Knitting for Kids - what size?

What size clothing to knit for a child, and how accurate the pattern is to that size, are the two toughest things about knitting for children who don't live with you.  It's fun to give a garment that both the parents and the child will love, and it's even better when the fit is perfect.  "How did you know?" is a great question when everything works.

But how do you know?  Well, there are several good starting points.  The following applies to US sizing. 

In babies (up to 12 months) the child usually fits in garments sized for double their age.  A 2 month old baby wears 4 month clothes.  (I know.  This makes no sense.  It's just how it is.)  If you have any doubt, knit a size larger, or find a way to ask the parents what size the baby is now, and do the math for the anticipated date the child will wear the garment.  A baby who is 4 months old now will be wearing 18-24 month sized garments this fall and winter.

For toddlers, height often dictates size more than anything.  If you can get the height of the child, you're golden.  You can look on sizing charts and make the appropriate size.

For children sizes 6x - 14, or ages 5-12, you need the size they usually wear from the child's parents, or from the child himself.  Depending on how long until you plan to give the garment, you may want to knit the next size up.

This chart is the most thorough and accurate children's size chart for knitting dimensions I've seen, and correlates to most mainstream children's clothes measurements.  The measurements listed are for garments in most of the cases, not for the actual child's body.  Height is an exception.

Now, put it all together.  If the child's height dictates they wear a size 6, and the chest measurement for that size is 25", it's time to check the sweater pattern for its width at the chest.  The garment should be approximately 12.5" wide at the chest, because that means it's 25 inches around total.  Most children's garments fit a little loosely, and that's fine. If the pattern is way off (more than 1.5 inches) make a different size.  Most patterns have schematics showing the exact dimensions of each part of the garment for every size.  Pick the pattern size that has roughly the same measurements as the chart listed above, no matter what the pattern calls that size.  (We've all come across mediums that were really smalls, and mediums that were really extra larges. Disregard the name of the pattern size.  Trust the numbers.)

Remember that children's clothes receive harder wear and more laundering than most adult clothes, and choose your yarns accordingly.  Cottons should be mercerized (controlling shrinkage), wools should be superwash, and acrylics should have a high twist.  Keeping these things in mind will assure that the clothing you knit will be worn and cherished by the child you love.

Updates du Jour

Here's what I've been up to:

As busy beavers go, I haven't been slacking.  I've been working on the mitten book project diligently, teaching classes, writing the shop newsletter, darning my daughters worn out mittens, finishing my other daughter's mittens, publishing the first Fund Raising Pattern, designing the Freebie for Friday...  I'd like to express a heartfelt beaver "dam".

I've recently purchased and started using Intwined Studio design software.  I adore it!  It makes the process exponentially faster, largely due to the feature of chart-document mirroring.  If I type knitting symbols into a chart, the instructions are updated automatically!  If I write instructions, the chart is updated.  What a time saver.  Line by line instructions that match the chart just magically appear.  I do check and edit for clarity, and have been super-pleased with the results.

I'm organizing a couple of classes I will be teaching this season at fiber fairs and knitting conferences.  Each host organization likes to have their own spin recognized: organic fiber, hand crafted, technique, advocacy, charity, etc.  I LOVE THIS!  It makes my relationship with knitting a much richer experience.  That said, it also takes quite a bit of time to design class packets for each specific focus.  There are more than enough hours of typing in my life already!  The good news is I'm becoming a much faster typist.

On the design front, I've been on a kids' mitten design streak, and having a ball.  Cars, toys and ice cream, Oh MY!  I would really like to have a life in which the designs I create for children make sense in my wardrobe.  Not today.  Today it's very adult - editing, medical appointment, fiber fair letter, knitting conference meeting...  Maybe tomorrow. ;)

Kids' Earth Day Tote - Freebie Friday

Relating to the theme that I haven't been posting nearly enough patterns for babies and children, here's one from Lion Brand Yarn.  The Kids' Earth Day Tote is adorable and functional.  An added benefit is that it's from Lion Brand's By Kids For Kids program, meaning that the pattern was designed by a child for other child knitters.  It's made from cotton, so it's soft and durable, and there is no concern about the knitting provoking an allergic reaction.  Imagine your child bringing a tote they made to school, camp, or a sleepover!  It would be a pretty cool show and tell item, too.

This would be a great Mom & Me project for a family of knitters.  Each could make a tote of appropriate size to their needs.  The Mom part of the project could easily be the Windy City Tote.  It's bigger, of course, but it might take about the same amount of time for an adult as the Kids' Tote take for the child.  Mom's tote is made of wool and then felted, making another stron and durable piece.  The knitting skills are similar, and both incorporate stripes.  Choose related colorways, and you're on you way!