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Macaron Blanket
Reminiscent of a box of sweet French cookies, our Macaron Blanket knitting pattern is a cheerful confection that lets you sample the bright, beautiful colors of our Cotton Chirp DK yarn. Previously only available in Minis, this winsome Peruvian Pima cotton yarn now comes in 100-gram balls… And you can get all you need for this project with our Macaron Blanket Bundle!
Shaping those scalloped edges is easy-peasy, and otherwise, this is just a simple striped garter stitch blanket with a tidy slip-stitch edging. The overall shape reminds us of a tantalizing stack of macarons, with their puffy, perfectly baked meringues and colorful buttercream filling… Bravo au chef!
Cotton Chirp DK is a celebration of one of the most exceptional cotton varieties in the world, Peruvian Pima cotton. Prized for its long, smooth fibers, Pima cotton is strong, soft, and very beautiful, and it makes this DK-weight yarn absolutely irresistible. Silky-soft, brilliantly colorful, and such a pleasure to knit with… And it’s machine washable and dryable, too!
We love to knit Cotton Chirp DK in garter stitch, and you’ll see why as soon as you cast on. This plump, round yarn has amazing stitch definition and an incredible, lustrous shine that makes each garter ridge catch the light.
The Macaron Blanket is all about color, and choosing from Cotton Chirp DK’s cheery palette is as exciting as making your selections in the patisserie window! For the Large Throw size, you get to indulge in 7 colors of Cotton Chirp DK yarn. Make your own assortment or go for one of our curated Macaron Blanket Bundles. For the Small Throw and Crib sizes, just pick 6 or 5 colors respectively, two balls of each!
A real treat for color lovers, each stripe of the Macaron Blanket is a little bite of joyful knitting, stacking up into a beautiful blanket that will outlast even the most carefully rationed pastry box!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Pattern designed and written by Purl Soho designer, Hiromi Glover. See even more of Hiromi’s work on her Instagram!
Story written by Andrea Lotz for Purl Soho.
Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!
Materials
- 10 (12, 14) balls of Purl Soho’s 100-gram Cotton Chirp DK, 100% Peruvian Pima cotton yarn. Each ball of this light worsted/DK-weight yarn is 232 yards/ 100 grams.
- Color A: 2 balls; approximately 335 (395, 460) total yards required
- Color B: 2 balls; approximately 335 (395, 460) total yards required
- Color C: 2 balls; approximately 335 (395, 460) total yards required
- Color D: 2 balls; approximately 335 (395, 460) total yards required
- Color E: 2 balls; approximately 335 (395, 460) total yards required
- Color F: – (2, 2) balls; approximately – (395, 460) total yards required
- Color G: – (-, 2) balls; approximately – ( -, 460) total yards required
- US 5 (3.75 mm), 32- or 40- inch circular knitting needles, depending on the size you are making
If you’re making the Large Throw size, choose one of our Macaron Blanket Bundles in 5 pretty palettes (we used Beach Bluff and Carrot Top). Or simply pick up 2 balls of 100-gram Cotton Chirp DK in each of Colors A–E for a Crib size blanket, or Colors A–F for a Small Throw! Our bundled palettes are…
Beach Bluff
- Color A: Yellow Parakeet
- Color B: Heirloom White
- Color C: Golden Honey
- Color D: Pink Ice
- Color E: Winter Sky
- Color F: Peach Bisque
- Color G: Warm Pewter
Carrot Top
- Color A: Lawn Green
- Color B: Green Pomelo
- Color C: Heirloom White
- Color D: Fresh Guava
- Color E: Pale Celadon
- Color F: Dill Pickle
- Color G: Chartreuse Yellow
High Seas
- Color A: Azure Sea
- Color B: Deep Sea Blue
- Color C: Ultramarine Blue
- Color D: Deep Verdigris
- Color E: Soft Blue
- Color F: Seven Seas Blue
- Color G: Nickel Blue
Cabana
- Color A: Campfire Orange
- Color B: Warm Maple
- Color C: Soft Blue
- Color D: Deep Verdigris
- Color E: Firecracker Red
- Color F: Clear Turquoise
- Color G: Glacial Lake
Hyacinth
- Color A: Wild Boysenberry
- Color B: Pink Lily
- Color C: Purple Crocus
- Color D: Pink Ice
- Color E: Hibiscus Pink
- Color F: Prairie Aster
- Color G: Mineral Rose
GAUGE
22 stitches and 44 rows (22 ridges) = 4 inches in garter stitch
SIZES
Crib (Small Throw, Large Throw)
- Finished Dimensions: 34 (40, 47) inches wide x 40¼ (48¼, 56¼) inches tall
SAMPLES: We knit the Large Throw size.
