Jeg deler her et strikkemønster til en skimaske for en ven. Det er det første indlæg på engelsk på kombinationen.dk!

Skimask with fitted nose and chin

Welcome to this knitting pattern! I’ve designed this pattern to accommodate different skill levels, offering two slightly different versions for you to choose from.

• Simple Version: Using stockinette stitch.
• Intermediate-Advanced Version : Using 2x1 rib pattern. While the rib itself is not difficult, it involves increases and decreases (m1l, m1r, m1p left/right, k2tog, ssk, p2tog) that require a bit more skill. It also requires careful consideration of placement for increases, decreases, and short rows. It can be worth it however, as it is more elastic.

Throughout my experience with this pattern, I have successfully used needle sizes ranging from 2mm to 10mm. Therefore, feel free to use any needle size within this range. I’ve designed the pattern to be flexible and adaptable to accommodate different yarn weights and needle sizes.

The inspiration behind this pattern comes from the vital role ski masks play in protecting our comrades who spend long hours in the forests during occupations. These masks need to be comfortable, suitable for all weather conditions, and versatile for various activities in the trees. Surprisingly, I couldn’t find a suitable pattern online that met these criteria. Hence, I decided to create one myself.

This pattern goes beyond the typical balaclava design, prioritizing comfort and functionality. I hope you want to join me in supporting people in these curtail struggles, by hopefully making their everyday a slightly bit more comfortable.

Yarn and needles

Circular needles ranging from 2mm to 10mm will work for this pattern.

Yarn is optional, and it’s best to use what you already have or find at a thrift store.

Cotton yarn works well, especially with the rib stitch pattern, as it provides sufficient elasticity.

However, please note that cotton tends to hold moisture and may lose its shape and stretch over time. To address this issue, you may consider using a yarn blend that includes elastic fibers. Blends of cotton with other vegan fibers like bamboo are also good options. If you choose to use a cotton mask, it can be reshaped through blocking or restored to its original size using heat (boiling or freezing).

Synthetic fibers such as acrylic, polyester, or nylon can also be used. These fibers will hold their shape but may be less breathable, resulting in reduced comfort while wearing the mask.

Wool is an amazing fiber, it’s breathable, durable, stretchy, keeps warm. But it’s amazing because it is made for and by sheep and other non-human animals. But if you have some wool laying around already, and this mask will be very valuable for a comrade then I gotta say, wool can be a great option.

Credit

This pattern is a combination of two fantastic freely available patterns, with a few added tweaks.

• The top of the mask is based on the Top Down Handspun Hat with a Nice Flat Top pattern by Heidi Nick, modified to be in 2x1 rib.
• The fitted face design is based on the Ninja Bike Mask of Awesomeness pattern by Jennifer Wang.

Useful Technique Instructions:

Here are some technique instructions that you may find helpful while working on this pattern:

• Judy’s Magic Cast On
• Knit front and back (kfb)
• m1r, m1l, and m1p (left/right)
• Cast on mid-work For additional techniques used in this pattern, please refer to page 2 of the bike mask pattern.

Click here for the easier version.

Pattern for Ribbed Ski Mask

The ski mask is knitted top-down and consists of 7 sections, hat, eyes, nose, mouth, chin, neck, and bib.

Hat

Using Judy’s Magic Cast-On, cast on 8 stitches (4 on each of 2 needles).

Round 1: Knit (8 stitches).

Round 2: [k m1r k m1l] x 4 (16 stitches).

Round 3: [k2 m1p (left) k2 m1p (right)] x 4 (24 stitches).

Round 4: Knit one round in pattern, kkp.

Round 5: [k2 p m1r k2 m1l p] x 4 (32 stitches).

Round 6: Knit one round in pattern.

Round 7: [k2 p k m1r k2 m1l k p] x 4 (40 stitches).

Round 8: Knit one round in pattern.

Round 9: [k2 p k2 m1p (left) k2 m1p (right) k2 p] x 4 (48 stitches).

Round 10: Knit one round in pattern, and place 4 markers. The first marker after 6 stitches, and a marker after every 12th stitch. Keep these markers in place throughout each round.

Size Consideration

Now, you need to ensure that the circumference is large enough for the head. This will depend on the average stitch size and head size. Please refer to page 5 of the bike mask pattern for help in determining the size using measurements.

If you are using needle size ≥8mm, then 48 stitches are enough for a small-medium size head. If that is the case, you can move on to the eye section.

