Cream Sleeveless Polo Shirt

A stylish, elegant-casual sleeveless polo in fine sport-weight stockinette. Features a clean V-neck with neat ribbed collar and short placket. Beginner-friendly construction with simple shaping.

Materials

• Sport-weight yarn (approx. 24 sts = 4" / 10 cm), cream white: 900 (1000, 1100, 1250) yd / 825 (915, 1005, 1145) m
• US 5 (3.75 mm) straight or circular needles
• US 4 (3.5 mm) needles for ribbing (optional, for neater edges)
• Stitch markers
• Stitch holders or waste yarn
• Tapestry needle
• 2 small buttons (½" / 12 mm) for placket (optional)

Gauge

24 sts and 32 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch on US 5 needles, blocked. Please swatch and adjust needle size to match gauge exactly—fit depends on it.

Sizes

Women’s S (M, L, XL) Finished bust: 36 (40, 44, 48)" / 91.5 (101.5, 112, 122) cm Finished length: 23 (23.5, 24, 24.5)" / 58.5 (59.5, 61, 62) cm Shown in size M. Choose size with approx. 2" (5 cm) positive ease at bust.

Abbreviations (US)

• BO: bind off
• CO: cast on
• k: knit
• k2tog: knit 2 together
• p: purl
• pm: place marker
• RS: right side
• ssk: slip, slip, knit
• st(s): stitch(es)
• St st: stockinette stitch (knit RS, purl WS)
• WS: wrong side
• wyif: with yarn in front

Pattern Notes

• Worked flat in two pieces (Back and Front), bottom-up.
• All measurements given after blocking.
• Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise wyif for a tidy selvedge (optional but recommended for seaming).
• V-neck and armhole shaping occur at the same time on the Front—read ahead.
• Collar is picked up and worked in 1x1 rib for a neat, structured polo look.
• Inline counts are validated with ✓.

Back

With smaller needles (if using) and long-tail CO, CO 108 (120, 132, 144) sts. Work 1x1 rib (k1, p1) for 1½" (4 cm), ending after a WS row. Change to larger needles. Work in St st until piece measures 14 (14, 14.5, 14.5)" / 35.5 (35.5, 37, 37) cm from CO edge, ending after a WS row.

Shape armholes BO 5 (6, 7, 8) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 98 (108, 118, 128) sts. Dec row (RS): k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 2 sts dec. Rep Dec row every RS row 5 (6, 7, 8) more times. 86 (94, 102, 110) sts. ✓ (98-12=86; 108-14=94; 118-16=102; 128-18=110) Cont even in St st until armhole measures 8 (8.5, 9, 9.5)" / 20.5 (21.5, 23, 24) cm, ending after a WS row.

Shape shoulders & neck Next row (RS): BO 8 (9, 10, 11) sts, knit until 20 (22, 24, 26) sts are on right needle (including the st left from BO), place remaining sts on holder; turn. Work right shoulder only. WS: BO 3 sts (neck edge), purl to end. RS: BO 8 (9, 10, 11) sts, knit to end. WS: BO 2 sts, purl to end. BO remaining 7 (8, 9, 10) sts. With RS facing, rejoin yarn to held sts. BO center 30 (32, 34, 36) sts, knit to end. 28 (31, 34, 37) sts. Complete left shoulder to match right, reversing shaping (BO at beg of WS rows for shoulder, beg of RS rows for neck).

Front

Work exactly as for Back until piece measures 14 (14, 14.5, 14.5)" / 35.5 (35.5, 37, 37) cm from CO edge, ending after a WS row. 108 (120, 132, 144) sts.

Shape armholes and begin V-neck placket Note: Armhole and neck shaping happen simultaneously. Mark center 2 sts with markers or safety pins. Next row (RS): BO 5 (6, 7, 8) sts, knit to center 2 sts, place remaining sts (including center 2) on holder for Right Front; turn. 49 (54, 59, 64) sts on needle for Left Front. ✓

Left Front WS: Purl. Dec row (RS): k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 2 sts dec (armhole + neck). Cont to dec 1 st at armhole edge every RS row 5 (6, 7, 8) more times, AND at the same time dec 1 st at neck edge every RS row 14 (15, 16, 17) more times. After all armhole decs are complete you will have 28 (31, 34, 37) sts. ✓ Then cont neck decs only until 23 (26, 29, 32) sts remain. Work even until armhole measures same as Back to shoulder, ending after a WS row.

Shape left shoulder BO 8 (9, 10, 11) sts at beg of next RS row, then 8 (9, 10, 11) sts at beg of following RS row. BO remaining 7 (8, 9, 10) sts.

Right Front With RS facing, rejoin yarn to held sts. BO center 2 sts (placket opening), knit to end. 49 (54, 59, 64) sts. ✓ Next row (WS): BO 5 (6, 7, 8) sts, purl to end. 44 (48, 52, 56) sts. Dec row (RS): k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. Complete as for Left Front, reversing all shaping (armhole decs at end of RS rows, neck decs at beg of RS rows; shoulder BO on WS rows).

Finishing

Block pieces to measurements. Sew shoulder seams. Sew side seams, leaving armholes open.

Armhole edging With smaller needles and RS facing, pick up and knit 96 (102, 108, 114) sts evenly around armhole. Work 1x1 rib for 4 rows. BO loosely in rib. Rep for second armhole.

Collar & placket With smaller needles and RS facing, begin at base of Right Front placket: Pick up and knit 3 sts along right placket edge, then 36 (38, 40, 42) sts up right V-neck edge to shoulder, then 36 (38, 40, 42) sts across back neck, then 36 (38, 40, 42) sts down left V-neck edge, then 3 sts down left placket edge. Total 114 (120, 126, 132) sts. ✓ Row 1 (WS): *p1, k1; rep from * to end. Row 2 (RS): *k1, p1; rep from * to end. Cont in 1x1 rib for 1¼" (3 cm). BO loosely in rib.

Optional button band finish On the Right Front placket edge, sew two small buttons evenly spaced. The left placket edge (or the natural gap of the V) serves as buttonholes, or work simple chain-stitch loops if preferred. Weave in all ends. Block lightly again if needed, shaping collar to lie flat and neat.

Wear and enjoy your elegant cream sleeveless polo!