Complete Guide to Making Temperature Blankets
Looking for a unique knitting or crochet project that is one-of-a-kind? This year, make a Temperature blanket!
In this post, you’ll learn exactly what a temperature blanket is as well as all the details you need to make one. I’ve rounded up the best knitting and crochet Temperature blankets ideas for you to choose from!
In addition, you’ll learn how to select colors and yarns for this project and get a FREE Temperature Tracker from our friends at Ewe Ewe to record the daily temperatures.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for more information.
What is a temperature blanket?
Here’s what a temperature blanket is in a nutshell.
Imagine having a keepsake blanket that records an entire year of daily temperatures. Colors for the blanket are preselected and designated for a temperature range. Each day, a row is knitted or crocheted in the appropriate color for that day.
By the end of the year, you’ve knitted an entire blanket that records the temperature in your local area!
How did the temperature blanket concept come about?
Let’s talk about what a Temperature Blanket is and where it came from.
The first Temperature blanket wasn’t a blanket at all!
It was created by The Tempestry Project as series of panels created to be a visual conversation about climate change.
The panels tracked temperature in 5-degree increments, documenting warmer temperatures with reds, oranges, and yellow and colder temperatures with greens and blues.
Fiber artists and other creatives go ahold of this idea and began creating blankets based on the daily temperatures in their local areas.
As these blankets have evolved, they don’t have to be for recording your local temperature.
You can record the temperature in a favorite vacation destination, homeland, or location special to you.
You can also use them as a gift or keepsake. Record the temperatures for a wedding year, birth year, or date that is special to you or the recipient of your blanket.
In fact, you don’t need to record the temperature at all! You could use it to record daily moods or weather such as sun, clouds, sleet, rain or snow. The choice is up to you!
Can you knit a temperature blanket?
You can choose to knit or crochet your temperature blanket. I have included lots of knitting and crocheting project ideas later in this post to inspire you.
Choose whichever needlecraft you feel most comfortable with and go for it!
What yarn should I use for a temperature blanket?
Here are some tips to keep in mind when choosing yarn for your temperature blanket.
Most temperature blankets use DK or worsted/aran weight yarns also known as Craft Yarn Council #3 or #4.
Choose plain yarns that allow the temperature stripes to shine.
Select yarns that come in a wide color range so you can select a beautiful palette for your blanket.
Avoid using novelty yarns because they are often not remade by the manufacturer. You want to choose a basic yarn so that if you need to buy more skeins of a color, you’ll be able to.
Keeping those tips in mind, here are some of my favorite yarns to choose for a temperature blanket.
10 Best Yarns for Making a Temperature Blanket
Ewe Ewe Wooly Worsted Washable Yarn also available Temperature Blanket Yarn Kit
Does choosing the colors for this type of project seem a bit overwhelming?
Take the guesswork out of selecting colors and buy a temperature blanket kit.
Our friends at Ewe Ewe Yarns have created a Temperature Blanket yarn pack which includes a rainbow of 12 shades to knit or crochet your blanket.
How many balls of yarn do I need for a temperature blanket?
Start with one ball of each color for your blanket. I recommend doubling on up skeins for more common temperatures in your area.
For example, my temperatures range from 50-100 degrees but most of the time, the temperature is 65-80 degrees so I’ll buy a little bit more yarn for those temperature colors.
It’s difficult to predict EXACTLY how much yarn you will need for each color since every temperature location is different and can vary from year to year.
How many yards do I need for a temperature blanket?
How many yards of yarn you need for your blanket will vary on the size of the blanket, the yarn weight, and the temperatures in your area.
As a rough estimate, the knitted Temperature blankets featured below range from 1300-2000 yards of yarn while the crocheted blankets use 1800-3000 yards.
How do you make a temperature blanket?
Using the Temperature Tracker Free Printable, you’ll record the daily temperature in your area.
Then, you’ll choose a range of colors for your blanket based on the range of temperatures annually.
For example, if you live in a place where the temperature ranges from 0 to 100 degrees throughout the year, you may want to plan your blanket in 10 degree increments.