NOTE: The Crib size blanket has 5 stripes; the Small Throw has 6; and the Large Throw has 7.
NOTES
STITCH MULTIPLE
This pattern can be worked over any number of stitches.
SLIP STITCHES
Slip all slip stitches purlwise with yarn in front (wyif).
PATTERN
With Color A, cast on 147 (180, 219) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
TIP: When you’re casting on so many stitches, it really helps to place a marker or piece of scrap yarn every 50 stitches. That way, when you lose count (which you will!), you won’t have to recount all the stitches. Just remember to remove these markers when you work the Set-Up Row.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): Slip 1 (see Notes), k1, slip 1, knit to last 3 stitches, slip 1, k1, slip 1.
MACARON SECTION
INCREASE
Increase Row 1 (right side): K1, slip 1, k1, knit front and back (kfb), knit to last 4 stitches, kfb, k1, slip 1, k1. [2 stitches increased]
Mark previous row with a removable stitch marker or piece of scrap yarn to indicate the right side.
Increase Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1, k1, slip 1, kfb, knit to last 4 stitches, kfb, slip 1, k1, slip 1. [2 stitches increased]
Repeat Increase Rows 1 and 2 four more times, then repeat Increase Row 1 one more time. [169 (202, 241) stitches]
Continuing in garter stitch with 3-stitch selvages as established, repeat Increase Row 1 every right-side row 6 times, then every 4th row (every other right-side row) 3 times. [187 (220, 259) stitches]
WORK EVEN
Continuing in garter stitch pattern as established, work 19 rows, beginning and ending with a wrong-side row.
DECREASE
Decrease Row 1 (right side): K1, slip 1, k1, knit 2 together (k2tog), knit to last 5 stitches, k2tog, k1, slip 1, k1. [2 stitches decreased]
Continuing in pattern as established, repeat Decrease Row 1 every 4th row (every other right-side row) 3 times, then every right-side row 5 times. [169 (202, 241) stitches remain]
Decrease Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1, k1, slip 1, k2tog, knit to last 5 stitches, k2tog, slip 1, k1, slip 1. [2 stitches decreased]
Repeat Decrease Rows 1 and 2 five more times, ending with a wrong-side row. [147 (180, 219) stitches remain]
Cut Color A.
CONTINUE
Repeat Macaron Section with Colors B–E (B–F, B–G), but do not cut yarn after final repeat.
Still with Color E (F, G) and right side facing you, bind off in pattern as established (slipping the slip stitches and knitting the knit stitches).
FINISHING
Weave in all ends and gently wet block to finished dimensions.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Learn About Cotton Chirp DK + All Our Beautiful Yarns
This project absolutely glows in our Cotton Chirp DK yarn! A celebration of 100% Peruvian Pima cotton, this very special yarn is beautifully soft, amazingly strong, machine washable, and a real joy to knit. It’s perfect for everything from warm-weather garments and baby knits to colorful housewares and blankets! The 32 colors in the palette are as brilliant as tropical birds, with a silky luster that catches the light and delights the eye. For smaller amounts and creative color play, check out our Cotton Chirp DK Minis, 25-gram balls of the same yarn in the same colors!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our growing collection of free Cotton Chirp DK knitting patterns and cast on!
