Marling is a simple, creative knitting technique where you hold two or more strands of yarn together to create unique blended colors and textures. Whether you want to use up leftovers, create your own variegated effect, or make a bold statement, learning how to marl yarn can completely transform your knitting projects. In this ultimate guide to marling, you’ll learn exactly what marling is, how to do it, and get tips for stunning marled designs. I hope you enjoy this game-changing technique that will transform your knitting.
What is Marling in Knitting?
Marling is the technique of knitting with two or more strands of yarn held together, allowing you to create unique color effects and change the weight of your yarn. It’s often used for:
- Stash-busting: Combine small scraps of yarn to create larger, usable skeins.
- Color blending: Transition smoothly between colors or create a marbled effect.
- Gauge adjustments: Hold multiple strands together to approximate a heavier weight yarn.
- Texture experimentation: Mix different fiber types (like wool with mohair) to create depth, dimension, and different fabric characteristics.
Why Yarn Marling is the Ultimate Stash-Busting Technique
If you have bins of partial skeins, leftover mini skeins, or single skeins without a plan, marling is a perfect solution.
- Turn scraps into something new: Even the smallest bits of yarn can be combined to make a cohesive project. (The Scrappy Rainbow Shawl is made for this.)
- Create your own variegated or gradient yarns: By swapping out colors gradually, you can create a one-of-a-kind fade.
- Use multiple weights in one project: With marling, you don’t have to limit yourself to a single yarn weight.
- No need to match dye lots: Slight variations in color disappear when blended.
Create Your Own Marled Yarn
Create custom yarn blends by considering gauge, color, and fiber.
How to Marl Yarn in Knitting (Step-by-Step)
- Choose two or more yarns that look good together.
- Hold the strands together as one.
- Cast on and knit as usual, treating both yarns like a single strand.
- Watch how the colors blend to create new effects!
- Optional: change one yarn midway to create a fade.
How to Marl Different Yarn Weights Together for a New Gauge
One of the best things about marling is its flexibility—you can hold different yarn weights together to create a thicker yarn.
Sometimes yarn is referred to by plies as a proxy for weight (e.g. 4-ply for fingering), but what about single-ply worsted weight yarns? I’ve done some research and experimenting over the yearns, and these are the numbers I use to approximate the size of yarn that will be created.
| Weight | “Ply” Equivalent |
| Lace | 2 |
| Light Fingering | 3 |
| Fingering | 4 |
| Sport | 6 |
| DK | 8 |
| Worsted | 10 |
| Aran | 12 |
| Bulky | 14 |
P.S. Mohair and Suri are wildcards. You can count them as the Lace weight that they are or as Fingering weight because the halo fills in the gaps.
Find the “ply” equivalent of the gauge you want to use. Then choose a combination of smaller “ply” equivalents to add up to the larger number. By adjusting the number of strands held together, you can achieve nearly any weight you need!
For example, the Merrily Marled Beanie is a DK-weight pattern. My favorite combination for this is Fingering + Lace + Lace. Here’s the math: DK = 8 = 4 + 2 + 2 = Fingering + Lace + Lace
Now you try! What do you have in your stash? What can you make with it? Go wild!
Blending Colors with Marling
Marling creates a stunning visual effect, allowing for bold contrasts or subtle fades. Here are a few ways to play with color:
High-Contrast and Tone-on-tone Marling
Holding two completely different colors together (like blue and yellow) creates a tweedy, speckled look. This is great for bold, graphic designs. From far away, the result will seem like the colors are mixed, so think about color theory when choosing your colors.
I recommend colors that create a color you like if you were to blend them together as paint. Black + White = Gray, Blue + Yellow = Green, etc. You could make a Christmas hat with Red + Green, but it will probably look like Brown from afar. Make sure you like the result up close and far away. If you aren’t sure, swatch!
Holding two similar shades together (like dark teal and light teal) results in a rich, blended fabric.
Gradient Marling
By gradually swapping out one strand at a time, you can create a seamless fade. For example:
- Start with two strands of Color A.
- Switch one strand to Color B (A+B).
- Switch fully to two strands of Color B.
You can take this a step further by holding three strands together and switching one at a time. This makes the fade even more smooth.
Or if you’re working with scraps, you can change to the next yarn when you run out of the first. This is the technique I used for the Scrappy Rainbow Shawl. Something might look like a quick shift while you’re working on it, but the overall effect looks blended.
Variegated Marling
My favorite! Choose a variegated yarn and marl coordinating colors with it. My favorite iteration of the Merrily Marled Beanie uses one variegated strand of fingering weight yarn and two coordinating strands of tonal lace weight yarn.
