How to Knit or Crochet a Temperature Blanket
Temperature blankets are not a new concept at all. However, they surge in popularity at the start of each new year. They’re a great year-long project (although you can commit to just one month if you prefer.) Making a knit or crochet temperature blanket gives you a focused project that keeps you crafting whether or not you’re otherwise in the mood. It’s good inspiration, motivation, and also provides you with a visual record of your year. In this post, we’ll walk through what a temperature blanket is and how to make one. In this post, and the others in this temperature blanket series (linked below), we’ll cover how to choose a blanket design, select your data points, pick the right yarn color and more. Let’s get started!
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What is a Knit or Crochet Temperature Blanket?
Temperature blankets provide a snapshot of the weather over a given time period in a given area. They can be knit or crochet and there is no standard stitch pattern to be used, although we’ll share some of the most popular options below. The basic idea is that you create a strategy for tracking the daily or weekly weather, assigning colors to different temperature ranges, and you craft accordingly throughout the year. Doing this keeps you crafting easily throughout the year and gives you a great blanket that visually represents the year’s experience.
How to Knit or Crochet a Temperature Blanket
Basically, you’ll choose a blanket design. Then you’ll assign yarn colors to different temperature increments. Then you’ll knit or crochet daily or weekly using the corresponding yarn color for that day’s weather.
Temperature Blankets By The Day
Many times people will work one row for each day of the year. This would result in 365 rows of your blanket. Alternatively, you might work one small motif per day. Again, you would have 365 motifs to join into a blanket. Of course, you might choose a larger motif and only work it daily for one month.
How to Find the Temperature for Your Blanket
Either way, you assign a color to temperature ranges; the range may vary depending on where you live. In San Francisco, for example, the temperature don’t change a lot throughout the year. Therefore, you might choose increments of five degrees. In contrast, if you live somewhere with more variation, such as Minnesota, then you might choose ten degree increments. Learn more about choosing yarn and colors for your temperature blanket here.
Work the temperature of your hometown, your favorite vacation spot or that of a family member or friend. Only you, and those you tell, will know what special place you are recording. No matter what location you use, you are sure to have a beautiful project at the end to cherish. Throughout the blanket, you can mark special days, like birthdays or anniversaries, with special yarn for that day. Temperature blankets are supposed to be a glance at a particular time of your life. They track the weather but also your life.
Learn more from our post about What Location and Time Period to Use for Your Temperature Blanket.
Temperature Blankets By The Week
Although a daily goal works best for most people, some people prefer to crochet by the week. This would give you 52 rows or motifs for the year. You would use the average temperature for the week, or the temperature on the first day of each week, as the color for that week’s crafting.
How to Track The Weather for Your Temperature Blanket
Tracking the temperature each day can be a challenge. If you don’t make it a habit, then you might forget to record some days. Don’t worry, I have a tool to help you with missed dates below.
What should you keep track of your information on? You can use a calendar and write the temperature down. Alternatively you can use a journal or another piece of paper. The trouble with these options is that you then need to figure out what color you will use for each day. This becomes a manual process. Some people love that because it helps them tune into the weather, focus on the plan for the day, and get into the crafting mood. However, this manual option isn’t for everyone, which is why I came up with an alternative:
Download Our Temperature Tracker for Your Blanket
I know that keeping track of the temperature manually is a hold up for me. That’s why a few years back I put my previous admin Katelyn on the task of coming up with an easier way. Katelyn LOVES spreadsheets and can make amazing things happen with them. She put together a sheet for us to use where you only have a few pieces of information to enter and it will tell you what color you need to use each day.
Why is this a game changer? First, all of your information is in one spot, online, so you can’t lose it! Second, you can save a few days to work all at once and you don’t have to take the time to figure out what color each day falls into! How AWESOME is that!!!
Want to grab this AMAZING temperature blanket tracker? Just use the button below to get access to the document. Make sure that you download a version to your own computer/Google Docs. There will be many people accessing this document and I would hate for you to lose your information. Get it here:
Choosing Your Temperature Blanket Design
There’s no set design for a temperature blanket. You can knit or crochet it. You can work in rows, rounds, or motifs. (Note, though, that if you work in rounds it will take longer to craft each day than the day before.That’s a great goal for some people and too stressful for others.) You can use pretty much any stitch pattern and any color combination. However, that openness is a lot to consider, so we’ve got some ideas for you below. But first:
How to Stay In Love With Your Blanket
I can understand why people fall out of love with their temperature blankets over the months. Working the same stitch through the whole project can lose its shine after a while, even with the color changes. So how can you stay interested in this project for an ENTIRE year?
First, try using a non traditional pattern for your project. Rather than working row after row, try making a blanket out of squares or strips to keep you engaged. Or use a stitch sampler blanket pattern so that the stitches change regularly. This is a great way to build your skills while also staying excited about your temperature blanket.
Another great idea is to grab a friend to work on the project. Working with someone else will help keep you motivated. Don’t have a craft buddy? Share your project on social media. Post weekly or monthly updates. This will keep you inspired to keep crafting.You can share with us in the Marly’s Minions Facebook Group and on Instagram with hashtags #marlybird #marlymademedoit and #mmmdi.
Temperature Blanket Patterns and Designs
Need help with ideas for a good temperature blanket pattern. These posts will guide you:
- Popular Basic Stitch Patterns for Temperature Blankets
- 33 Free Knit and Crochet Temperature Blanket Patterns
- 49 Free Granny Square Crochet Blanket Patterns
Does a Temperature Project Have to Be a Blanket?
If you feel overwhelmed by the thought of making a blanket for 365 days, then consider making a smaller project instead. Try making a scarf or a pillow. You may need to adjust the stitch pattern that you pick and how you work your days but they would be beautiful and might feel more manageable.
If you want to work on a smaller project try keeping a record of the weekly average instead of the daily average for your project. Do what works for you. Adapt this project as needed.
I worked with Mikey on making a temperature project anyone can finish. Find more on the post A Temperature Project SAL For Everyone Who Has Never Actually Finished a Temperature Blanket or Scarf
Does a Temperature Blanket Have to Begin in the New Year?
The new year is a popular time to start a temperature blanket. However, you can start anytime. Learn more about how to start and what the benefits are HERE.
Categories: Crochet, Dibble Dabble Inspiration
Dear Marley, I’m using your tracker for my 2021 blanket and I found a mistake on one of the formulas. ???? one of the colors doesn’t change according to the temp range, it goes to the next color up. I can change it manually, no problem. Just thought you may want to know. Loving the ability to keep track of my blanket.