More Light Worsted/ DK-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of light worsted/DK-weight yarns (What does DK-weight yarn mean, really? Our guide to DK yarn will answer your questions and demystify.)
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial and our Yarn Substitution article for lots of helpful information.
More Yarns With Similar Fiber
- Shop cotton yarn (What helps cotton keep its cool? Learn all about this soft, natural fiber in our guide to cotton yarn!)
- Shop plant-based yarn
- Shop machine-washable yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our knitting patterns (including tons of free knitting patterns) and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
Omg..Simply outstandingly Beautiful.
Thabk you for sharing……
Love it……AMAZING WORK
Love the scalloped edging! Thank you for the free pattern.
This is a beautiful blanket and i would love to knit this. Will make it fir someone special. Live the colours.
Lovely pattern! Would Serif work for this design?
Hi Rachel,
Serif would be such a fun choice for this blanket! Like Cotton Chirp, it’s a DK weight yarn, so you should be able to easily achieve the gauge of the pattern. I’d just recommend knitting up a gauge swatch before beginning to determine what needle size to use; you may need to size your needles up or down in order to meet the correct gauge!
All the best,
Lili
This is a lovely pattern–I love the scalloped edges.
I admit that what’s persuaded me to leave a comment isn’t the pattern but the print widget. So sensible and helpful, and much better than my poking things (browser inspect). Thank you!
Hi Sharon,
Thank you so much for the compliments on this pattern! And we’re very glad you found the print function helpful as well 🙂
All the best,
Lili
This is a beautiful pattern. Thank you! I have 5 skeins of mulberry merino which I was lucky enough to buy on eBay (I’m in the UK). Do you think this yarn would also work well. Also, do you think this would be just as nice knitted up in one colour?
Many thanks
Jaime
Hi Jaime,
Mulberry Merino would be a lovely choice for this pattern! It’s a little thinner than Cotton Chirp though, so you may want to cast on more stitches and work more rows per “macaron” depending on what your gauge is. Happy to help with those modifications if you want! And yes, I think the design would still look really awesome in just one color.
All the best,
Lili
I would like to make this in your 100% merino Knitting Yarn.
The balls are a little shorter than the cotton though. Should I buy extra yarn?
Hi Samantha,
Knitting Yarn would be a wonderful choice for this blanket! You’re totally right, you will likely need to purchase extra skeins since there’s less yardage per skein. To figure out exactly how many skeins you’ll need for each color, just divide the yardage (335 (395, 460) yards) by the yardage of Knitting Yarn (218 yards) and round up to the nearest whole number!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you!
I love the yarn, it’s beautiful! In this portion of the instructions, does this mean repeat rows 1 & 2 6 times and another 4 times?
Continuing in garter stitch with 3-stitch selvages as established, repeat Increase Row 1 every right-side row 6 times, then every 4th row (every other right-side row) 3 times. [187 (220, 259) stitches]
Hi Dawn,
I’m so glad you love Cotton Chirp! At this point, you’ll be interspersing Increase Row 1 with plain garter stitch rows to decrease the frequency of the increases. Here’s how these instructions would look broken down into individual rows which should help better demonstrate what’s happening:
Garter stitch row (with 3-stitch selvages)
Increase Row 1
Garter stitch row
Increase Row 1
Garter stitch row
Increase Row 1
Garter stitch row
Increase Row 1
Garter stitch row
Increase Row 1
Garter stitch row
Increase Row 1
Garter stitch row
Garter stitch row
Garter stitch row
Increase Row 1
Garter stitch row
Garter stitch row
Garter stitch row
Increase Row 1
Garter stitch row
Garter stitch row
Garter stitch row
Increase Row 1
I hope this helps clarify things, but please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Lili
Hi Lili,
I am knitting this fabulous macaron blanket and I am at the section of the decrease. I appreciated the increase detailed description. Could you please write out the decrease section.
