After the freezing cold weather we’ve been having where I live and the unpleasantness of shovelling the driveway when it’s 0 degrees, my husband asked me to knit him a balaclava.
Of course once I do it it will probably never be this cold again, but while I was looking for a pattern to make for him I thought I would share some good looking balaclava knitting patterns you can use if it gets cold where you live and you want some extra protection.
Looking for more Balaclava patterns? Check these out on Etsy.
The Uhlan Cap by Franklin Habit is based on an 1880s knitting pattern and is technically not a balaclava because it doesn’t cover the face, it’s just a hat with a collar attached for keeping the neck warm. But it’s a good place to start if you need extra warmth but don’t want a face full of wool. The pattern and the story behind it are from Knitty.
Antifreeze by Jenna Adorno is another pattern on Knitty that is a true balaclava with a twist — it includes options for slits on the side to insert the straps for a helmet and a ponytail hole at the back.
The one I’m planning to knit is the Knit Helmet from the Seamen’s Church Institute. If it’s good enough for mariners, it’s good enough for my guy. It’s a free pattern (click on helmet on the page linked here) and completely worked in ribbing for a comfortable and stretchy fit.
A similar option is the Gusseted Helmet Liner by Ellen M. Silva. Years ago the military used to accept donations of helmet liners because soldiers were getting really cold in the desert at night. This design is an updated version of the basic helmet liner, which the military no longer accepts but is still great for keeping civilians warm. It’s a free pattern on Ravelry.
Yarnspirations has a striped knit balaclava that covers all but the eyes. You could of course work it in a single color or use it as a stash-busting project.
Winter Knights from DROPS Design has a collar part that covers the chin but not the rest of the face. It’s available in three sizes (they also have a kid’s version if you want to make matching balaclavas for everyone in the family).
Christine Grant’s descriptively titled 4 Ply Textured Unisex Balaclava Circular pretty much says exactly what it is right there in the title. It’s worked with fingering weight yarn so it’s great as a interior layer you can wear under another hat or the hood of your coat. The pattern is $2.95 on Ravelry.
And if you want a fancier warmer, check out Cat Bordhi’s Warm All Winter. This cabled balaclava has a circular yoke style on the cowl part and can be worn over the face or tucked under the chin. We still miss Cat so this is a sweet way to remember her. The pattern is $6 on Ravelry.
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