Contents
Knitting materials and knitting tools:
<> Circular knitting needles (40 cm), 4.5mm (US 7/UK 7) and 4 mm (US 6/UK 8)
<> Wine (DK) –100% acrylic, 50 grams -124 m per skein. Knit in two strands of yarn together. Or use any bulky yarn.
<> 5 stitch markers, yarn or tapestry needle.
Knit balaclava size:
Adult: 54-60 cm
Gauge: 13 stitches in = 4 inches in stockinette
Common abbreviations of knitting stitches:
k – knit
p – purl
st(s) – stitch(es)
k1b – knit one below
p1b – purl one below
k2tog – knit two together
skpo: Slip, Knit, Pass Over – Slip one stitch to the right needle, knit in the next stitch and drop this stitch off the left needle, insert the left needle into the slipped stitch, pass it over the knit stitch and it’s done
pm – place marker
Body part of the knit balaclava:
Using 4.5 mm knitting needles and long tail cast on methods, holding 2 strands of yarn together, cast on 72 stitches or any other number divisible by 8. Cast on 64 sts for the size 53 cm. Join to knit in round, pm.
Round 1: [k1, p1] – repeat till the end of round.
Round 2: In this Round we are going to make an imitation of Italian cast on method. [bring the needle underneath all stitch (anticlockwise), slip the knit stitch to the right-hand needle, bring the needle back (clockwise) and return slipped stitch to the left-hand needle, k1, p1] – repeat till the end.
Round 3: [k1, p1] – repeat till the end of round.
Round 4: [k1b, p1] – repeat till the end of round.
Round 5: [k1, p1b] – repeat till the end of round.
Round 6: repeat Round 4.
Round 7: repeat Round 5.
Go on repeating Rounds 4 and 5 until piece reaches 14 cm.
Change to 4 mm.
Round 1-3: [k1, p1] – repeat till the end of round.
Round 4: [k1b, p1] – repeat till the end of round.
Round 5: [k1, p1b] – repeat till the end of round.
Repeat Rounds 4 and 5 until piece measures 9 cm from the place where you have changed the size of knitting needles.
At this point we are going to make an opening for eyes. For this count 5 stitches and pm, then count 27 sts and place one more stitch marker.
Round 1: k1b, p1, k1b, p1, k1b, remove stitch marker, cut the working yarn leaving 50-65 cm tail. Take yarn or tapestry needle and bind off next 27 sts using Italian bind off method or any method you like and prefer. Check the video for more instructions.
[k1b, p1] – repeat till the ends. Attach working yarn when it is needed. Remove beginning of round marker, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, turn.
Row 2: Slip the first stitch, [k1b, p1] – repeat till the end (till the opening for eyes), turn.
Round 3: Slip the first stitch, [p1, k1b] – repeat till the end (till the opening for eye), cast on 27 sts or the same number that you bind off before. Place marker and will indicate to a new beginning of round.
Round 4: [k1, p1b] – repeat till the opening for eyes, [k1, p1] – repeat till the end of round.
Round 5: [k1b, p1] – repeat till the opening for eyes. After we are going to make again an imitation of Italian cast on method [bring the needle underneath all stitch (anticlockwise), slip the knit stitch to the right-hand needle, bring the needle back (clockwise) and return slipped stitch to the left-hand needle, k1, p1] – repeat till the end.
Round 6: [k1, p1b] – repeat till the end of round.
Round 7: [k1b, p1] – repeat till the end of round.
Round 8: [k1, p1b] – repeat till the end of round.
Repeat Rounds 7 and 8 until hat reaches 9-10 cm (from the opening)
Shaping the crown of knit balaclava:
Count 14 sts and pm, count 18 sts and pm, count 18 sts again and pm, count 18 sts again and pm, count 4 sts and place beginning of the round marker.
Round 1: [k1b, p1] – 6 times, skpo, k1b, k2tog, p1, [k1b, p1] – 6 times, skpo, k1b, k2tog, p1, [k1b, p1] – 6 times, skpo, k1b, k2tog, p1, [k1b, p1] – 6 times, skpo, k1b, k2tog, p1.
Round 2: [k1, p1b] – 6 times, k3, p1b, [k1, p1b] – 6 times, k3, p1b, [k1, p1b] – 6 times, k3, p1b, [k1, p1b] – 6 times, k3, p1b.
Round 3: [k1b, p1] – 5 times, k1b, to make decrease smoother, swap next 2 stitches and k2tog through the back loop, k1b, k2tog, [k1b, p1] – 5 times, k1b, swap next 2 stitches and k2tog through the back loop, k1b, k2tog, [k1b, p1] – 5 times, k1b, swap next 2 stitches and k2tog through the back loop, k1b, k2tog, [k1b, p1] – 5 times, k1b, swap next 2 stitches and k2tog through the back loop, k1b, k2tog.
Round 4: [k1, p1b] – 5 times, k5, p1b, [k1, p1b] – 5 times, k5, p1b, [k1, p1b] – 5 times, k5, p1b, [k1, p1b] – 5 times, k5.
Round 5: [k1b, p1] – 5 times, skpo, k1b, k2tog, [k1b, p1] – 5 times, skpo, k1b, k2tog, skpo, k1b, k2tog, [k1b, p1] – 5 times, skpo, k1b, k2tog, [k1b, p1] – 5 times, skpo, k1b, move beginning of the round marker 1 stitch forward and k2tog.
Round 6: ([k1, p1b] – 5 times, k3, p1b,) – repeat 3 times, [k1, p1b] – 5 times, k3.
Round 7: [p1, k1b] – 4 times, skpo, k1b, k2tog, ([k1b, p1] – 3 times, k1b, scpo, k1b, k2tog) – repeat 3 times. Do not forget to move beginning of the round marker 1 stitch forward.
Round 8: [k1, p1b] – 3 times, k5, ([p1b, k1] – 3 times, k4) – repeat 2 times, [p1b, k1] – 3 times, k3.
Round 9: [k1b, p1] – 3 times, skpo, k1b, k2tog, ([p1, k1b] – 2 times, p1, skpo, k1b, k2tog) – repeat 3 times. Do not forget to move beginning of the round marker 1 stitch forward.
Round 10: ([p1b, k1] – twice, p1b, k3) – repat 4 times.
Round 11: [p1, k1b] – twice, skpo, k1b, k2tog, [k1b, p1, k1b, skpo, k1b, k2tog] – repeat 3 times.
Round 12: k1, p1b, k5, [p1b, k5] – twice, p1b, k4.
Round 13: k1b, p1, skpo, k1b, k2tog [p1, skpo, k1b, k2tog] – repeat 3 times.
Round 14: [ p1b, k3] – 4 times.
Cut the yarn and draw the tail through remaining stitches. Pull tail to close top. Weave in all ends.