Thank you
Hi Nancy,
For this section you will work the pattern as follows:
1. Decrease row 1
2. Plain row
3. Plain row
4. Plain row
5. Decrease row 1
You will now repeat rows 2-5 two more times. After that you will continue to work decrease row 1 every other row five times. Finally you will finish by alternating decrease row 1 and decrease row 2 five times total for a total of 10 rows.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi Gavriella, in the decrease section do you do decrease row 1 then decrease row 2 before going into the order you’ve listed above?
Hi Allyson,
Thanks for writing in! You will not work Decrease Row 2 until you’ve completed the steps Gavriella outlined above. Once you complete those rows, you then work Decrease Row 2, and then alternate Decrease Row 1 and Decrease Row 2 five more times!
All the best,
Lili
For the “plain rows” in this section, would they still have the 3 stitch selvages?
Hi Amanda!
That is correct! You will keep yours selvage edge through out the entire blanket!
Happy knitting!
Gavriella
I just got to this section of the pattern and had this exact same question. Thank you for breaking it down like this. Much appreciated!
The line by line seems helpful, but I am still confused. What you listed here adds up to 24 rows. So this is not the same as the 19 rows described under “Work Even?” Am I meant to do these 24 rows, then 19 additional garter rows, before moving to the decrease stage?
Hi JJ!
Thank you for your question! You’re absolutely right, the 24 rows listed are part of the Increase section and are separate from the 19 rows in the Work Even section. So you’ll work the 24 increase rows first, and then move on to the 19 rows of garter stitch before beginning the decreases. I hope that helps clear things up!
Happy knitting,
Megan
I LOVE this pattern, but I’m having a little trouble understanding some of the instructions. I’m embarrassed to ask but what does “Continuing in garter stitch with 3-stitch selvages as established,” What is 3-stitch selvages??
Thanks,
Lydia
Hi Lydia,
No reason to be embarrassed! We are always happy to help. The 3 stitch selvage are the first and last 3 stitches of the rows instruction. So for the right side that would be K1, slip 1, k1 and for the wrong side it will be Slip 1, k1, slip 1.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
Warmly,
Gavriella
Ohhhhhhh!!! Got it!! Thank you so much!
Hi there! I’d like to do this with cotton pure. Can you please help me decide how much to buy? Thank you.
Hi Hannah,
Thanks for writing in! I’m afraid we haven’t tried this pattern with Cotton Pure but it can definitely be done. All you will need to do is cast on more stitches and knit more rows. Its a bit hard to tell you how much yarn you would need since it depends on the gauge you get with your selected needle size. After you have created your gauge swatch though, you can weigh it in grams and divide the square footage (in inches) of your swatch by the total number of grams. This will give you your grams per square inch which you can then use to calculate your yardage.
I hope this helps and happy making!
All the best,
Gavriella
Thank you very much! This is helpful.
This is such a beautiful pattern!! I’d like to make it smaller than a crib size, closer to a dish towel size so a toddler can haul it around without tripping. Right now I’m planning to do 5 colors and basically half all parts of the pattern except the increases and decreases. Do you have a recommendation for modification or am I on the right track?
Hi Emily!
Thank you for writing in! You can definitely decrease the amount of stitches you start with for a blanket that is less wide but if you work the increases and decreases as written along with the rows, your sections will still be just as tall. I recommend swatching a single section to decide if you also want to alter the amount rows, increases and decreases. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
I would like to make this blanket in same yarn but would like to get the width to 50 inches. How much more yarn would I need and how do I adjust the increases and decreases in the macaroon section. Would I need to do more than 19 straight rows.
Thank you
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for writing in! To add additional width to this pattern, you can adjust your cast on number by 5.5 for every additional inch. So in this case you can cast on 236 stitches to result in a blanket width of 50″. After that you can follow the pattern as is. I’d recommend an additional ball of each color as well.
