Simple Marl Baby Blanket

I bought the book, “Making Marls,” by Cecelia Campochiaro when it was first released in 2020. I have knit several items using the marl technique. While this technique is not new, I found the book to be inspiring and full of ideas. The marl technique is a great way to use up odd ends of cone yarn. Though the book goes in depth explaining different marls and complex sequences, the basic concept is to use multiple strands of yarns/colors at a time to blend colors.

My blanket pattern is knit with 2/24 yarn doubled. Color 1 stays the same throughout (in eyelet #1). Color 2 is the blending color and the solid color (color #2 in eyelet 2) in the strip. Blending is done by have 2 different colors of 2/24 in eyelet 2. By using these two colors together for a few rows, you will be blending/transitioning color before changing to 2 strands of same color in the eyelet. The photo is probably a better way of seeing this as explaining it in writing is a bit complicated.

I remembered seeing an article in an old knit magazine about this concept (Machine Knitters Source Jan/Feb 2001 Vol 17 No. 100) and had kept the page marked for future reference. The article is written for Passap but the marl technique can be knit by hand or on any machine. I have knitted several marl blankets to use up leftover yarns. I used 2/24 doubled. I really like tech 186 because the front and back both have great texture. Technique 186 is nice for blankets because of the wide width and drape of the fabric. You can knit this marl pattern with a different Passap technique. The way of blending colors will be the same.

Blanket Details

I knit my blanket on Passap E6000 with Tech 186 double bed and built in console stitch pattern 1071. Needles 60-0-60 and 600 lock passes on the lock row counter. After washing, Tech 186 widens a lot. As you can see in the above photo, I have turned my blanket sideways. Tech 186 knits a wide fabric even with only 120 needles in work. The photo below is how it came off the machine with the horizontal stripes.

This is a two color project. Eyelet #1 will always be white (or what ever color you choose as your main/background color). Eyelet #2 will be the colored stripes. Cast on and knit with 2 strands white for several inches with white in eyelet #1. I wanted one large section of my main color (white), so I am not going into the color changer to change colors.

After knitting my section of solid white, I started going into the color changer to make my stripes. (You will go into the color changer each time the lock is on the right side of the bed for the rest of the blanket).

Thread eyelet #2 with one strand of white and one strand of black. This will make the white blend into the black (marl). Knit with eyelet #2 for as many rows as you wish to blend the colors. I knit usually knit 4-8 rows of the “marl” color.

Thread eyelet #2 with 2 strands of black yarn and knit this solid color for several inches.

Now you are ready to blend to your next color. Take one strand of the black out of eyelet #2 and replace it with one strand of your next color. (Mine was light blue.) Knit about 4-8 rows with these colors then take the black yarn out of eyelet #2 and replace it with blue to knit the blue strip.

You will continue knitting this way blending each color together as you come to a color change. The photo below shows a close up of the color changes. If you look closely, you can see how the blue and yellow almost blend to green in the section where there is one strand of each in eyelet #2.

Pattern Outline

Knit several inches background color (color in eyel 1).

Thread eyelet #2 with one strand background color, one strand of stripe color and knit 4-8 rows going into color changer when lock is on right.

Thread eyelet #2 with two strands of solid stripe color (both strands same color). Knit several inches.

Thread eyelet #2 with one strand of new stripe color to blend into next color.

Thread eyelet #2 with 2 strands of new color (both strands are same color)….

I made all of my color changes at the edge of the fabric. Ends were sewn in after the blanket was off the machine.

Continue until blanket is length you want. Be sure to wash your blanket as T186 changes a lot with washing and drying.

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