The Maud Churchill Nicoll book is available at the Antique Pattern Library This pattern is on pages 23 thru 25 of the book.

The original pattern in Maud Churchill Nicoll’s book is from 1918, and calls for 4-ply petticoat wool and old UK double-pointed needles size 8. I believe this works out to yarn about DK weight and 4 mm needles.

If I hadn’t had to adjust the size, this helmet could have been knit much faster than in 2 weeks, but changes were needed.

I wanted this one to be in worsted weight, AND for a bigger head. DH’s head is 23 3/4 inches around. Not the biggest head in the world, but bigger than average. So I tried using the same st count, but it wasn’t quite big enough around. Then I discovered that the length above the face opening to the crown was too long and shortened that to 3”. So this is only based on the original pattern. Here is what I did.

Balaclava Helmet for a Big Round Head
Based on Balaclava Helmet with Cape Pieces out of Knitting & Sewing by Maud Churchill Nicoll printed in 1918.
Yarn: 2 skeins Paton’s Classic Wool Worsted (210 yds/100 grams)
Needle: US 7 (4.5 mm) or size needed to get gauge. A pair of straights for the front and back panels, and a 16” long circular and a set of 5 double-pointed needles for the helmet.
Gauge: 5 sts = 1”; 5 ridges = 1” in Garter Stitch

Front and Back Panels: Make 2 in Garter Stitch as follows.
Cast on 30 sts.
First row: Knit to last st, yf, slip last st pw.
Second row: Kf&b of the first st, knit to last st, yf, slip last st pw. Repeat this row until there are 52 sts total. The piece should have about 12 garter ridges, and be 10” wide and 2 ½” long.
Work even on 52 sts until the piece is 7 ½” long, about 38 garter ridges. Yes, I know that 3 X 12 ridges = 36 ridges, not 38, but you are going for the actual length measurement, not the ridge count.
Put the live sts on a string to hold. Knit another panel the same.

Helmet: Place both panels on one 16” circular. 104 sts total. Knit 1 round to join, placing a ring marker at the start/end of the round.
Neck: Work in k2/p2 rib around for 6” in length above the panels. For me, that was 42 rounds.
Face opening: Work in rib for 11 sts (k2, p2; rep from, ending k2, p1), bind off loosely 30 sts in rib, resume the rib pattern as established to the end of the row.
Work back and forth in rib on 74 sts, slipping the last st on each row for 2” in length from the bound-off sts. For me, that was 13 rows.
When you come to the face opening, cast on 30 sts using the e-loop method so it’s loose, re-join to work in the round, and work in the established rib pattern for 3” in length from the top edge of the face opening.
Purl 1 round.

Shape crown: The crown will be worked in stockinette st and 8 sts will be decreased in every other round. When there are too few sts for your circular needle, change to double-points, distributing the sts evenly on 4 needles and working with the 5th needle. At this point, remove any markers at the ends of the needles since they will fall off.

Set-up round for decrease markers: Before the marker at the end of the round, * k2tog, slip the marker (sm), k 11; rep from , placing a marker after every k2tog for 7 more times. At the end of the round, there should be 8 markers on the needle and 8 decreases made. 96 sts total.
Even round: Knit 1 round even (no decreases).
Decrease round:K2tog, sm, knit to 2 sts before the next marker; rep from * 7 times. The marker will always be after the k2tog.
Repeat the above 2 rounds, changing to dpns when the helmet is too small for the circular, until only 8 sts remain.

Leaving a 12” tail, cut the working yarn and thread it onto a tapestry needle. Run the needle thru the remaining 8 sts, pulling it up tightly. Run it thru again, then poke it thru to the inside and do it again on the inside, each time pulling it up tightly. Weave in the yarn end and cut off any remaining tail.
Finishing: Weave in any yarn ends. The completed helmet will look too long and narrow, but it stretches sideways.

Wash the helmet gently, rinsing out any detergent or soap completely. Roll up and knead between towels to get as much moisture out of it as possible. If you have one, put the damp helmet on a styrofoam head (a wig stand from a beauty supply store, such as Sally’s) to shape it, and put it on top of a dry towel, spreading out the front and back panels, to let it air dry. If necessary, aim a fan at it to help it dry. Otherwise, you could use a small bowl or stuff the upper part of the head with a dry towel to shape the crown, still spreading out the panels to dry.

A comment about Paton’s Classic Wool: This yarn used to be made in Canada and is now made in Turkey, and I think the quality control has slipped. I found a few odd stray strands of what I think is plastic in it. Not a lot, but it made me wonder. I plucked them out as I found them, but I’m not sure I will buy this yarn again.