To achieve the 2x1 rib, from here on, increases will be adding expansions of 12 or 24 stitches.

Rows 11-16 increase by 24 stitches. Rows A-F increase by 12 stitches.

For the bike mask pattern to be easy to follow, make sure that you end up with a total number of stitches divided by 4 as an uneven number. To achieve this, the final rounds of increases should increase by 12 stitches, only on the sides of the head.

If this does not fit well for the head, minor alterations can be made in the remaining pattern.

The tables below includes the placement for eyes and mouth depending on the mask’s circumference.

Increases to perfectly fit mask pattern. Increases by 12 over 6 rounds A-F

Back to Knitting

Round 11: * Knit to the marker [m1r k2 m1l p] * x 4 (56 stitches).

Round 12: Knit one round in the pattern.

Round 13: * Knit to the marker [k m1r k2 m1l k p] * x 4 (64 stitches).

Round 14: Knit one round in the pattern.

Round 15: * Knit to the marker [k2 m1p (left) k2 m1p (right) k2 p] * x 4 (72 stitches).

Round 16: Knit one round in the pattern.

Repeat rounds 11-16 for 1-5 times (96|120|144|168|192 stitches).

If you have achieved the desired size, you can now move on to the eye section.

Then, increase each round by 4 stitches by skipping increases every other marker.

Round A: * Knit to the marker [m1r k2 m1l p] * , knit past the next marker twice. (52|76|100|124|148|172|196 stitches)

Round B: Knit one round in the pattern.

Round C: Knit to the marker [k m1r k2 m1l k p], knit past the next marker, knit to the 3rd marker [m1r k2 m1l p], knit to the end of the round. (56|80|104|128|152|176|200 stitches)

Round D: Knit one round in the pattern.

Round E: * Knit to the marker [k2 m1p (left) k2 m1p (right) k2 p] * , knit past the next marker twice. (60|84|108|132|156|180|204 stitches)

Round F: Knit one round in the pattern.

Eyes

Continue knitting in pattern until the hat reaches a few centimeters above the eyebrows.

Placement

The four markers divide the hat into 4 sections. The beginning of the round is at the neck. If you have completed rounds A-F, the two sections for the sides of the head should be 6 stitches wider than the face and neck section.

Knit one round, placing markers MR and ML according to the size table. (Place MR and ML approximately ¼ of the way into the face section, minus 1 stitch if not a whole number.)

Eyebrow Short Rows

The short rows will share the eye opening better but this step can be skipped. Round 1: RS: Knit to MR1, knit 1, wrap and turn (w&t).

Round 2: WS: Purl 2, knit 1, purl to MR1, purl 1, w&t (place ML1).

Round 3: RS: Knit 2, purl 1, knit to ML, knit 1, w&t (place MR1).

Continue in this manner until you achieve a slight curve, approximately 1 cm in the center. Make sure to end with a WS row. For larger needle sizes, you may want to skip round 3.

Knit until the end of the round.

Eye Cast Off

Find the placement of the cast off, MECO.

Round 1: Knit until MECO. Cast off the number of stitches equal to the size of the face section. Knit to the end of the round.

If you are knitting with larger needles, the eyehole may already be large enough. You can skip to the final round.

Round 2: Knit to the cast off stitches. Turn your work. On the wrong side, knit in pattern (kpp) all the way to the other side of the cast off. Turn your work.

Round 3: Knit on the right side (pkk) to the other side of the cast off.

Depending on the desired size of the eye holes, repeat round 2-3 once or more. If you are unsure about the size, it’s better to go bigger. We will crochet an edge later, so you can still make them smaller if they end up too big.

Final Round: On the right side, knit to the cast off stitches, then cast on the same number of stitches that were cast off. Knit until the end of the round.

You can use your favorite method for casting on in the middle of your work, but make sure it is non-elastic. If you need a reference, you can check this method.

We will revisit the eyes later to crochet an edge and combine the portion between the eyes.

Nose, Mouth, Chin, and Neck

From this point, you can follow the bike mask pattern found here. Start from the “Face-ing the Beginning” second round with a few centimeters of ribbing.

Once you have completed the mask, you can proceed to the final section of this pattern to crochet a nose bridge for the eye opening.

There are breathing holes by the mouth, but if you prefer, you can also create a single hole. In that case, you can skip page 8 “The Aerated Nostrils and Beyond” and follow the mouth opening section below.

