Crochet balaclava

Start the balaclava by crocheting 4 granny squares. Mix the colours to your liking. The balaclava is crocheted and knitted using 1 strand of Anna and Clara's wool yarn and 1 strand of Anna and Clara's mohair nylon yarn. The balaclava can also be crocheted using yarn leftovers. The balaclava neck is knitted in rib with a rib border around the face.

Round (rd) 1: Work 3 chain stitches (ch), 2 treble crochet stitches (tr) in the magic circle, 2 ch, *3 tr in the circle, 2 ch*, repeat from * to * 3 times in all (= 4 groups of 3 tr). At end of rd, work 1 slip stitch (ss) into the third ch from hook, pull the yarn taut. Change colour. Rd 2: Work 3 ch, 2 tr, 2 ch, 3 tr into the same chain stitch arch (= corner arch), *3 tr, 2 ch, 3 tr into the next chain stitch arch*, repeat from * to * 3 times in all (= 3 corners). At end of rd, work 1 ss into the third ch (= 4 corners). Change colour. Rd 3: Work 3 ch, 2 tr, 2 ch, 3 tr into the same chain stitch arch (= corner arch), *3 tr into the next chain stitch arch, 3 tr, 2 ch, 3 tr into the corner arch*, repeat from * to * 3 times in all, 2 tr into the next chain stitch arch. At end of rd, work 1 ss into the third ch. Change colour. Rd 4: Work precisely as rd 3 (rd increases by 1 tr group between each corner).

Crochet the granny squares together to form a bonnet. Three of them each share one edge, while the fourth shares edges with each of the first three. Crochet the squares together with ss, using 1 strand of Col 1 and 1 strand of Col 4, as follows: Place 2 granny squares together, wrong sides facing. Insert the crochet hook into the back loop of the first st in each square (these two stitch loops face each other). Wrap the yarn over the hook and pull it through both loops. Wrap the yarn over the hook again and pull through = 1 ss. Insert the hook into the next 2 loops facing each other and pull the yarn through these loops. Pull the yarn through the loops on the hook = 1 ss. Continue until all stitch loops are crocheted together.

Using circular knitting needle size 6 mm and 1 strand of Col 1 and 1 strand of Col 4, pick up 60 sts along the edge of the 3 joined granny squares. Cast on a further 20 sts using the loop cast-on method. Work twisted rib (knit (k)1 through back loop (tbl), purl (p)1) in the rd (= 80 sts). Work twisted rib until the work measures 18 cm. Cast off.

Using 1 strand of Col 1 and 1 strand of Col 4, pick up 80 sts around the granny squares along the face side and across the ribbed section under the chin. On the ribbed section, pick up the stitch under the outer loop, not the outer loop itself. This gives the rib sections a more uniform structure. Work 4 rds of twisted rib (k1 tbl, p1). Make sure you work k over k and p over p. Cast off.