knitted sleeveless turtleneck free pattern

Sleeveless Turtleneck - Free Pattern

Knitted sleeveless turtleneck top free pattern

The Sleeveless Turtleneck Knit Top is a stylish, beginner-friendly garment that’s perfect for layering and everyday wear. Knit in the round with cozy bulky-weight KnitPal Ombré Encore yarn, this design features a classic ribbed hem, smooth stockinette body, and a soft, folded turtleneck for a polished finish. With simple shaping and thoughtful construction, it’s an approachable sweater project that delivers modern style while building confidence in garment knitting.

Download a printable pattern PDF

What You’ll Need

  • Yarn:

    KnitPal Ombre Encore (weight #5 - 100% acrylic, 169 yards per 140 grams) 
    Approximately 3 (3, 3) skeins
    Sample shown in colorway Checkerboard Red

  • Needles: 
    US 11 / 8 mm circular needles; 20" or 24" length (50 or 60 cm) for Turtleneck and 32" or 40" (80 or 100 cm) length for main body
    Or size needed to obtain gauge

  • Notions: 
    Tapestry needle
    Measuring tape

    Stitch marker
    Stitch holders: 2 small and one large

Details

  • Skill Level: Easy

  • Gauge: 4x4”/10x10cm = 11 stitches x 14.5 rows in stockinette st
  • Sizes: Small (Medium, Large)

    Bust circumference: 37 (41, 45)” / 92.5 (102.5, 112.5) cm
    Length (shoulder to hem): 20.25 (21.5, 23)” / 50.5 (54, 57.5) cm
    Shoulder width: 17.5 (19.5, 21.5)” / 44 (49, 54) cm
    Turtleneck length (not folded): 4.5 (5, 5.5)” / 11.5 (12.5, 14) cm

Abreviations

  • CO: cast on
  • k: knit
  • k2tog: knit 2 together (decrease)
  • p: purl
  • rep: repeat
  • RS: right side of work
  • ssk: slip slip knit
  • st(s): stitch(es)
  • WS: wrong side of work

Special Stitches

Slip Slip Knit (SSK)
Slip 1 st knitwise, slip 1 st knitwise, knit together through the back loop (decrease)

Three needle Bind-Off (for shoulders

Skills

You will need to know how to cast on (sample project is using the Long Tail method but other methods can be substituted), work a knit stitch, work a purl stitch, work a decrease using both the ssk and k2tog methods, pick up stitches from the edging, 3 needle bind off, and standard bind off.

Notes

  • Sleeveless Turtleneck Knit Top is sized to have a slight positive ease to wear over a long sleeve shirt, but could be worn alone, but the armholes are “long” so an undershirt is still recommended.

Pattern

Download a printable pattern PDF

RIBBED WAIST

Cast on 96 (108, 120) stitches. Join to work in the round.

Round 1: *P2, k2; rep from * to end.

Repeat Round 1 for a TOTAL of 20 (24, 27) rounds. Approximately 5 ½ (6 ½, 7½)” / 14 (16.5, 18.5) cm.

BODY

Round 1: P7 (8, 9), k41 (46, 51), p7 (8, 9), k41 (46, 51).

Round 2: Repeat Round 1.

Round 3: Knit.

Round 4: Repeat Round 3.

Repeat Rounds 1 - 4 for a TOTAL of 5 (6, 7) times, ending on Round 3. 19 (23,27) total rounds worked in Stockinette with Double Garter Ribbed side edges.Approximately 5.5 (6.5, 7.5)” / 14 (16.5, 18.5) cm. Length is now approximately 11(13, 15)” / 27 (32.5, 37) cm from hem.

FRONT

Armhole Shaping

Continuing in established pattern, you will now split the work into Front and Back and knit back and forth in rows.

Row 1 (RS): K2, bind off the next 3 (4, 5) sts, k45 (50, 55). Place remaining stitches including the first k2 onto a stitch holder.

