FREE Easy Stylish Crochet Bolero Shrug Pattern

Free Crochet Bolero Pattern

What is a Crochet Shrug?

A Crochet Shrug or Bolero is a cardigan-like garment that is created by seaming two ends of a rectangle together forming sleeves and leaving the middle open for the body. Depending on the size of the rectangle a shrug or bolero will be cropped or long.

A bolero is great to wear on a summer night similar to wearing a crochet shawl. This will make a perfect accessory to add to your handmade wardrobe as a layering cardigan!

An easy bolero pattern like this one is a great quick project for beginner crocheters. They are sometimes called a cocoon cardigan and are the perfect layering piece and are a great addition to any handmade wardrobe.

How Do You Crochet a Rectangle Shrug?

Making a Crochet Shrug or Bolero is an easy skill level pattern and the result is amazing! By crocheting a simple rectangle and using a creatively placed seam and some stitch markers, you will have a cute and cozy shrug in no time! This is a simple crochet pattern that’s uses the basic shape of a rectangle.

This unique design is made with a long rectangle and seamed to create sweater sleeves that will be perfect to wear on a summer evening. Making crochet garments like this allows for flexible sizing since all you need to do is add stitches or a repeat row. 

This Crochet Bolero is worked in rows of shell stitch the length of your arm span and then seamed in from each outer edge to create a cropped body opening of short length. That simple construction and basic crochet skills is all it takes to make this easy crochet bolero pattern!

How to Choose Yarn For Your Beautiful Crochet Bolero

For warm weather projects I love to use cotton! It is light and soft and it is one of those materials that just gets better with time! The suggested yarn is Circulo Duna that I used for my sample, which is a 100% DK Cotton. You can crochet a fun bolero in any yarn weight depending on the season you are making it for. 

If you can’t get your hands on Circulo Yarn I would recommend substituting with Lion Brand Cotton Jeans, another wonderful DK Cotton For this lovely pattern!

Materials

• 4.50 mm crochet hook 
• Scissors 
• #3 DK Wt. Yarn – 1116 (1302, 1395, 1488) yards 
• Sample made with:
• 6 (7, 8, 8) balls of Circulo Duna in #1114 

Gauge

• Ch 23 and follow pattern for Rows 1 to 6
• Pattern Swatch should measure
• 5” (stitch-wise) x 4” (row-wise) 

Stitch Descriptions and Abbreviations

• Chain Stitch – ch
• Slip Stitch – sl st 
• Stitch(es) – st(s)
• Skip – sk
• Stitch Marker – SM
• Double Crochet – dc

Pattern Notes

• Sizes: XS-M (M-XL, XL-3XL, 3XL-5XL) 
• *see chart below for detailed measurements.
• Skill Level: Easy
• * Designates a repeat.  
• Ch 1 does not count as a stitch. 
• “sc 1” means to single crochet in the next stitch. 
• “sc 2” means to single crochet in each of the next 2 stitches. 
• “2 sc” means to single crochet twice in the next st to create an increase. 
• Ch 3 counts as a dc. 
• Ch 4 counts as (dc, ch 1) 
• Sizing: pick your best fit based on the size range, you can easily adjust the sizing by adding rows and doing more or less sleeve seaming. 
• Arm Span is Sleeve Length plus Back Width. If you feel your size will be too long, go down a size with the starting chain and still specified rows for your size.

Size Chart

Crochet Shrug Bolero Pattern Begins

Ch 240 (254, 268, 282)
Row 1 – (3 dc, ch 2, 3dc) in 6th chain from hook, *skip next 6 chains, (3 dc, ch 2, 3dc) in next ch, repeat from * to last 3-ch, skip 2-ch, dc in last ch, turn. [34 (36, 38, 40) total shells]
Row 2 – Ch 3, (5 dc, ch 2) in each ch-2 sp stopping with last ch-2 sp remaining, 5 dc in last ch-2 sp, dc in turning chain, turn. [34 (36, 38, 40) total shells]
Row 3 – Ch 4, 3 dc in first dc, (3 dc, ch 2, 3dc) in each ch-2 sp to end, (3 dc, ch 1, dc) in turning ch-3, turn. [34 (36, 38, 40) total shells]
Row 4 – Ch 3, 2 dc in first ch-1 sp, ch 2, (5 dc, ch 2) in each ch-2 sp to end, 3 dc in turning chain, turn. [34 (36, 38, 40) total shells]
Row 5 – Ch 3, (3 dc, ch 2, 3dc) in each ch-2 sp to end, dc in turning chain, turn. [34 total shells]
Rows 6 to 41 (41, 44, 44)
Repeat Rows 2-5 ending on a repeat of Row 5 (5, 4, 4)

Assembly

1. Steam block before assembling. (Optional but HIGHLY recommended)
2. Lay your Panel down with Right Sides facing you.
3. Fold in your panel in half with your First Row meeting your Final Row, Right Sides now facing each other.
4. Starting at matching right corners, seam towards the center 19 (20, 18, 17)” along first and final rows, this creates your first sleeve.
5. Starting at matching left corners, seam towards the center 19 (20, 18, 17)” along first and final rows, this creates your second sleeves and completes your body opening. 
6. Weave in your ends. 
7. Steam Block a second time (or first) focusing on seams. 

More Easy + Simple Crochet Wearable

Just click on the photos below to make some of my other beginner friendly crochet patterns!