Who doesn’t have a fun sock yarn that they don’t know what do do with?!
Self-Striping Marling
Hold two ends front the same ball of self-striping yarn or two different self-striping yarns together to create an effect similar to long color-changing yarns like Spincycle or Zauberball.
Texture Experimentation with Marling
Marling isn’t just about color—you can also mix fiber types to creat custom yarn blends with depth, dimension, and unique characteristics. Here are a few fun combinations to try:
- Wool + Mohair → A soft halo effect, perfect for cozy knits.
- Cotton + Linen → Breathable and slightly rustic, great for summer projects.
- Silk + Wool → A balance of drape and structure for elegant garments.
- Tweed + Smooth Yarn → Adds visual interest without extra effort.
- Wool + Cotton → The elasticity of wool with the breathability of cotton is the best of both worlds.
Projects that Use Marling
Ready to try marling in a project? These patterns are designed to make the most of this technique:
Merrily Marled Beanie
- Perfect for stash-busting with fingering-weight scraps.
- Uses two strands together to create a worsted-weight gauge.
- Quick, fun knit with endless color possibilities.
Get the Merrily Marled Beanie Pattern Here!
Mega Merrily Marled Beanie
- A bulky-weight version of the classic Merrily Marled Beanie.
- Ideal for combining DK and worsted-weight scraps.
- Even faster to knit for last-minute gifts!
Get the Mega Merrily Marled Beanie Pattern Here!
Scrappy Rainbow Shawl
- A stash-busting project that blends colors beautifully.
- Uses gradient marling to shift between colors smoothly.
- Perfect for experimenting with texture and fiber blends.
Get the Scrappy Rainbow Shawl Pattern Here!
Wool + Mohair Sweaters
I’m pretty sure the wool + mohair sweater craze started with the Love Note sweater by TinCan Knits. The mohair halo is a beautiful effect, but the real draw is that you can knit a light fingering + lace weight sweater at a DK-weight gauge. Suri alpaca yarn is a great substitute for mohair if you find mohair itchy.
Take a look at these popular options:
If you’re brave, you could try this for any DK-weight pattern even if that’s not what the pattern calls for.
Managing Multiple Strands & Balls of Yarn
When marling, you’ll be working with two or more yarns at once—sometimes from different balls, sometimes from both ends of the same skein.
To keep things from tangling, it helps to give each yarn its own space. You can place yarns in separate bowls, zip-top bags, or yarn cozies to keep them from rolling around and twisting. If you’re using scraps, wind them into small center-pull balls for easier access. As you knit, give your work a quick untwist every few rows by gently rotating it in the opposite direction.
I like to be a little more hands-off with yarn management. I keep going until things are too twisted, and then hold my knitting up by the working yarn and let it untwist all at once.
Final Tips for Marling Success
- Swatch First – Test different strand combinations to see how they blend.
- Tension Matters – Adjust your knitting tension slightly when working with mixed fibers.
- Let the Colors Surprise You – Some of the best marled projects come from unexpected pairings!
- Keep a Stash-Busting Bin – Gather your scraps in a dedicated place so they’re ready to be used.
Marling is one of the easiest and most satisfying ways to use up yarn while creating something truly unique. Whether you’re stash-busting or designing your own custom yarn blends, this technique is a must-try for every knitter.
Are you excited to start marling in your next project? Let me know what colors or fibers you’d love to combine! Tag me @knitrition on Instagram to show off your marled creations!
Happy knitting! Grab some yarn from your stash and start blending!
Frequently Asked Questions about Marling in Knitting
Still have questions about marling? Here’s a quick FAQ to help you out!
What weight is best for Marling?
Any yarn weight can be marled with any other weight for a different look. See my chart above about which weights can be held together to create the weight you need for your project gauge.
Can I marl with different fiber types?
Of course! Just like spinners can combine fiber types to create a single blended strand, you can marl different fiber types to create a blend.
And while marling doesn’t exactly create a new single strand, no one wants to unravel marled yarn back into individual balls, so you can think of it kind of like a single strand.
How do I marl if my yarns are different thicknesses?
Just as you would with yarns of the same thickness. Hold the two strands together as if they are one. As you knit, the chosen yarns will twist around each other in different ways, changing the front of each stitch slightly, which is what gives marling its characteristic blended look.
Is marling the same as holding yarn double?
Yes! Exactly! When you hold yarn double, you are marling. Marling may imply a color contrast, but it could also be monochromatic.