NOTE FOR LARGE NEEDLES

If you are knitting with larger needles, there are a couple of alterations needed:

• Nose: Be aware that you may only need to do the first two short rows, and then proceed to the two short rows to bring in fabric.
• Chin: Reduce the number of rows for both the gradual slope and the aggressive decrease. Use approximately the same number of rounds as rows for each part, or add more rows for the aggressive decrease.

Mouth Opening

If the mask has not reached the mouth yet, continue knitting until you reach that point.

The mouth opening should be 2/3 of the face section. Find the placement of the cast-off, MMCO.

Round 1: Knit until MMCO, cast off 2/3 of the face section. Knit to the end of the round.

Round 2: Knit to the cast-off stitches. Cast on 2-3 masks (see table). Turn your work.

Round 3: On the wrong side, knit to the cast-off stitches. Cast on 2-3 masks. Turn your work.

If the total number of masks is 48 or 60, you can skip to the final round.

Continue in this manner for 1-2 more times, following the table for the number of cast-on’s for each round.

Final Round: Knit to the cast-off stitches. Cast on masks until the sum of cast-ons is the same as the cast-offs (if you follow the table, it should be half of the cast-offs). Knit until the end of the round.

Continue following the bike mask pattern for the chin starting from page 9.

Finishing Off

Once you have finished knitting, you can connect the middle of the eye opening using crochet. Crocheting allows for shaping, so you can play around with it to achieve the desired look. If the size is good, you can use slip stitches. If the eye holes are slightly too big, you can use single stitches for one or more rounds. For the possible mouth opening, crocheting an edge is not necessary, but it can make it look better.

Here is a suggested method that has worked well:

• Start at the upper corner of the left eye (when looking at the mask face to face), but turn the mask with the top closest to you.
• Use slip stitches across the upper part of the hole, across the turn of the right eye, and down to the bottom until you reach the 5-6 stitches in the center.

Eye Bridge in the 5-6 Center Knit Stitches

• 2 single crochet (sc)
• 1 double crochet (dc) In the very center:
• 1dc, where you insert the hook in the top of the eyes in the final loop, just to the right of the exact middle stitch.
• In the same stitch, where you inserted the dc in the bottom part of the eye, work 1 triple crochet (tr), grabbing the top part in the final loop, now in the exact middle stitch.
• Again, in the same stitch at the bottom, work 1dc, where the final loop grabs the upper part of the stitch to the left of the center.
• 1dc, 2sc.
• Continue with slip stitches around the left eye until you reach where you began.

Next, you can crochet an edge for the mouth opening. Lastly, weave in all the ends to complete the mask.

Pattern for Stockinette Stitch Ski Mask

This ski mask is knitted top down and consists of 7 sections: hat, eyes, nose, mouth, chin, neck, and bib.

Hat

Round 1: Knit (8 stitches)

Round 2: Knit in the front and back of each stitch (kfb), doubling the stitch count (16 stitches)

Round 3: * Knit 1 (K1), kfb * , repeat to the end of the round (24 stitches)

Round 4: * k2, kfb * , repeat to the end of the round (32 stitches)

Round 5: * k3, kfb * , repeat to the end of the round (40 stitches)

Round 6: * k4, kfb * , repeat to the end of the round (48 stitches)

If you are using larger needles, add a row with no increase between rows 4-5 and 5-6.

Size Consideration

Now, you need to ensure that the circumference is large enough for the head. This will depend on the average stitch size and the head size. Refer to page 5 of the bike mask pattern for help in determining the size using measurements.

If you are using needle size ≥ 8mm, then 48 stitches are enough for a small-medium size head. If that is the case, you can move on to the eye section.

Round 7: * k5, kfb * , repeat to the end of the round (56 stitches)

Round 8: * k6, kfb * , repeat to the end of the round (64 stitches)

Round 9: Knit (64 stitches)

Round 10: * k7, kfb * , repeat to the end of the round (72 stitches)

Round 11: Knit (72 stitches)

Continue in this manner, adding one more stitch between increases, until the circumference is large enough. Note that when you place the work on the head, it may not seem large enough to fit the face, but it will as you continue with more rows.

Eyes

Continue knitting in pattern until the hat reaches a few centimeters above the eyebrows.

First, perform a few short rows for shaping the eye opening (this step can be skipped). Then, cast off and cast on.

Eyebrow short rows

Place a marker, MF, in the middle of your round.

Place a marker, MR, 1/16 of the total number of masks before MF.