Row 2 (WS): K2, p41 (46, 51), k2.

Row 3 (RS): P2, k41 (46, 51), p2.

Row 4 (WS): P across.

Row 5 (RS): SSK, k41 (46, 51), k2tog. 43 (48, 53) sts.

Row 6 (WS): K2, p39 (44, 49), K2.

Row 7 (RS): SSK, p1, k 37 (42, 47), P1, k2tog. 41 (46, 51) sts.

Row 8 (WS): P across.

Row 9 (RS): SSK, k37 (42, 47), k2tog. 39 (44, 49) sts.

Row 10 (WS): K2, p35 (40, 45), k2.

Row 11 (RS): P2, k35 (40, 45), p2.

Row 12 (WS): P across.

Row 13 (RS): K across.

Small only:

Rows 14 - 16: repeat Rows 10 - 12 (WS).

Medium only:

Rows 14 - 20: Repeat Rows 10 - 13 once, then repeat Rows 10 - 12 (WS).

Large only:

Rows 14 - 24: Repeat Rows 10 - 13, twice, then repeat Rows 10 - 12(WS).

All Sizes:

SHOULDERS

Row 1 (RS): K10 (12, 14), slip next 19 (20, 21) sts to stitch holder, k10 (12, 14).

Either join a second ball of yarn for the other shoulder, to work both at same time, or work second shoulder after first shoulder is complete (cutting your yarn and reattaching for second shoulder).

Row 2 (WS): K10 (12, 14) each shoulder.

Row 3 (RS): P10 (12, 14) each shoulder.

Row 4 (WS): P10 (12, 14) each shoulder.

Row 5 (RS): K10 (12, 14) each shoulder.

Small only:

Rows 6 - 8: Repeat Rows 2 - 4.

Medium only:

Rows 6 - 10: Repeat Rows 2 - 5, and then repeat Row 2.

Large only:

Rows 6 - 12: repeat Rows 2 - 5, and then repeat Rows 2 - 4.

All Sizes:

Do Not Bind Off. Cut yarn with a 6" / 15 cm tail and move both sets of shoulder stitches to Holder for a 3-needle bind off after Back is completed.

BACK

Move the BACK held stitches back onto the needle. Join yarn to begin working a RS row.

Row 1 (RS): Bind off the next 3 (4, 5) sts, k45 (50, 55).

Continuing with Row 2, work same as FRONT through Row 8 (10, 12) of Shoulders.

FINISHING

Holding the matching Shoulder stitches from FRONT with the stitches from BACK, so that the wrong sides are touching, and the Right sides are facing outward, bind off in Purl stitch for SMALL and LARGE sizes, bind off in Knit stitch for MEDIUM size, using the 3-needle bind off technique to join the shoulders together.

TURTLENECK

Starting at Right Shoulder, just after the held neck stitches from FRONT, join yarn to pick up 17 (20, 25) stitches evenly spaced across neckline edge, and CUT the yarn, leaving a long tail to weave in over several stitches, move the BACK held stitches from holder to same working needle, join yarn again to pick up 17(20, 25) stitches evenly spaced across neckline edge of the Left Shoulder, do NOT cut yarn, place a marker to show beginning of round, move Front held stitches from holder to needle. Shift stitches so the working yarn and StitchMarker are “beginning of round”, join and work in Rounds.

Round 1: (K2, p2) around full neckline. Stitch count is 72 (80, 92).

Repeat Round 1 for a total of 16 (18, 20) rounds. Bind off in (k2, p2) pattern.

Cut yarn. Weave in ends.

Download a printable pattern PDF


Share Your Finished Piece!

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With permission of the designer, this pattern and photos are property of KnitPal and may not be altered, shared, or sold. Do not rewrite any part of this design and sell as your own design. You’re welcome to sell finished products made with this pattern, but please credit the design to KnitPal https://knitpal.com/

Anna Rainous
Posted on December 15, 2025
Anna Rainous
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