If you live somewhere with milder temperatures, you may want to opt for 5 degree increments. In my case, I live in Southern California so the daily high temperatures range from 50 to 100 degrees. I’m going to use 5 degree increments to record my blanket so that I get a wider range of colors in my blanket than if I used 10 degree increments.
In the free download, you’ll find a PDF chart to setup your temperature range and assign colors to each temperature.
Next you’ll choose a knit or crochet pattern from the list of projects below and follow it along to make your blanket. Each day, you’ll knit or crochet a row that a denotes the temperature for that day.
What if I forget to record the temperature?
That’s ok! You can use this weather history and data archive to look up any temperatures you forgot to record.
What if I miss knitting or crocheting a row?
That’s ok, too! Sometimes life gets in the way and you may not have time to knit a row every single day. Since you’ll be keeping a record of the daily temperatures, you can refer to you chart and then knit all of the rows needed to get caught up.
I’ve found that many knitters choose to knit a few rows every couple of days or work all of the rows for a week in one sitting. It’s up to you and whatever method works best for you.
What stitch is best for a temperature blanket?
There is no one stitch that is best for a temperature blanket. However, that said, choosing a simple stitch will encourage you to pick up the project daily to work on it.
If you are knitting a temperature blanket, garter stitch or linen stitch are good choices. They are plain stitches that allow the stripe shine.
Use the same rule of thumb when crocheting a temperature blanket, opt for simple stitches such single or double crochet.
By keeping the stitches simple, you are also more included to work on it on a regular basis. You don’t want to have to struggle with where you are in the project every time you pick it up.
By choosing simple stitches, you can look at the temperature for that day and just work that row of color.
How to give your temperature blanket a polished look?
Since Temperature Blankets are a keepsake, why not record the year or other important information! I found these faux suede tags which you can customize with the year, who made the blanket, who it was crafted for, the location or even add some temperature/weather icons.
10 Temperature Blankets to Knit or Crochet
There’s no one way to make a temperature blanket.
In fact, I’ve rounded up ten different project ideas for you to knit or crochet. Some designers even include instructions to make shawl or scarf versions.
Crochet projects include C2C, chevron stripes, hexagons, and even granny square temperature blankets. There’s also a Tunisian crochet temperature blanket in the lineup.
The knitted patterns include simple garter stitch, mitered squares, or ribbed blankets.
#1. C2C Temperature Blanket Free Crochet Pattern
Let something as unpredictable as the weather determine what a blanket looks like!
The C2C (corner to corner) temperature blanket colors will be changed based on the day’s weather allowing you to create a colorful and unique throw.
Uses lace weight yarn (#0 weight)
Designed by Ester Dijkstra
Get Scheepjes Sugar Rush Yarn for this project
#2. Temperature Blanket Free Knitting Pattern
The object of this project is to use whatever colors you want to illustrate your regional weather.
In addition to the blanket, the pattern includes basic instruction for a circular or flat scarf if knitting a large project is too much time for you.
There is also a template for the color for temperature. Be creative go subtle or wild and make a memory!
Uses worsted weight yarn (#4 weight)
Designed by Cat Montgomery
Get Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Yarn for this project
#3. Temperature Chevron Blanket Crochet Pattern
You can start your temperature blanket any time of the year! Use this fun pattern and create your own one of a kind blanket that will have your seasonal temperatures recorded in a beautiful chevron stripe.
Pattern includes all details from choosing yarns and temperature ranges to adjusting the pattern for the size you want! Have fun with this blanket year round.
Uses worsted weight yarn (#4 weight)
Designed by Kristi Simpson
Get Premier Everyday Worsted Yarn for this project
#4. Daily Temperature Blanket Free Knitting Pattern
This is a pattern for a blanket that records in color the daily high temperatures in two locations. The blanket is made up of mitered squares that are knit-together-as-you-go.
Rather than record two locations, you can knit each square to reflect the high and low temperatures of each day.
In addition, the designer wrote tracked her temperature blanket journey with posts about how this blanket came to be: here, here and here.
