Mountain Laurel Top in Valley Yarns Hampden - Downloadable PDF

Mountain Laurel Top in Valley Yarns Hampden – Knitting Pattern by Julie Turjoman

The Mountain Laurel Top, pattern number 1163, is an intermediate-level knitting pattern designed by Julie Turjoman and published by Valley Yarns. This elegantly constructed pullover top is available as a downloadable PDF and offers knitters a sophisticated blend of texture, structure, and drape. Whether you are dressing for the holidays, a date night, or any special occasion, this luxurious cabled topper delivers a polished, body-conscious silhouette that is surprisingly approachable for knitters with intermediate skills.

What Is Being Made

The Mountain Laurel Top is a fitted pullover featuring a deep V-neck, drop shoulders, and integrated dolman sleeves that end at the elbow. A deeply ribbed hem creates a flattering empire waist that flows seamlessly into a cabled eyelet bodice. The design is both drapey and body-conscious, making it a versatile wardrobe piece that reads as luxurious without demanding advanced knitting expertise.

The pattern is offered in seven sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, and 3XL, with finished hip measurements ranging from 32 inches to 65.5 inches and lengths ranging from 23 to 29 inches. The garment is designed to fit with 0 to 2 inches of positive ease in the ribbed band at the hip. Because the bodice is intentionally roomy in the bust, Julie Turjoman advises knitters to choose their size based on their upper hip measurement rather than their bust measurement. The sample shown in the pattern was knitted in Size S.

Construction and Techniques

The Mountain Laurel Top uses a clever multi-piece construction that combines both working in the round and working flat, making it an excellent project for knitters who want to practice both methods within a single garment.

• Ribbed Band: The deeply ribbed hem band is worked in the round as a single unified piece. This continuous circular construction ensures a smooth, seamless band that hugs the hips and creates the empire waist effect.
• Bodice and Sleeves: The bodice and integrated dolman sleeves are worked flat, back and forth in rows, and are constructed in two separate pieces. This flat construction allows the cable and eyelet pattern to be worked with right-side and wrong-side rows, which is standard practice for intricate cable work.
• Seaming: The pattern is a seamed construction. The short ends of each bodice piece are seamed along the top edge of the ribbed band, running from the center front to the sides. The bodice sides are seamed vertically to form the underside of the dolman sleeves. The back bodice pieces are seamed vertically up the center to close the back up to the neckline. The front bodice pieces may also be partially seamed to shape the V-neck opening.

This combination of in-the-round and flat knitting, followed by careful seaming, is a hallmark of thoughtfully engineered knitwear design. The seamed construction also adds stability to the garment's structure, helping it maintain its shape over time.

Stitches Used

The Mountain Laurel Top incorporates several distinct stitch patterns, each serving a specific aesthetic and structural purpose:

• Rib Stitch: Used throughout the empire-waist hem band, the rib stitch creates a stretchy, form-fitting lower section. Ribbing is a classic knitting stitch alternating knit and purl stitches in columns, producing a fabric that clings gently to the body while remaining highly elastic.
• Cable Pattern: The bodice features a cabled eyelet pattern that gives the top its signature texture and visual interest. Cables are created by crossing groups of stitches over one another using a cable needle, producing twisted rope-like or braided designs in the fabric. The addition of eyelets — small decorative holes formed by yarn-overs and decreases — adds a delicate, lace-like quality to the cable work, lightening what might otherwise be a heavy texture.

Two separate gauges are specified for these two st