Marl

Sometimes I realize I’ve been working within a theme without intent – does that ever happen to you? This time, the theme is MARL! Marled yarn is created by plying different colored singles together. Think “candy cane” or “barber pole” and you’ve got the idea.

First up: my mom’s scarf. I restarted this so many times but I’m very happy with the result:

The variegated yarn is a marl and I think it looks nice with the solid natural. I was right that those two skeins of variegated yarn would not be enough for a scarf on their own – it would have only been 52” long and that’s too short in my book! This version is 71” long. I am especially happy about how it looks exactly the same on the front and back:

I also like how beautifully neat the edges are – on both sides!

I will set this aside and wrap it up to go under the Christmas tree later this year.

Next marled project is the most precious little baby hat. Technically, it’s a bonnet, since it has ties (I think that’s what makes it a bonnet?). I made this for colleagues at work who are expecting a baby. My rule with baby knits is to ask what the mother’s favorite color is and to knit that – whatever mother likes is what baby will wear. In this case, mom likes deep reds and purples. I knew I had to use the skein of sock yarn I just bought at the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival last month:

The pattern is Anker’s Bonnet and it’s from a Danish designer. The ribbed part is worked back and forth (flat), and then you join to work the crown in the round. It is tiny – just 21 grams of yarn – and adorable. I knit the smallest size because a baby due in November is likely to need a light hat much of the time.

You can’t see the neck opening in the side shot – this gives you a better idea of the construction. It reminds me of a sun bonnet:

I love how the yarn subtly changes colors. Overall color can be shifted much more gently by changing just one ply at a time rather than all of them.

And finally, I find myself needing ALL my storage bobbins for my sweater spinning project, which means I need to clear off these leftover singles:

I once read that people collect these leftovers and then ply them together to make a fun skein. Worth a shot! I divided them more of less evenly based on weight and then made a 3-ply plying ball. I just tied the ends together when I needed to change singles… it seemed much easier than trying to switch bobbins on the kate while plying. This is the first time I’ve made a plying ball. It was lovely to work with, so I might do it again sometime:

I’m calling this skein Frankenyarn #1:

It’s quirky for sure and I’m really not sure if I’ll ever use it, but it was fun to try. My little Frankenskein is 120 yards and weighs 46 grams.

MARL!