Uses DK weight yarn (#3 weight)
Designed by Clare Thornley
Get Knit Picks Swish DK Yarn for this project
#5. Temperature Blanket Squared Free Crochet Pattern
If you prefer to make lots of small projects rather than long rows, this granny square temperature blanket may be for you!
It’s made up of hundreds of small granny squares reflective of the daily temperatures than pieced together to create a stunning finished blanket.
Uses DK weight yarn (#3 weight)
Designed by Heidi Filbert
Get Knit Picks Swish DK yarn for this project
#6. Ribbed Temperature Blanket or Scarf Free Knitting Pattern
Temperature blankets and temperature scarves are always a popular project amongst knitters. The concept is to knit one row for each day of the year, in a color corresponding to the temperature on that day. They are great projects, because:
They are easy to knit.
They are the pinnacle of the loyal WIP that will always be there for your Knitflix nights.
They have this little spark of magic that comes with multicolor projects; you can’t really imagine what they’ll look like until they are done.
They are a long term commitment like most knitters love.
AND they are amazing stash busters!
The link includes a tutorial to learn how to prepare and knit your project, and the pattern to knit your own ribbed temperature blanket or scarf.
Uses worsted weight yarn (#4 weight)
Designed by Gabrielle Vezina
Get Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Yarn for this project
#7. Tunisian Crochet Temperature Blanket Free Pattern
Make a Tunisian crochet temperature blanket! This free pattern gives you all the details so you can chronicle your year in yarn.
Blog post includes the full pattern, helpful tutorial videos, and advice to make your blanket-making experience perfect.
Uses DK weight yarn (#3 weight)
Designed by Toni Lipsey
Get Knit Picks Swish DK Yarn for this project
#8. Temperature Timepiece Free Knitting Pattern
The Temperature Timepiece is fabulous pattern for knitters! It is inspired by the temperature of the day over the course of the year.
It can be a scarf, shawl, or blanket! This project is knit in the round so there are no ends to weave in.
Uses worsted weight yarn (#4 weight)
Designed by Andrea Shanti
Get Temperature Timepiece Free Knitting Pattern on Ravelry
Get Knit Picks Swish Worsted Yarn for this project
#9. Year of Color Free Temperature Blanket Crochet Pattern
This the pattern & basic recipe/guidelines to create a temperature blanket. It includes instructions for the crochet moss stitch as well as guidelines for how to choose your colors, temperature range, and finished size.
Completed blanket measures 84 x 48”
Uses aran weight yarn (#4 weight)
Designed by Heather Leigh Cox
Get Year of Color Free Temperature Blanket Crochet Pattern on Ravelry
Get Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Yarn for this project
#10. Primrose Hexagon Temperature Blanket Free Crochet Pattern
Fun to crochet hexagons make up this creative and colorful temperature blanket. You’ll crochet one hexagon for each day of the year and the colors of the hexagon are determined by the weather that day.
At the end of the year, you’ll piece the hexagons together for a gorgeous finished project and keepsake.
Uses DK weight yarn (#3 weight)
Designed by SassySheepNL
Get Knit Picks Swish DK Yarn for this project
Temperature Blanket Frequently Asked Questions
1. I live in Massachusetts but spend three months in Florida. Which temperatures should I choose?
You can choose whatever you want to do since it's your blanket! It might be fun to have a Florida section in the middle of all those cold colors! However, if you want to stick to all MA, you can just record the temperatures in that location by looking it up on your phone.
2. Do you have patterns for temperature shawls (as opposed to rectangular wraps)?
All of the Temperature Blankets I've seen are either a small square or shape that is later joined to create a whole project, or long rows. I think the projects are done this way to keep it easy. You don't need to figure out where you are in a pattern every day, you just knit the same row or shape every day and change the color.
3. Is there an online database that keeps track of the daily temp. for a town or zip code? (Since we've obviously missed Jan. 1.) Yes, here is where you can find previous temperatures for your location.
4. Do you pick the day's highest or lowest temp?
Most people go with the highest temperature of the day, however, it's your blanket so you can choose whichever one you want! I'd just choose one and stick with it for the entire blanket.
Add your email address below to download the Temperature Blanket Guide Printable!
