STITCH ROUND Off-the-shoulder bolero crochet pattern with split-stitch sleeves
5 rounds total build two sleeves and a panel into an off-the-shoulder bolero.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Rounds
- 5 rounds
- Yarn weight
- Light (Mercerized Cotton) / Medium
- Hook
- 4.5 mm
- Time
- 4-6 hours
Intermediate
What the original page called it. Nothing here is graded a second time.
5 rounds
Each one gets its own line, with a box beside it to tick as you go.
Light (Mercerized Cotton) / Medium
What the sample was made in. Any weight works — the size moves with it.
About this pattern
This bolero is built from two matching sleeves and one back panel, each sleeve ticked off over four rounds and the panel closed out in a single round. The pieces are worked flat and then seamed, so most of the shaping happens on the hook before any joining begins. A lightweight mercerized cotton keeps the finished piece airy, while a medium weight yarn turns the same rounds into a warmer version.
- Chain a foundation row for one sleeve, splitting it between double crochet and single crochet at the marked point.
- Work the back-loop-only rows that follow, keeping the double crochet and single crochet sections stacked in place.
- Repeat the double crochet and single crochet pattern until the cuff reaches its target length, ending on an odd row.
- Finish the sleeve on its final row without adding a turning chain, then make a second sleeve to match.
- Chain and single crochet around to form the single off-the-shoulder panel that joins the two sleeves.
- Fold each sleeve, slip stitch the underarm seam up to a marked point, then join sleeves and panel with chains and slip stitches.
What goes wrong
- Losing the stitch marker placement Place the stitch marker on the 15th chain exactly as instructed before starting the double crochet section. Moving it even one chain over shifts where the single crochet section begins and throws off the whole sleeve.
- Crocheting into both loops by accident Check each stitch on the back-loop-only rows before pulling through, since it is easy to slip back into working both loops out of habit. Working both loops flattens the ridge that gives the cuff its texture.
- Ending the sleeve on an even row Count rows as the cuff grows toward its target length and stop on an odd number as the pattern specifies. An even final row changes which stitch type sits at the wrist edge.
- Adding a turning chain on the last row Skip the turning chain on the sleeve's final row even though every row before it included one. Adding it anyway leaves an extra bump at the cuff edge.
Yarn, hook and the rest
Copied from the source pattern's own materials list.
- Lightweight 100% mercerized cotton yarn (color Snow by Patrick Grace suggested) or a medium weight yarn for a warmer bolero
- 4.5 mm crochet hook
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Stitch markers (Bobby pins can be used)
- Tapestry needle
Progress tracker
0 of the 5 rounds on this page are ticked.
The pattern, round by round
Kept in the order and the wording the source used. Tick a round as you finish it; the ticks stay on this device.
Sleeve
Round 1
Foundation Row Make a slip knot and chain the length according to measurement A, plus 2 turning chains; place a stitch marker on the 15th chain from the hook; double crochet into the third chain from the hook; continue with double crochets until you reach the stitch marker; switch to single crochet stitches for the next 15 stitches; place a stitch marker in the first single crochet made; turn work.
Round 2
(Turning Chain and Row 2): Skip the turning chain; single crochet into the back loop only until the stitch marker; double crochet into the back loop only past the stitch marker until the end; make 2 turning chains; turn work.
Round 3
and Beyond: Follow the pattern (double crochets followed by single crochets) until the wrist cuff reaches measurement B; ensure you end on an odd number of rows.
Round 4
Final Row Do not chain one after the last row.
Off-the-Shoulder Panel
Follow instructions in the pattern for connecting and expanding this panel.
Round 1
Chain 30; skip the turning chain; then single crochet back along the chains and around.
Join
Step 1Fold the sleeve in half and measure 7.5 inches from the top; mark with a stitch marker.
Step 2Slip stitch the edges together up to the marked stitch.
Step 3Create a slip knot and crochet around the arm opening, making two single crochets in each double crochet around.
Step 4Crochet 12 chains, then connect with the second sleeve and repeat the process.
Step 5Chain the number needed to reach measurement C to connect the front.
Step 6Slip stitch around to create the back connection.
Step 7Slip stitch the off-the-shoulder panel together.
Step 8Single crochet around any rough edges for a neater finish.
Step 9Weave in all ends.
Step 10Flip the Bolero right side out.
Finish
- Weave in all loose ends from the foundation chains, color changes, and seam joins before any shaping is checked.
- Block the finished bolero flat using the measuring tape as a guide, easing the back-loop-only sections so the cuffs lie smooth.
- Check every slip stitch join at the underarm, chain connections, and back closure, and reinforce any loose stitch with the tapestry needle.
Bigger or smaller
- Smaller or Longer
- Repeat the double crochet and single crochet row pattern fewer or more times before the cuff reaches its target length, always finishing on an odd row as the pattern directs.
Photographs of this one
Every photograph on this page was taken by whoever published the pattern, and they are printed in the order the source listed them.
FAQs
Asked and answered
These answers came from whoever first published the pattern, kept word for word.
Can the bolero be made in a different yarn weight?
Yes. The pattern is written for a lightweight mercerized cotton but notes a medium weight yarn works with the same 4.5 mm hook for a warmer result. Expect a slightly denser fabric with the heavier yarn.
What happens if the back loop only step is skipped?
Skipping the back loop only instruction removes the ridge that defines the cuff rows and makes the fabric sit flatter than intended. It is worth checking the first few stitches of each row to confirm only the back loop is caught.
How are the two sleeves joined to the panel?
Each sleeve is folded and seamed partway up with slip stitch, then connected to the other sleeve and the single off-the-shoulder panel using chains and slip stitch joins. The arm opening is finished separately by working single crochet around it.