raglan sleeves and is available in three sizes: Small/Medium, Medium, and Large. The finished piece showcases an elegant, fitted silhouette with classic construction techniques suitable for special events.

Craft and Primary Technique

This project is created using the knitting craft. The bolero demonstrates intermediate-level knitting skills, making it appropriate for knitters with some experience beyond basic techniques. The garment construction involves multiple shaping methods and careful stitch management throughout.

Stitches and Shaping Techniques Used

The bolero employs several essential knitting stitches and techniques:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st) – The primary stitch throughout the garment, creating a smooth, classic fabric
• Selvage Stitches – The first and last stitch of every row are knitted to create clean, finished edges
• Raglan Armhole Shaping – Decreases worked on the back piece using slip-slip-knit (ssk) and knit-two-together (k2tog) techniques to create the characteristic diagonal raglan lines
• Raglan Cap Shaping – Matching decreases on the sleeve caps that correspond with the armhole shaping for proper fit
• Increases – One stitch increased on each side of the sleeves every sixth row to create the proper sleeve width and cap shaping
• Bind Off (BO) – Used to secure stitches at completion
• Placed Markers (PM) – Used to denote important row positions during construction

Materials and Yarn Specifications

This wedding bolero is crafted in cashmere, a luxurious natural fiber known for its softness and warmth. The yarn weight is classified as lace weight, which creates a delicate, refined fabric appropriate for formal wear.

Yardage and Quantity: The pattern requires 0.88 ounces (25 grams) per ball, with each ball containing approximately 330 yards (300 meters) of yarn. The total yardage needed varies by size to accommodate the different finished measurements across the three size options.

Construction Details by Component

Back Piece: Cast on 92, 102, or 114 stitches depending on size, beginning with 6 rows of stockinette stitch. The back features raglan armhole shaping with paired decreases (ssk and k2tog) worked every 6 rows, repeated 12 to 14 times depending on size. The piece is worked to specific measurements (10.2 inches to 12 inches in length) before binding off the remaining stitches.

Sleeves: Each sleeve begins with a cable cast-on of 50, 54, or 60 stitches and is worked in stockinette stitch. Increases are strategically placed on each side every sixth row (10 to 15 increases depending on size) to reach the final stitch count of 70, 78, or 90 stitches. The sleeves are worked to approximately 20 to 21 inches before raglan cap shaping begins. The cap shaping uses the same decrease technique as the armhole, repeated 14 to 19 times, and continues until the sleeve measures 29 to 31.5 inches in total length.

Skill Level and Pattern Format

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, requiring competency with shaping techniques, stitch decreases, and garment assembly. The design is provided as a downloadable PDF format, allowing knitters to access the complete instructions digitally. The pattern includes multiple size options with specific stitch counts and measurements for each, enabling customization based on the knitter's preferences and fit requirements.