Happy making!
Gavriella
Thank you so much for the information. I am so excited to get started love your patterns
Curious! Has anyone ever run out of a color before finishing the stripe? That happened to me on my first color … but maybe I knit some extra rows? Do I need to frog? 🙁
Hi Cara,
We’re so sorry you ran out of yarn! Could you please let us know the stitch and row gauge of your gauge swatch or what you have knit so far? This could help us better visualize what may have happened! We will keep an eye out for your reply!
All the best,
Gavriella
Sorry, for some reason I’m lost. Do you work the increase rows, then 19 garter st/row 1, rows, then the decrease rows and then repeat all of it or am I reading it wrong? My rows aren’t matching up for some reason. I love the scalloped edges, that’s what drew me to this pattern but I’m not find something right.
Thanks
Hi Dana,
Yep, that’s exactly how the pattern goes! Since your blanket isn’t coming out as expected though, would you mind sharing a photo with us? Our email address is [email protected]. We’d love to take a closer look to figure out what might be going wrong!
All the best,
Lili
I’m excited to try this beautiful pattern. If I wanted to use a bulkier yarn, is there an easy way to modify the pattern to have less rows for each color ? or would that throw the scallops out of balance?
Hi Annie,
You can totally knit this blanket in a bulkier yarn! You’d want to cast on fewer stitches to begin, and also knit fewer increase/decrease rows and fewer even rows in between the increase and decrease sections. You may want to play around with the spacing of the increase and decrease rows to make the best possible slope to the curve though. I’d recommend making some swatches to test out some different spacing options before you begin!
All the best,
Lili
This is such a beautiful pattern and I can’t wait to get started. But I’m lost on the “Work Even” section. Can you tell me how those 19 rows are supposed to go? Thank you so much!
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for asking! Knit even means to knit all stitches on both right and wrong sides. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting!
Gavriella
To clarify that means to not do the 3 stitch selvage? You don’t slip any? It’s just knit all the way? Thanks!!!
Hi Conway,
Oh thats a great question. You will want to still keep working your selvage edges but you will not increase or decrease in these rows.
Warmly,
Gavriella
Thank you!
I want to use the colors for “beach bluff” in the smallest size omitting the pink and bright yellow on top to keep it gender neutral. Does this make sense? Please name the other colors in this bundle so I know what to order
Hi Mimi,
Thank you for writing in! We’d be happy to help and I have listed the colors in the Beach Bluff bundle below:
Color A (Bottom): Warm Pewter
Color B: Peach Bisque*
Color C: Winter Sky
Color D: Pink Ice
Color E: Golden Honey
Color F: Heirloom White
Color G: Yellow Parakeet
Please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
Good morning, I want to knit the super easy baby blanket in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. I love the cotton chip yarn. What colors do you recommend? Thank you, all of you are great! Kathleen
Hi Kathleen,
Oh what a great idea! Cotton Chirp would be wonderful for the Super Easy Baby Blanket! I’d recommend Firecracker Red, Campfire Orange, Yellow Parakeet, Dill Pickle, Azure Blue and Purple Crocus for your blanket. I hope this helps and we can’t wait to see what you will create!
All the best,
Gavriella
Am thinking about knitting the Macaroon blanket. Am confused about how each color strip is attached. Are they each knitted separately and then attached? Or, are you carrying each color all across at the same time? Please explain?
Thank you
Hi MJ,
Thanks for writing in! For this project, you’ll be joining each new color as you go! Once you complete one macaron stripe, you’ll cut the yarn you were just working with and then join a new color for the next macaron stripe on a right side row. Since you’re cutting the previous yarn and joining a new yarn color, you won’t need to carry up any yarn as you knit. You’ll always be working on the blanket in one piece, no attaching of separate pieces necessary!
