Up to a certain size/age kid's proportions remain about the same, then the long bones begin to grow and you have to make the sleeves and the body longer than this allows for. However, it will probably take you through about five years old.
The basic concept is to make a swatch with the desired yarn and pattern (if any) then find a multiple of your pattern stitches near 100.
These numbers are guidlelines, work out the numbers that fit your pattern stitch and "fill in the blanks" where I have put numbers. You can do stripes, lace, fair isle, intarsia, you name it. You aren't looking for exact numbers, but proportions. All the numbers are guidelines only.
Cast on 100 stitches, divided with a markers 25 for the left front, 50 for the back and 25 for the right front. Use a smaller needle for the ribbing, if any. If you like you can use 10% fewer stitches for the ribbing.
Work in pattern for 50 rows and divide for the front/back/front and continue the back for another 45 rows. Put the back stitches on hold.
For a vee neck front decrease every fourth row at the center front to
15 stitches and continue straight for a total of 45 more rows. For
a crew neck, continue straight for 35 more rows, bind off 5 and decrease
on every right side row to 15 (another 10 rows more total so again 45 more
rows worked from the divide). Do a three needle bindoff at the shoulders.
There will be some free stitches at the back of the neck still on the holder,
so if you have one that you can work with from both ends it is good.
For a vee neck pick up all the way around and do a ribbing with buttonholes as desired. I use about 6 buttons but it is up to you. For a crew neck you have to do the neck and front ribbings seperately (or do a miter). For a crew neck I use 8 or 9 buttons.
Pick up around the armhole (about 70 stitches) decrease evenly to the cuff about 65 or 70 rows to 28 stitches, change to smaller needles and do a ribbing. Huh? You say. For an infant, the larger the armhole the better (IMNSHO) so I put the decreases towards the cuff, for a larger child I make them evenly spaced. I also rarely, if ever, put lace in the sleeves for an infant because that's where their fingers seem to want to go. I also put a cotton ball in their cute little fist so I can get the sleeve on QUICK! Then, you have to wrestle the cotton ball away from them, (-8.
You could also pick up around the armholes and put ribbing for a vest.
That's it. If you use fingering yarn and small needles you will get an infant sweater, if you use bulky yarn and larger needles you will get a big toddler sweater.
Have I confused you?
Linda
mailto:ianwalsh@saber.net