[Elizabeth]

Hello!

I’m making a School Bus T-shirt for my 4 year old cousin. She measures 20.5 inches in her chest and 21 inches in her waist. That’s putting her in an 18-24 month size for chest! I was wondering what size would be best to do. I’ve sewn for her before, but never an Oliver & S pattern. Thank you!

[Enbee]

My son is 3 – I haven’t measured his chest recently, but he also has a 21 inch waist. The 3T school bus tee is fitting him nicely now – plenty of ease but not baggy, and the right length.

If you were to size down in width, I’d still keep the length of the 3 or 4 – I often add a little extra length when I make this shirt, because my son almost always outgrows his shirts length-wise (or head/neckline wise!) before they’re too tight.

I would not make the 18-24 month size for a four-year-old, though – I think the armscye would be uncomfortably tight, and she’d struggle to get the neck hole over her head. I think the smallest I’d go is a 2T, with some extra length. But if this were my kid, I think I’d go with 3T with the length of 4T, and at worst the shirt will be roomy.

[Liesl Gibson]

I agree. In general, I recommend that you not size down more than two sizes from the age or the proportions start to feel “off”. For example, S is 12 and I sometimes sew her a size 8 but I need to adjust the shoulders and sleeves. It would be safer to sew her a size 10 and leave a little extra ease for most styles. Knits are fine to be a little large, I think.

[cybele727]

recently, I measured my daughter for a garden party. She’s almost 8 but narrow. So she measured a 3T in width, but obviously not in length. I made a 5 with 8 length. It is a bit big through the shoulders and chest, but plenty long. So I agree. Only go down two sizes at most, and lengthen. Also, after having bought and read the Building Block book, I am more confident about fiddling to get a better fit. 🙂