Bataclava Knitting Pattern: Make Your Own Batman Cowl Hat

If you use this pattern, please do not sell the finished hat.

Make a Batman cowl hat for you or the Bat-fan in your life! It's an adult-sized hat, I don't have any stray children around to make one to fit a smaller head, but you're welcome to adapt it to fit a junior bat-fan.

For more pictures, check here and here.

Materials

• 1 ball of 100gr Worsted weight wool in a dark colour (mine was navy simply because I had a lot of that lying around, black would e good, even purple would be fun for the Adam West look!)
• 1 set of 6mm dpns
• 1 pair of 4mm straight needles
• 2 large buttons
• 2 stitch holders
• stitch markers (or scrap yarn)
• safety pins

Abbreviations

• sts: stitches
• K: knit
• K2tog: knit two together

Hat Section

1. Cast on 84 stitches. Knit in stocking stitch for 5 inches. Place a marker every 12 stitches.
2. *K2 tog. before each marker, knit one round plain* 4 times, then k2 together before marker on every round until there are 7 stitches left on needle. Break off yarn, leaving a fairly long tail. Draw tail through remaining 7 sts, pull firmly, and draw through to inside of hat.
3. You will now have something looking rather like a skull cap.

Neck Section

1. Pick up 60 stitches from the cast on row of the hat. Knit five rows in stocking stitch. Now knit 30 sts, place marker, knit 30 sts. On every row for the next 2½ to 3 inches, decrease on either side of the marker. This will shape the hat to the back of your head/neck and create a neat little ridge along the back of the hat.
2. End on WS and at the beginning of the next row, cast on another 5 stitches.
3. Continue for 1 inch.
4. Buttonhole row: Knit 3, YO, knit to end.
5. Next row Knit to four before end, ktog, knit 2.
6. Continue for another 2 to 2½ inches, then repeat the buttonhole.
7. Continue for another 1 ½ inches.
8. Place markers every five stitches, then for the next 2 ½ inches knit into front and back of the stitch directly in front of each marker on RS rows. This creates cute little ruffles that give the cowl a nice bat-like edge.
9. Cast off.
10. You will now have what looks like a cross between a balaclava and an aviator's hat. Put the hat on, and stretch the buttonhole side of the neck part across under your chin. Mark where the holes are on the other side (I used safety pins, just don't stab yourself) and sew on your buttons there.

Mask Section

Keep putting the hat on to check where your eyes and nose are and that you're going in the right place. This bit can be a bit fiddly.

Using smaller needles, pick up the remaining 24 stitches from the cast-on row of the “hat”. Knit first row, knitting into front and back of each stitch, so that you have 48 sts by the end of the row. Work three rows (or until around the level of your eyebrows) in seed stitch.

1. To anchor the eye holes, work 9 sts (or to about ½ inch to the side of you eye) and slip onto stitch holder, bind off 8 sts, work 14 sts (this will be the bridge of your nose) and place onto stitch holder, bind off 8 sts, work 9 sts.
2. Work the next 2 rows in seed stitch, on third row, work 7 then k2tog.
   
3. Place sts on stitch holder. Repeat these 3 rows for the other side.
4. Pick up the 14 sts from the middle section (nose). K2tog, work 10, k2tog.
5. Next row, k2tog, work 8sts, k2tog
6. Next row, k2 tog, work 6 sts, k2tog.
7. Place sts on stitch marker.
8. Now take the stitches from one of the side markers. Work those 8 sts, then cast on 12 sts, pick up and work the 8 sts from the middle marker, cast on 12, pick upand work 8 sts from other side. (you should now have 48 sts again)
9. Work 1 inch in seed stitch (or until just below your cheekbone)
10. Now you're working the section that will cover your nose
11. Row 1: Bind off 5 sts, seed stitch to end
12. Row 2: Bind off 5 sts, seed stitch to end (38 sts)
13. Row 3: Bind off 6 sts, seed stitch to end
14. Row 4: Bind off 6 sts, seed stitch to end (26 sts remain)
15. Row 5: Bind off 6 sts, seed stitch to end
16. Row 6: Bind off 6 sts, seed stitch to end (14 sts remain)
17. Row 7: Bind off 4 sts, seed stitch to end
18. Row 8, Bind off 4 sts, seed stitch to end (6 sts remain)
19. Row 9: Bind off 2 sts, seed stitch to end
20. Row 10 : Bind off 2 sts, seed stitch to end (2 sts remain)
21. Row 11: Bind off last 2 sts.

Weave in all ends. Now using two safety pins, pin your “mask” to the sides of you “neck” section, placing the pins by the corners before the reductions to the nose. Sew both of these sides from the cast on row of the “hat” to these corners. (NB, you may want to use a small amount of wire to keep the eyes and the nose the right shape. Remember, the eyes should be almost triangular.)

Ears

1. Put on the hat and mark where your ears are, then put a marker (I used safety pins) about 3 inches above them (about 2 inches above the cast on row of the hat).
   
2. Pick up 12 sts from the side of the hat starting from this marker and going upwards towards the top of the hat.
3. Row 1: work 12 sts in seed stitch
4. Row 2: Bind off 4, work 8 sts in seed stitch.
5. Row 3: Bind off remaining 4 sts.
6. Now turn your work so that the three rows you just knitted are now vertical, and pick up the end stitch of each row (3 sts), pick up 4 further sts from the top of the hat. (if that makes sense)
7. Row 1: work 7 sts in seed stitch
8. Row 2: k2tog, work 6
9. Row 3: k2tog work 5
10. Row 4: work 6 sts
11. Row 5: k2tog work 5
12. Row 6: k2tog work 4
13. Row 7: work 5
14. Row 8: k2tog work 3
15. Row 9: k2tog work 2
16. Row 10: work 3
17. Row 11: k2tog work 1
18. Row 12: Bind off last 2 sts and pull end to create point.
19. Repeat for other side and weave in all ends.

And there you have it! Find a cape and go running around scaring disreputable folk!