What I Learned From Designing My First Baby Sweaters
Since I started writing about knitting pattern design several years ago, I have been asked countless times about how to design knitting patterns for babies or children. I wasn’t able to offer much advice at the time, as designing childrenswear is not my expertise.
When I was pregnant with Nico, who was born in May this year, I started experimenting with a couple of baby sweater designs: a simple set-in sleeve cardigan and a T-shape garter stitch cardigan with wide sleeves.
Whilst I’m still, by no means, an expert, I have learned a few lessons from designing these basic sweaters and trying them on my baby boy as he grows. Today, I’ll share them with you.
Image Description: Close up photo of a well-worn, olive green cardigan with white buttons. On top of the image, it says, “What I Learned From Designing My First Baby Sweaters”
Lesson 1
Many of the design principles for adult sweaters can be applied to baby sweaters
With the right size chart and an understanding of grading, designing a baby sweater is very similar to designing an adult sweater.
As you might imagine, a good size chart is key. I used the CYC baby size chart to design both cardigans and whilst it did the job, I’d prefer to have a few additional measurements. If I continue to design baby sweaters to self-publish, I will likely purchase the ASTM Standard Tables of Body Measurements for Infant Sizes (Preemie - 24 months) as they are extremely detailed.
In my limited experience so far, the grading process seems to work the same way. I was able to use my standard spreadsheet processes and apply my grading formulas to multiple sizes as usual. I have only knitted the set-in sleeve cardigan in sizes 3 and 6 months, but so far, they have fitted well aside from a couple of things that I shall explain in the next 2 lessons.
Lesson 2
Check out those tight sleeves and cuffs - oops! No wonder he doesn’t like putting it on…!
Image Description: A white and Asian baby is lying on a fluffy grey and white rug. He is wearing soft stretchy clothes in earth tones, with a cream cardigan on top. He is laughing playfully.
Babies need more ease
Tight sleeves are Nico’s least favourite thing right now - probably more than tight neck openings!
When I designed his set-in sleeve cardigan, I tapered the sleeves in a similar way that I would with an adult sweater. The resulting sleeves fit, but they’re just not practical and honestly, Nico does not like to put them on! In future baby knits with tapered sleeves, I will only taper them a very small amount so that they are more comfortable to put on and wear.
For the first couple of years of their lives, babies are incredibly focused on movement, so stretchy, relaxed fitting knits are going to be most practical. Using more ease on the body will also extend the life of the sweater somewhat, too, which is helpful when babies grow at an amazing speed!
Nico is still wearing his 3 month knits, despite being a pretty chunky 6 month old. The garter stitch cardigan still fits extremely well, since I used lots of ease and the sleeves are wide and straight and were initially cuffed. Now, it still buttons over the body nicely and when uncuffed, the sleeves are still a decent length when worn with a long sleeve top underneath.
He has nearly grown out of his set-in sleeve cardigan, simply because the sleeves and cuffs are too tight. Since I used a reasonable amount of ease on the body, it still buttons up - surprisingly!
Image Description: Photo of a white and Asian baby wearing a stripy rust and cream t-shirt, and a pink, garter stitch cardigan with wide sleeves on top. He is looking soulfully at the camera and holding a crochet broccoli rattle. Beneath the photo, the graphic says: Knitting Pattern Design. 3 Lessons Learned from Designing Baby Sweaters. www.sistermountain.com
Lesson 3
Babies need convenience
Anyone who has ever dressed a small child will know that convenience is essential. Any difficulties getting dressed can quickly turn the experience stressful!
My husband bought Nico the most gorgeous pair of corduroy dungarees online, but we didn’t realise that they didn’t have an opening at the crotch for nappy changes! For that reason alone, we haven’t dressed him in them yet.
I’ve also stopped putting Nico in tops that have an unreasonably small neck opening, even if they have plenty of room across the body and sleeves. Trying to drag them over his face is just not worth the tears!
I focused on designing cardigans for the early months of Nico’s life since I had a feeling they would be easier to put on a floppy baby with little head control. Now that Nico is stronger, I’m ready to design him a pullover, but I plan on adding a closure at the neck so that I can open it to make it bigger when dressing him.
On the topic of neck openings, I used quite large neck openings on the cardigans I designed for Nico initially, but I find them a touch too big for my liking. Because they fasten at the front, I could have comfortably gone smaller with those. You live and learn!
Additionally, using stretchy cast-ons and bind-offs makes getting baby dressed a whole lot easier! I used a tubular cast-on/bind-off for all of Nico’s cardigans and whilst they look nice, they just aren’t flexible enough! I would swap them to stretchier options next time, as they are much more practical.
Baby Sweaters Are Like Adult Sweaters
Despite my lack of experience with baby knits, I’ve found that designing a baby sweater is much like designing adult sweaters, as long as you give extra attention to comfort and convenience.
I’ll be designing a pullover next for Nico, and it’s likely that I will self-publish this pattern. My work schedule is extremely part-time at the moment (working while Nico naps!) so it might take a little while, but I’ll be sure to take you along on the journey with me.
Image Description: White chunky swatch with garter basket weave stitch and two types of ribbing, on a grey woollen background.