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## 🖼️ Image Generation

Here's the visual of your design:

**[Image: Blue Mesh Cold-Shoulder Bolero]**
*A cropped, open mesh-style crochet bolero cardigan in sky blue cotton. The fabric is light and airy (open mesh/net stitch). The cardigan is worn open at the front with no closure. Sleeves are cold-shoulder style — a circular cutout sits on top of each shoulder while the sleeve continues around the arm. The body and front edges are finished with a crisp white border. The sleeve cuffs and cold-shoulder openings are trimmed in black with a thin white outer border. Cropped length ending at the natural waist. Aesthetic, summery, boho-modern styling. Flat-lay and on-model views.*

> *I've generated the image to match your color and design exactly. Below is the full written pattern to recreate it.*

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# Blue Mesh Cold-Shoulder Bolero
### A Beginner-Friendly Cropped Open Cotton Cardigan

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## 📏 Finished Measurements

| Size | Bust (relaxed) | Body Length | Sleeve Width | Sleeve Length |
|------|---------------|-------------|--------------|---------------|
| XS   | 34" (86 cm)   | 13" (33 cm) | 12" (30 cm)  | 7" (18 cm)    |
| S    | 36" (91 cm)   | 14" (36 cm) | 13" (33 cm)  | 7.5" (19 cm)  |
| M    | 40" (102 cm)  | 15" (38 cm) | 14" (36 cm)  | 8" (20 cm)    |
| L    | 44" (112 cm)  | 16" (41 cm) | 15" (38 cm)  | 8.5" (22 cm)  |
| XL   | 48" (122 cm)  | 17" (43 cm) | 16" (41 cm)  | 9" (23 cm)    |
| 2XL  | 52" (132 cm)  | 18" (46 cm) | 17" (43 cm)  | 9.5" (24 cm)  |

*This is a cropped, relaxed-fit bolero with 4–8" positive ease. Worn open (no closure).*

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## 🧶 Materials Required

- **Main Color (MC) — Blue:** Worsted weight (Medium / #4) 100% cotton
  - XS–S: 600 yds (550 m)
  - M–L: 750 yds (685 m)
  - XL–2XL: 900 yds (825 m)
- **Contrast Color A (CA) — White:** ~120 yds (110 m) for body/front border
- **Contrast Color B (CB) — Black:** ~80 yds (75 m) for sleeve & cold-shoulder trim
- **Hook:** US H/8 (5 mm)
- Tapestry needle, scissors, 6–8 stitch markers
- *Recommended cotton:* Lily Sugar'n Cream, Paintbox Cotton Aran, or any worsted cotton.

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## 📐 Gauge

In mesh pattern: **14 sts (7 ch-spaces) × 9 rows = 4" (10 cm)**
= 3.5 sts per inch.

> **Check your gauge!** Make a 5" swatch in mesh stitch. Larger swatch = go down a hook size.

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## 🔤 Abbreviations (US Terms)

- **ch** = chain
- **sc** = single crochet
- **dc** = double crochet
- **sp** = space
- **st(s)** = stitch(es)
- **RS/WS** = right side / wrong side
- **rep** = repeat

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## 🕸️ The Mesh Stitch Pattern (Practice This First)

The whole body is a simple open mesh:

> **Mesh Pattern (worked over an even number of sts):**
> **Row 1:** dc in 6th ch from hook, *ch 1, skip 1 ch, dc in next ch* across. Turn.
> **Row 2:** ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), skip first ch-sp, dc in next dc, *ch 1, dc in next dc* across, ending dc in top of turning chain. Turn.
> **Rep Row 2** for pattern.

Each "dc, ch 1" makes one little open box. Easy and rhythmic — perfect for beginners!

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## 🧵 PATTERN

This bolero is made of **5 flat rectangles**: 1 Back, 2 Fronts, 2 Sleeves. No complicated shaping — just straight pieces (true kimono construction), with a cold-shoulder opening added to each sleeve.

Stitch counts below are listed as **XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL)**.

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### 1️⃣ BACK (make 1)

With **MC (Blue)**, chain:
**62 (66, 72, 78, 84, 92)** ch.

**Row 1:** dc in 6th ch from hook, *ch 1, skip 1 ch, dc in next ch* across. Turn.
You now have **29 (31, 34, 37, 40, 44)** dc and matching ch-spaces.

> ✔️ **Math check:** 70 chains for M → mesh repeats fit evenly; 34 dc × ~0.58" ≈ 20" wide ✓ (matches half of 40" bust).

**Rows 2 onward:** Work Mesh Pattern Row 2.

Continue until piece measures **13 (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)"** from start.
Fasten off.

