12/7 - Cast on today using two circular needles in the hopes that I will have it finished for the Hobbit premiere next Friday. What more appropriate occasion is there for a Dwarven Battle Helm, really? The top-down construction is a real pain at first. I found myself cursing under my breath until about row 10. I knit one round after the cast on to make the increases shown on the first round easier. Cross your fingers for me.

12/9 - Helm portion almost completed. One might say I’m “Helm’s Deep.” Oh man, that was lame. Overall the piece has been an enjoyable knit so far, with the exception of the bobbles, which are a royal pain (though they add a lot to the look, I’d say). I’ve picked up a few new techniques doing this pattern, such as casting on in the middle of a row (to join the “eyeglasses” area at the bottom). The best video I found for learning the impromptu cast-on technique is here (the video quality is bad, but you really only need to watch the first couple of minutes): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqaAFyJ5_gs

12/13 - Completed right on time! Once the beard was cast-on, the rest of the pattern was pure gravy. It was definitely a fun project!