Place a marker, ML, 1/16 of the total number of masks after MF.

1 RS: Knit to ML, knit 1, wrap and turn (w&t).

2 WS: Purl 4 (place ML marker), knit to MR, purl 1, w&t.

3 RS: Knit 4 (place MR marker), knit to ML, knit 1, w&t.

Continue in this manner until you achieve a slight curve, approximately 1 cm in the center. Make sure to end with a WS row. For larger needle sizes, you may want to skip round 3.

Knit until the end of the round.

Eye Cast Off

The eye opening should be 1/4 of the total number of masks.

Find the middle of your round.

Place a marker, MR, 1/8 of the total number of masks before MF.

1: Knit until MR. Cast off 1/4 of the total number of masks. Knit to the end of the round. If you are knitting with larger needles, the eye opening may already be large enough. You can skip to the final round.

2: Knit to the cast-off stitches. Turn your work. On the wrong side, knit with purl stitches to the other side of the cast off. Turn your work.

3: Knit to the other side of the cast off.

Depending on the desired size of the eye holes, repeat round 2-3 once or more.

If you are unsure about the size, it’s better to go bigger. We will crochet an edge later, so you can still make them smaller if they end up too big.

Final Round: Knit on the right side to the cast-off stitches. Cast on the same number of stitches that were cast off. Knit until the end of the round.

You can use your favorite method for casting on in the middle of your work, but make sure it is non-elastic. If you need a reference, you can check this method..

We will revisit the eyes later to crochet an edge and combine the portion between the eyes.

Nose

Place markers on the same placement on either side of the eye opening.

Place marker, MR, 1/8 of the total number of masks before MF.

Place marker, ML, 1/8 of the total number of masks after MF.

1 RS: Knit to ML, knit, wrap and turn (w&t). Always slip markers when you reach them unless otherwise noted.

2 WS: Purl 4 (place ML marker), knit to MR, purl, w&t.

3 RS: Knit 4 (place MR marker), knit to ML, knit, w&t.

Continue in this manner until the mask extends slightly past the tip of your nose. Be sure to end with a WS row.

If you are knitting with larger needles, be aware that you may only need to do rounds 1-2, and in the next part, rounds 1-2 as well.

Next, we will “turn” for a few rows to bring in the fabric a bit.

1 RS: Knit to ML, knit 3 (place ML marker), knit, w&t.

2 WS: Knit to MR, purl 3 (place MR marker), purl, w&t.

3 RS: Knit to ML, knit 7, w&t.

4 WS: Knit to MR, purl 7, w&t.

Now, you can decide if you want breathing holes or a mouth opening and proceed to that section.

Mouth with Breathing Holes

Round 1: Knit to MR, repeat [k yo k2tog] to MF, repeat [ssk yo k] to ML. Knit to the end of the round.

Round 2: Knit one round.

Continue alternating rows of eyelets and rows of “solids” until you pass your mouth.

To create a triangle of breathing holes, skip the first and last repetitions of [k yo k2tog] compared to the previous round, every other time or every time. Adjust the frequency to achieve the desired slope of the triangle.

Continue knitting until the mask reaches the chin.

Mouth Opening

If the mask has not reached the mouth yet, continue knitting until you reach that point.

The mouth opening should be 1/6 of the total number of masks. Place a marker, MR, 1/12 of the total number of masks before the middle.

Round 1: Knit until MR, cast off 1/6 of the total number of masks. Knit to the end of the round. If the number of cast-offs is not divisible by 4, in the following rounds, cast on 3 stitches at a time.

Round 2: Knit to the cast off stitches. Cast on 2-3 masks. Turn your work.

Round 3: On the wrong side, knit to the cast-off stitches. Cast on 2-3 masks. Turn your work.

Continue in this manner for 0-2 more times until you have cast on half of the number of masks you cast off.

Again, if the initial number of cast-offs + 6 is not divisible by 4, cast on 3 stitches at a time.

Final round: Knit to the cast off stitches. Cast on masks until the sum of cast-ons is the same as the cast-offs. Knit until the end of the round.

Continue knitting until the mask reaches the chin.

Chin

Place a marker, MR, 4 stitches before MF.

1: Knit until MR. Slip slip knit (ssk), knit. Slip stitch, remove MF, replace stitch. ssk (place MF), knit, knit 2 together (k2tog), wrap and turn (w&t).

For the gradual slope of the chin parabola, we will do short rows similar to the nose.