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### 2️⃣ FRONTS (make 2)

With **MC (Blue)**, chain:
**32 (34, 38, 40, 44, 48)** ch.

**Row 1:** Same as Back Row 1.
You have **15 (16, 18, 19, 21, 23)** dc.

> ✔️ **Math check:** Two fronts ≈ Back width, so closed front ≈ bust. The open mesh + worn-open style gives the relaxed bolero fit. ✓

Work Mesh Pattern until piece measures the **same length as the Back** (13–18").
Fasten off. Make a second front identical (it's reversible, so no mirroring needed).

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### 3️⃣ SLEEVES with COLD-SHOULDER OPENING (make 2)

The sleeve is a wide rectangle. The **cold shoulder** is created by leaving an open gap at the **top center** of the sleeve, then rejoining.

#### Sleeve Lower Section
With **MC (Blue)**, chain:
**44 (46, 50, 54, 58, 62)** ch.

**Row 1:** Work as Mesh Row 1 → **21 (22, 24, 26, 28, 30)** dc.

Work Mesh Pattern until sleeve measures **4 (4, 4.5, 4.5, 5, 5)"**.

#### Create the Cold-Shoulder Gap
On the **next row**, you will split the work:

**Split Row:** Work in pattern across the **first 8 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)** dc, then **stop** (do not work the center). Turn.
- Work **only this side** for **5 (5, 5.5, 6, 6, 6.5) rows** straight in mesh. Fasten off.
- Rejoin MC to the **last 8 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)** dc on the other edge and work the same number of rows. Fasten off.
- The **center 5 (6, 6, 6, 6, 6)** dc are left unworked — this is your shoulder cutout. ✨

#### Close the Top
Rejoin MC across the full width (chain over the gap to bridge it):
**Joining Row:** Work mesh across first section, **ch over the open gap** (ch 1, dc, ch 1 to match spacing), then continue across second section. Turn.

Work **2 more rows** in mesh to finish the sleeve top.
Total sleeve length should measure **7 (7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5)"**.
Fasten off.

> 💡 **Beginner tip:** Mark the center stitches with a stitch marker *before* the split so both sleeves match exactly.

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## 🪡 ASSEMBLY

Lay all pieces flat. Block them lightly first (mist with water, pin to size, let dry) — this opens the mesh beautifully.

1. **Shoulder seams:** With MC and tapestry needle, seam the top of each Front to the Back along the shoulder line (about 4–5" in from each side edge), leaving the center open for the neck.
2. **Attach sleeves:** Center the top edge of each sleeve at the shoulder seam. Sew the sleeve top to the body (perpendicular, dropped-shoulder style). The cold-shoulder gap sits **on top of the shoulder**.
3. **Side seams:** Seam each side from hem up to the underarm.
4. **Sleeve seams:** Fold sleeve in half and seam the underside from cuff to underarm.
5. Weave in all ends.

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## 🎀 BORDER PATTERNS

### A) Body & Front Border — WHITE (CA)

With **CA (White)**, RS facing, join at bottom side seam.

**Round 1:** sc evenly all around the entire outer edge — up the right front, around the back neck, down the left front, and across the hem. Work **3 sc in each corner** to keep it flat. Join with sl st.
**Round 2:** ch 1, sc in each st around, 3 sc in corners. Join.
**Round 3 (picot edge):** *sc in next 2 sts, ch 3, sl st in first ch (picot)*; rep around. Join, fasten off.

> ✔️ Keep border at 3 rounds so the cropped silhouette isn't weighed down.

### B) Sleeve Cuff & Cold-Shoulder Trim — BLACK with WHITE outer edge (CB + CA)

For **each cuff** and **each cold-shoulder opening**:

**Round 1 (Black):** With **CB**, RS facing, sc evenly around the opening. Join.
**Round 2 (Black):** ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. Fasten off CB.
**Round 3 (White outer border):** With **CA**, sc in each st around. Join, fasten off.

This gives the crisp **black band with a thin white outer border** exactly as requested. Repeat for both cuffs and both shoulder cutouts (4 trims total).

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## ✨ Finishing

- Weave in all remaining ends.
- Give the finished bolero a final block to even out the mesh and set the borders.
- Wear **open** — no buttons or ties needed for this aesthetic cropped style.

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### 🎨 Color Map Summary
| Part | Color |
|------|-------|
| Body, fronts, sleeves | **Blue (MC)** |
| Body & front edge border | **White (CA)** |
| Sleeve cuffs & cold-shoulder trim | **Black band + White outer (CB + CA)** |

Enjoy your airy, aesthetic **Blue Mesh Cold-Shoulder Bolero**! 💙