I hope this helps, and please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Cat
Hi! I am getting ready to start a baby blanket for a baby arriving in January. I love the Macaron blanket but would love to do it in a yarn that is a little warmer. Can you suggest a yarn substitution in a wool or something similar that would achieve the same look? I love the crisp graphic colors and the sharp stitch definition that give it such a pop. Thank you!!!!
Hi Tobias,
That sounds like a such a cozy idea! Plein Air or Knitting Yarn would be perfect options for this blanket!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Thank you!!
Thank you!!
Beautiful blanket!! Could you recommend a primary color palette for a nursery please?
Hi Renee,
Thank you for writing in! Primary colors sounds like a beautiful option! In this case I’d recommend Firecracker Red, Yellow Parakeet and Ultramarine Blue!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Is 2 skeins per color enough yarn if I decide not to knit the blanket with the scalloped edge; i.e. just straight edges along the side? Thank you!
Hi Sharon,
Yes! You will definitely have enough yarn with 2 skeins per color for a garter stitch blanket.
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Thank you!
Hi! Does the Chirp cotton yarn/this throw shrink when washed and dried per the instructions? Wondering if I need to account for shrinking if I want a specific size. Thank you!
Hi Charity,
Thank you for writing in! While we haven’t had any reports of shrinkage in this yarn, we always recommend washing and blocking your swatch in the same manner you will your finished project to be sure. I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi, I love this blanket! I’m soon finishing the second one 🙂 I do have a question – the sided curl in. I washed it but did not pin the sides when it dried, I left the sides hanging and thought the weight might do the work (cause it’s such an hassle pinning a large blanket) and it didn’t work 🙁 do you have any thoughts regarding? May it also be something concerning the tension of the increase and decrease?
Hi Hagar,
Thanks so much for writing in! We’re sorry to hear you’re having some trouble with curling. It does sound like this could be related to tension, but you might be able to fix it by re-blocking — or even just lightly spray blocking the edges. If you’d rather not pin everything down, you can simply lay something with a bit of weight on top, like a butter knife or spoon, while it dries. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Gavriella
Ah! never tried this before. will try on my next one, which is soon, as I’m nearly done with it. thanks!
Hello! I just started this macaron blanket! I cast on 147, did the set up row on the wrong side and now I’m confused as I try to set up the right side (which is sort of a new concept to me). This might be because I’m a lefty, but I’m finding myself now with yarn in my right hand so that I’d need to knit righty…am I doing something wrong? I imagine most people aren’t having to switch hands with RS and WS, so I probably am. I tried to find videos online but I am just confusing myself!
Hi Ariel,
Thank you for reaching out! Do you mean you are at the end of your row? If so, you will just turn your work but you don’t need to switch hands. Just continue to knit all stitches with the same hand. I hope this helps but please let me know if I have misunderstood your questions.
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hi, loving this comment section, I found it very helpful. I’m finishing my first color and just want to make sure there is supposed to be some yarn left? I *think* I did everything correctly.
Hi Anna!
Thank you so much for writing in! I’m so glad the comments have been helpful! And yes, you’re absolutely right: there should be some yarn left over if everything has gone according to plan. The pattern calls for 2 skeins per color (464 yards total), but depending on the size you’re making, you’ll typically use about 335 (395, 460) yards, so a bit of leftover yarn is expected. It sounds like you’re right on track!
Warmly,
Megan
Hello, can you suggest the best method for weaving in ends on this cotton chirp yarn? It’s quite slippery, and I want to ensure this blanket can be washed/dried without unraveling by the new parents who are receiving it. Thanks!
Hi Mary!
Thank you for your question! Cotton Chirp can definitely feel a bit slippery, so you’re smart to think ahead about durability. A duplicate stitch is a great choice here, and I’d recommend working it over several stitches and changing direction once or twice to really lock it in. You can also lightly split the plies as you weave, which helps the yarn grip itself without showing on the right side. Done this way, the ends should hold up beautifully to regular washing and drying—perfect for a well-loved baby blanket.
Warmly,
Megan