How To Knit Drawstring Balaclava Tutorial

Snuggle up with the knit drawstring balaclava! Imagine wrapping your head in a cloud of warmth, all while keeping style points sky-high. With its handy drawstring, you can tighten or loosen it up to match your comfort level—perfect for chillier days or when the wind decides to join your outdoor adventures.

Knit Drawstring Balaclava

Whether you're zipping down a ski slope or enjoying a frosty morning walk, this balaclava is your new go-to buddy for staying warm and looking effortlessly cool. So, why settle for cold ears when you can rock this cozy champ instead?

Materials Needed:

Knitting needles: 9mm circular needles, 40cm in length.
Yarn: Charisma by Loops and Threads, 109 yards (two skeins should suffice).

Pattern Steps:

Starting Off:

Cast on 25 stitches each for the front and back sections on your circular needles, totaling 50 stitches.

First Row:

Start knitting around, ensuring yarn and stitches are correctly oriented to avoid twisting.

Creating the Border:

Begin the first few rows with a knit one, purl one pattern to form a ribbed border. This will also apply at the edge near the face opening for a consistent design.

Body of the Balaclava:

Continue knitting in the round. For a snug fit, you can increase the stitch count every 10 stitches to accommodate head size. Do this increase by wrapping the yarn around the needle as if casting on an extra stitch.
Keep knitting in the round until it's time to create the face opening.

Making the Face Opening:

To make the face opening, first knit up to the desired height before the opening would start.
Determine the middle of your work, and count outwards to where the face opening will begin and end. For the example, 14 stitches were cast off to create the opening.
Continue knitting in the round, coming back to the open face part, and knit back and forth creating a flat piece for the height of the face opening.

Closing the Top:

Once the height for the face opening is achieved, continue knitting in the round above the opening to close the top of the balaclava.
As you knit towards the top, start decreasing to taper off the balaclava. A suggested method is to knit three stitches, then knit two together across the round and repeat this pattern every fourth stitch to gradually decrease the circumference.

Finishing Touches:

When only a small opening remains at the top, cut the yarn leaving a long tail. Use a yarn needle or your knitting needle to thread through the remaining stitches, pull tight to close the opening, and secure with a few stitches.
Create a drawstring by casting on a chain of stitches with your yarn using a crochet hook or knitting needles. Weave this chain through the ribbing at the face opening to allow for adjustment.