Hat Confusion

[sjr]

So I have knit one ear flap for a hat on dpn.... It doesn't say what to do with it...It just says to knit another on another dpn. Then the directions say to use circular needle, cast on 15 sts for back. From RS, K all stitches (20) from one dpn for earflap. Cast on 28 sts for front. From RS, K all stitches (20) from other dpn for other earflap. Total 83 stitches. So does this mean that I have 3 balls of yarn going ( one each for each earflap and one for the rest) or do I cut the yarn after making each earflap ( and if so, how do I keep it from unraveling?) or do I bind off each earflap and cut the yarn or is there some other choice I haven't thought of? If I do cut the yarn of each earflap, I don't get how it is incorporated into the rest of the hat, really. Basically, I am confused! Help!