Forming the neckline for a child's sweater can be a real challenge. A child's head needs nearly the same size opening as an adult sweater but a child's neck is relatively tiny. This disparity sets up some special needs in order to get an opening that will easily go over a child's head.

 

Never bind off those center front and back neck stitches - no matter what the pattern may say. The stretch in those open neck stitches is needed! Put those stitches on a holder. When the pattern says to pick up those center neck stitches, place them on your left needle and work across them.

 

Once the neckline is finished, the pattern will tell you to bind off loosely. To maintain the stretch that is in the ribbing, use a needle four that is four sizes larger. This results in a bind off edge with elongated stitches that look a bit lacey. It will go over the child's head.