From what I can figure, she's some kind of saint. Saint of Fabulous Sweater Patterns maybe?
Well, maybe not.
Whoever at Berroco designed Valpuri, should be sainted because it isn't easy to envision one of those rare knits that seem to divinely work with many shapes and sizes to come up with something flattering, and more importantly, sexy, because (sorry Hokey Pokey) SEXY is really what it's all about. And the winner for Best Run-On Sentence goes to...
Ah, where was I? Oh yes, flattering and sexxxyyy...
Meet Jacqui, or JackieChris to you Ravellers.
Jacqui used Stylecraft Heath DK and size US 6 and 8 needles. I think this color looks great on her and she sure seems to be having fun in that sweater. She knit up the Medium size, but the cables make it fit close to her body. She could have probably knit a small, but I wouldn't want this project to be too tight because the fabric will be thicker than a sweater with no cables.You can see from this photo there are a lot of cables involved, but most Ravellers who completed this project found it easy. This would probably be a good first or second cable project for you new knitters. Jackie added about 3 inches to the length to compensate for a longer torso. This is also a good idea for you gals with "muffin tops." You don't want your shirts hitting at the area between the waist and hip if, like me, there is something hanging over your pants in that same area.
Kathy, or katschem on Rav, knit a large out of Plymouth Jeannee Aran on US 7 needles. She said she used the 7s to compensate for a tight gauge. You'll notice in this photo how the v-neck is shallow enough to keep the girls under control. It can be difficult to find v's that are not so deep that you have to worry about the girls escaping. Kathy said the neck was a little fiddly, you might want to try other options if you decide to try this. Kathy also seems to be enjoying this sweater immensely. Do you think we've found the wool equivalent of Xanax? Might be worth knitting just to find out...
Wanabelle100 didn't show us her face, so I can't tell if she's smiling. I'd like to think with that sassy hand on her hip, she's making her best "come hither" eyes in the mirror. This aquamarine is so gorgeous. If I decide to try this pattern, I think this is the color I'd go with. Jean (IRL) knit an extra small on US 6 and 8s. She used Red Heart Super Saver (Acrylic lovers- REPRESENT!) and it only took two skeins. Jean thinks the RHSS is a little too heavy for this project because of the cables. You might consider a lighter yarn and a bigger needle if you are concerned about the sweater being too bulky. Jean couldn't exactly go down a size, but another option is following the directions for a smaller size, but using larger needles to get a looser gauge.
Ericka (Sereknity) illustrates why knitting up a heavier sweater might be desirable, other than for warmth, of course. Notice how her sweater is tighter on her body, but it doesn't show any bumps or imperfections. Also notice how her girls are walking the line- totally under control. A heavier fabric, like cables or double knits, will hold its own shape and not cling to the body so much. (Think about those sweaters or hats you knit in a bulky yarn on size 3 needles when you didn't know better, they seem to be able to stand up on their own.) This might not be so important to smaller women, but for anyone over a small, I'd err on the side of too bulky. Ericka's Valpuri is a size M, knit up on US 5 and 7s. The yarn is Lion Brand Cotton-Ease. She says the Cotton Ease shows up the cable pattern very well. She used a few mods, like cabling without a cable needle (you really need to try this if you haven't) and she used a single-crochet border around the neck instead of ribbing.
Conclusions:
Valpuri is a winner all around. The v-neck accentuates the face, as usual, but is not so deep as to be revealing. A heavier cabled fabric holds its shape and either sucks in some lumpiness or fails to cling to every bump. You smaller gals might want to try a looser gauge if you don't want to feel constricted.
Speak Up:
Have you knit Valpuri? Did you go for a tighter or looser gauge? Is there another pattern you knit up that has a thicker fabric and hides imperfections? Do you ever change the length of your tops to mask the wierd things that happen in the no-man's land between our waistlines and hips?
Edit:
Here's another beautiful sweater from Annapuh (Anna) that I just got permission to add:
