adapting simple pattern sizes?? Help.

[sk8agrrl]

I have a very simple pattern for a shift / A-line toddler dress that I just completed but I've been asked to make matching ones for a baby of 6 months and another for her 6 year old sister by a friend.

My pattern is very size specific (for a 4 yr old) and I was wondering how I would adapt the same pattern to the necessary new sizes. I cannot measure the girls as they live in the US (I'm UK). Their mum says they're "standard" sizes for their age but if I'm honest that means not a lot to me.

How do I ensure chest, neck, length and arm holes are "standard" sizes for 6 months and 6 years?  Any advice would be appreciated or links to generic girls sizes/measurements. I've not had much luck looking for myself (altho the last homeland is on currently so Im not concentrating as I should)

Thank you in advance.

[ljelondon]

Standard body size (N.B. not garment size -- garments will have ease added) measurements for a 4yo are:

STATURE (cm) = 101.6
Weight (kg) = 17.3
Chest girth (cm) = 58.4
Waist girth (cm) = 54.6
Hip girth (cm) = 59.7
Vertical trunk girth (cm) = 99.1
Thigh girth (cm) = 33
Neck base girth (cm) = 27.3
Armscye (cm) = 25.4
Upper arm girth (cm) = 16.8
Cross-back width (cm) = 23.8
Shoulder length (cm) = 7.3
Scye depth (cm) = 11.4
Total crotch length (cm) = 48.3
Shoulder and arm length (cm) = 41.9
Head and neck length (cm) = 18.4
Cervical height (cm) = 83.2
Cervical to knee (cm) = 56.5
Cervical to waist (including curvature of spine) (cm) = 24.1
Waist height (cm) = 60.3
Waist to knee (cm) = 33.7
Waist to hip (cm) = 12.1
Crotch height (cm) = 42.2
Knee height (cm) = 26.7
Ankle height (cm) = 5.4

Equivalent body size measurements for a 6yo are:
STATURE (cm) = 116.8
Weight (kg) = 22.3
Chest girth (cm) = 63.5
Waist girth (cm) = 57.2
Hip girth (cm) = 64.8
Vertical trunk girth (cm) = 109.2
Thigh girth (cm) = 35.6
Neck base girth (cm) = 29.2
Armscye (cm) = 27.9
Upper arm girth (cm) = 17.8
Cross-back width (cm) = 25.7
Shoulder length (cm) = 7.9
Scye depth (cm) = 12.7
Total crotch length (cm) = 52.1
Shoulder and arm length (cm) = 48.9
Head and neck length (cm) = 19.7
Cervical height (cm) = 97.2
Cervical to knee (cm) = 65.4
Cervical to waist (including curvature of spine) (cm) = 26.7
Waist height (cm) = 71.1
Waist to knee (cm) = 39.4
Waist to hip (cm) = 14
Crotch height (cm) = 51.1
Knee height (cm) = 31.8
Ankle height (cm) = 6

For a 6 month old not all the same measurements have a standard, but those that do are:
STATURE (cm) = 67.5
Weight (kg) = 8.2
Chest girth (cm) = 45.5
Vertical trunk girth (cm) = 73.5
Shoulder and arm length (cm) = 26
Head and neck length (cm) = 15
Cervical height (cm) = 52
Cervical to knee (cm) = 37
Cervical to waist (including curvature of spine) (cm) = 17.5
Waist height (cm) = 34.5
Waist to knee (cm) = 19.5
Waist to hip (cm) = 7.5
Crotch height (cm) = 23
Knee height (cm) = 15

You should be able to grade a 4yo pattern fairly simply for a 6yo because their basic proportions are similar -- measure the pattern (minus seam allowances) to work out how much ease is allowed over the 4yo body measurements, then scale it up to make the 6yo pattern the 6yo body measurements plus the same amount of ease.

Doing it for the 6 month old will be more difficult because a baby and a 4yo have quite different proportions. I'd look at free patterns available online (like this one, for example) and try to size your pattern to be a similar size.

[sk8agrrl]

Thank you so much for that. Your information is amazing !!!

I now have a huge smile on my face. Thank you again

Is there somewhere I can read up on this kind of thing or is there a book you can recommend? I'm sure sneaking up on kids in a supermarket with a tape measure could be frowned up by society

[ljelondon]

I pulled the information from the 1970s Commercial Standard referenced in this Fashion Incubator blog post -- I typed all the measurements up into a spreadsheet last year so that they'd be more accessible.

There certainly are books on grading children's clothing patterns if you really want to get further into it, and there's software to help with grading if you don't do it manually. But all of that tends to be aimed at commercial clothing manufacturers / pattern developers, I think, so I've never really followed up on any of it.