Are the size specifications in patterns set in stone?

If you always write in the patterns, for example, “suitable for children up to 6 months” or “up to two years,” could you adapt the patterns so they’d still work for older children, or would the proportions no longer be correct?

Hi Hamster,

Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to your question.
In many cases, you can simply make the item a bit larger by using thicker yarn, and the proportions will remain the same as in the original pattern. But of course, that’s only possible with relatively minor size adjustments.

What exactly are we talking about here? It makes a difference whether I just need to make something longer so it fits (like a scarf, for example) or whether the width also needs to be adjusted (like with a hat or jacket). And, of course, whether it’s knitted, crocheted, or sewn.

It would be best to message the designer (via PM) to ask how the size can best be adjusted. Some patterns—for example, in knitting and crocheting—depend on specific stitch counts, which you should only change if you know the exact number.

I hope I was able to help a little bit.

Best wishes and have a wonderful weekend

Nici

Sorry, my ß key is stuck :-( I’ll add a few more: ßßßßßßß (just insert them into my post above ;-P)

Best regards

Hi Hamster,

for some items, I’d be cautious about simply scaling up the pattern for another reason as well: scaling up a baby jacket, for example, to size 122 probably isn’t a good idea for that reason alone, since the baby jacket is designed for a baby’s proportions. And there are quite obvious differences in body proportions between babies and older children (the thickness of the arms in relation to their length, for example). A well-fitting baby jacket could end up as a poorly fitting children’s jacket.

However, if you’re simply trying to make children’s clothing 1–2 sizes larger than specified in the pattern, you can generally do so by measuring, doing a gauge swatch, and using the rule of three—provided the sizing principle in the pattern is clear and the stitch pattern works.

Best regards,
Maike from MOs Maschen

Well, I don’t usually make baby clothes or anything like that,
but I didn’t realize the proportions change that much.

Hi,

yes, that’s correct. In the first two years, the head, for example, is very large compared to later on. Body parts grow at different rates during the early years. Did you know that children go through different stages as they learn to walk? There are always phases when a toddler trips over their own feet relatively often. But that’s not because they’re becoming clumsy. It’s simply related to the varying growth patterns, where the center of balance shifts during a growth phase, and the child has to relearn this adjustment before walking confidently again.

After the first year of life, height growth slows down and muscles etc. develop. During this time, the arms and legs appear quite short. Here are a few figures to illustrate this:

Head-to-body ratio between ages 2 and 5: 1:5
Head-to-body ratio at elementary school age: 1:6
Head-to-body ratio in adulthood: 1:7

During puberty, there’s another shift in proportions like this, and many somewhat “chubby” kids shoot up and suddenly become slim :D