To those with little girls, dress size help please

Craft Talk
1

Id like to sew little dresses. I have a pattern but Im concerned about sizes. It says its for 12 month olds.
Yesterday I did some sneaky research in a shop that sells dresses, so I was crouched on the floor with a tape measure, pen and paper taking measurement from a 12-18 month dress.
They dont add up to the measureents of my pattern.
I know there can be variations but some seem very different.

I know this is alot to ask but if I give you the measurements of my pattern and shop measurements can you let me know if these are similar or crazily different to the sizes of dresses you have.
If they are different, what age child do you think my pattern size would fit?

Thanks

Neck circumference -13" …SHOP-14"
Arm circ-11" …SHOP 11"
Chest circ- 29" …SHOP-22"
From top of back neck to bottom hem-17" …SHOP18"
Across shoulders- 12" …SHOP 8"

2

Shop sizes vary so much with different makes I have a few dresses on Etsy they are the pinafore type with A-Line shape they are a lot more age tolerant. I have 12 little Great grandchildren and you can’t go by their age to buy clothes as children vary so much. It is better to go for a non-fitted style or put a wide age range in your listing and give the actual measurements of the dress. Hope this helps

3

Thats great thanks. Ive adapted the pattern into an A line style (so it fits the amount of fabric I have) Id better get sewing otherwise the nice weather will be gone.

4

I know that it is not quite the same, but for years I designed and knitted jumpers for children and the main problem is that most children grow in height but not chest size, so you can have a 4 year old with a 24 inch chest and a 6 year old with a 24" chest…but obviously other measurements will be different…very complicated !..good luck…