DH wanted a hat knit as soon as he saw this yarn come out of the dyepot. So Jackyll & Hyde it is! A brilliant quick and easy knit. I third picture (partly knitted) is the truest in colour.

I’m reverse enginering this pattern as I want to knit it top down; useful if you’re not sure of your yardage. Notes are provided here, with kind permission from Saskia SASKnitsItAgain, should you wish to knit the same.
Mods:
1) The eyeholes were too wide for my taste, so I omitted the bind off/cast on stitches.
2) I was fast running out of yarn (as I suspected), so I shortened the entire length once I finished the face part. Besides, I didn’t want a huge roll of knitting sitting on my neck/chest. I’m not sure if the pattern length/my length was out?!

• Cast on 4 stitches using tiniest hole pinhole cast on
• Using row below increases, (make 1) x4: 8st
• (M1, K1) x4: 12st
• (M1, K1, M1) x4: 20st
• (M1, K3, M1) x4: 28st
• (M1, K5, M1) x4: 36st. K one round
• (M1, K7, M1) x4: 44st. K one round
• (M1, K9, M1) x4: 52st. K one round
• (M1, K11, M1) x4: 60st. K one round
• (M1, K13, M1) x4: 68st. K one round
• (M1, K15, M1) X4: 76st. K 3” or until you reach the top of the eyebrows = 22 rounds

Shape Eyeholes: I modified these as I found the eyeholes were too wide for my taste. Basically I deleted the cast off/make 2 st, and I centred the eyeholes between the increase ridges of the crown

• K4 st, k12 st and place onto stitch holder, k until you reach the held stitches (there should be 64st)
• follow the eyehole shaping as written for rows 1-10, slipping the first stitch on rows 3, 5, 6 and 8 (for aesthetics only)
• work the nose piece rows 1-9 on held stitches as written, slipping the first stitch on rows 3, 5, 6 and 8
• using all 76 st and working in the round, knit 4” = 28 rounds. This takes the balaclava just past the chin.

Increase for ribbing - k2, m1 until last 4 st, k4 = 100st
Knit 2x2 ribbing for about 3” = 17 rounds. Almost out of yarn!
Used JSSBO for the neck edge. I have a 7” tail of yarn to weave in, and that’s one skein of Blue Streak Aran used up! :)