Making these in the round & using YO increases. I had to go up to a size 5 needle because smaller ones made the fabric too stiff & unpleasant. Well, this guy was getting rather large, so I ripped back & stopped increasing at 45 stitches. I knit 8 rounds even before starting decreases.

For the mask, I CO 62 stitches with size 3 needles & knit the first two & last two rows (8 rows total). I inserted a 3 stitch buttonhole 7 stitches in from one end, in the middle of the strip so I could thread one end of the mask into the other. I stitched the ends into a point & sewed down the mask in the back at the tie point. I used button eyes, sewing them on top of the mask & to the ball.