I’m so very pleased to present a new and improved crochet Batman mask pattern, just in time for Halloween! The original pattern was published as Make It! Challenge #4 last March when Justin O’Neill dared me to crochet a Batman mask for him. Since then, hundreds of pretty cool people have viewed that post and several dozen very patient crocheters have made their own. Many were even gracious enough to give me some feedback. I have to admit, not all of it was good and not everyone was thrilled with the pattern. When I revisited it again a few weeks ago, I also was not thrilled. Why on earth did I do that? I found myself asking over and over again. I quickly decided that this pattern needed an overhaul and set out to make a Batman mask of my own this time, revamping the pattern as I went. Some things I changed completely, but some elements stayed the same.

What is different about the new pattern:

• Beginning construction. The hat portion of the mask is now a basic beanie pattern.
• Place markers. The second half of the pattern, which creates the area below the eyebrows, has been revised so that instructions for the eyehole and nosepiece area are given between place markers, making it easier to keep track of the stitch count.
• Stitch counts. I’ve added stitch counts at the end of each round and for the eyehole and nosepiece area where needed.
• Photos. Updated photos of the beginning of the eyehole and nosepiece area should make this part of the pattern clearer.

What is unchanged about the new pattern:

• Yarn. No one seems to have had success substituting yarn for the bamboo-silk blend I used. Acrylic and wool do not have enough stretch. My best advice is to use the same yarn that I used or a brand that has a similar ratio of bamboo viscose and silk. Sorry about this, but I think that this yarn is what makes this mask unique. It is designed to be form-fitting and I have not yet found another yarn that achieves this. (If you have success with another type of yarn in this pattern, please let me know and I’ll update this information!)
• Size. This pattern is for an adult with a hat size of 7 ¼.

This may be the first year in a long time that I have a costume figured out for myself well before Halloween. But the holiday is fast approaching, so I wanted to give you the opportunity to make a Batman mask with my revised pattern too. I’ll leave the original pattern up just below it in case you still need it. Please feel free to contact me here or at squirrelpicnic{at}gmail{dot}com if you have any questions.

Happy crocheting!