2 WS: Purl 6. Purl 2 together (p2tog). w&t.

3 RS: Knit 8. ssk. w&t.

If you are knitting with larger needles, you may want to skip to the next part here or a few rows later, ending with a RS row. For the next step, the number of purls should be 3 more than the knit stitches in the previous row, with the same number of increases in stitches between rounds.

4 WS: p10. p2tog. w&t.

5 RS: k12. ssk. w&t.

6 WS: p14. p2tog. w&t.

7 RS: k16. ssk. w&t.

8 WS: p18. p2tog. w&t.

9 RS: k20. ssk. w&t.

Next, we will do more aggressive decreasing to create the steeper sides of the chin parabola.

1 WS: p23. w&t.

2 RS: k25. w&t.

3 WS: p24. p2tog. w&t.

4 RS: k24. ssk. w&t.

5 WS: p27. w&t.

6 RS: k29. w&t.

7 WS: p28. p2tog. w&t.

8 RS: k28. ssk. w&t.

Continue in this fashion (four-step repeat) until the height of the chin parabola is the same as the depth of your chin. For your last RS row, do not wrap and turn at the end. Knit until the end of the round.

Neck

Count the number of stitches you have remaining. Place a marker, MR, 1/8 of the total number of stitches from the beginning of the round. Place a marker, ML, 1/8 of the total number of stitches before the end of the round.

For small needle size

1: Knit until 6 stitches before MR. Move MR to this point. [k2tog, k] x4.

2: Knit until the chin, past the wrapped stitch. [k, k2tog, k] x2.

3: Knit until 8 stitches before the end of the chin. [k, ssk, k] x2.

4: Knit until 5 stitches before ML. Move ML to this point. [ssk, k] x4.

5: Knit one round.

6: Knit until MR. [k, k2tog, k] x2.

7: Knit until 6 stitches into the chin. Repeat [k, k2tog, k] until 1 mask before the chin center.

8: Do a centered double decrease (sl2kpsso).

9: [k, ssk, k] until 6 stitches before the end of the chin.

10: Knit until ML. [ssk, k2] x2.

11: Knit until the end of the round.

12: Knit one round.

13: Knit until MR. [k2tog, k] x2.

14: Knit until three knit stitches on the chin tip. k2tog.

15: Knit until ML. [ssk, k] x2.

16: Knit until the end of the round.

17: Knit one round.

18: Knit until MR. [k, k2tog].

19: Knit until ML. [ssk, k].

20: Knit until the end of the round.

21: Knit one round.

Continue knitting until the mask reaches the shoulders.

For large needle size

1: Knit until 3 stitches before MR. Move MR to this point. [k2tog, k] x2.

2: Knit until the chin, past the wrapped stitch. k, k2tog.

3: Knit until 3 stitches before the end of the chin. ssk, k.

4: Knit until 2 stitches before ML. Move ML to this point. [ssk, k] x2.

5: Knit one round.

6: Knit until MR. k, k2tog.

7: Knit 3 stitches into the chin. Repeat [k, k2tog, k] until 1 mask before the chin center.

8: Do a centered double decrease (sl2kpsso).

9: [k, ssk, k] until 3 stitches before the end of the chin.

10: Knit until ML. ssk.

11: Knit until the end of the round.

12: Knit one round.

Continue knitting until the mask reaches the shoulders.

Bib

Place a marker, MR, 2 stitches before 1/4 into the mask. Place a marker, ML, 2 stitches before the final 1/4 of the mask.

Round 1: Knit until MR, knit front and back (kfb), k2, kfb. Knit until ML, repeat the increase pattern. Knit until the end of the round.

Round 2: Knit one round.

Round 3: Knit until MR, kfb, k4, kfb. Knit until ML, repeat the increase pattern. Knit until the end of the round.

Round 4: Knit one round.

Round 5: Knit until MR, kfb, k6, kfb. Knit until ML, repeat the increase pattern. Knit until the end of the round.

Round 6: Knit one round.

Round 7: Knit until MR, kfb, k8, kfb, k2. Knit until ML, repeat the increase pattern. Knit until the end of the round.

Round 8: Knit one round.

Edge

You can follow this tutorial. for fixing rolled edges in knitting.

Round 9: Repeat in this manner until the bib is long enough or you run out of yarn. Make sure you leave an end of yarn that is at least four times the circumference formed by your last row.

Round 10: Bind off with your stretchy method of choice.