How to Make A Tunisian Crochet Temperature Blanket

Last year, I started a temperature blanket on an impulse. It’s been quite a journey from those enthusiastic first stitches to weaving in the last end. My blanket is all done and I’m so excited to finally share the pattern and my experience with you!

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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY 2019 TEMPERATURE BLANKET JOURNEY IN THIS VIDEO:

What is a Temperature Blanket?

If you’re new to the concept of a temperature blanket, it’s really easy to understand. You commit to knitting or crocheting a certain number of rows on a blanket based on your local weather. The color of the rows depends on a temperature gauge you create at the beginning of the year. By the end of the year, you have a colorful reminder of all your hard work.

For more details on the basics of temperature blankets, check out this blog post: What’s the Deal With Temperature Blankets?

Making My Perfect Temperature Blanket

The Design

My 2019 Tunisian crochet blanket was designed completely from scratch. I knew I wanted to use the Tunisian simple stitch and I decided on a blanket with multiple panels to keep it from becoming too long.

The design process started with a swatch, which allowed me to estimate the number of stitches and rows I would need for a nice sized throw blanket. All I remember from the hours of planning was a lot of math, a lot of dead erasers, and a few overworked tape measures.

The Yarn

I chose a palette of bright, happy colors from Knit Pick’s Swish DK yarn line. Swish DK is a DK weight 100% superwash wool, available in 39 highly saturated colors. It was easy to choose 9 colors from the palette, which I based around my favorite color (pink), then threw in some warm neutrals. A stripe of white was added to identify the beginning of a new month.

I intentionally chose a DK weight yarn to compensate for the size of my blanket. I also wanted to make sure it wouldn’t be too heavy, as I often get hot under handmade blankets.

The Process

The year started off great with lost of encouragement from my online community. I sailed through the first half of the month, then the project stalled for a bit in the summer and again in late fall. After a few marathon making sessions, I got all caught up again and I weaved in the last end on New Year’s Day, 2020.

My temperature blanket was much more than designing a new pattern for me. It was a periodic escape from the hustle and bustle of being an entrepreneur. Each time I got to make a cup of coffee and crank out a few rows on my project, I got the satisfaction of doing something just for myself.

Tunisian Crochet Temperature Blanket Pattern

YARN: Knit Picks Swish DK. 100% superwash wool, 123 yards per 50g ball. Explore the entire Swish DK yarn line here.

TEMPERATURE GAUGE: I created a temperature gauge based on the average temperatures here in Columbus, Ohio. Your gauge may vary some, but the number of color groups I used is a great way to add plenty of color to your blanket. The gauge below shows each group of degrees and their corresponding color. *All degrees in Fahrenheit.

• 81 and above – Carnation
• 72-80 – Rouge
• 63-71 – Conch
• 54-62 – Clementine
• 45-53 – Allspice
• 36-44 – Honey
• 27-35 – Dove Heather
• 18-26 – Squirrel Heather
• 17 and below – Camel Heather

SUPPLIES: 6mm Tunisian crochet hook with an 8″ cord (try these!), scissors, tapestry needle, locking stitch marker

FINISHED SIZE: Approximately 67″ long x 65″ wide

GAUGE: 16 sts x 15 rows in Tunisian simple stitch

HELPFUL TUTORIAL VIDEOS:

• Tunisian crochet basics
• Color changes in Tunisian crochet
• Joining panels as you go in Tunisian crochet

PATTERN NOTES:

• Carry yarn colors up the sides of work where possible to prevent having to weave in so many ends at the end of your project.
• Tunisian simple stitch has a tendency to curl along the top and bottom edges. I decided to keep the curling in my blanket, but you can relax the curling in your blanket by steam blocking or adding a crochet border.
• Weave in ends at the completion of each panel.
• When it’s time to put your project down for a while, loop a locking stitch marker through the live loop to prevent losing any stitches.

PATTERN DETAILS

Beginning at the bottom left corner of the blanket with the designated color for January 1,

ROW 1: Chain 54, pull up a loop in the 2nd chain from the hook and each remaining chain. Chain 1, (yarn over, pull through the next 2 loops) until there is only one loop left on the hook.

REMAINING ROWS IN THE FIRST PANEL: Tunisian simple stitch for each row. Each day will have 3 rows. Change color as necessary to represent the designated color for each day. At the end of a month, Tunisian simple stitch one row in White. At the end of the panel, complete a slip stitch bind off. Fasten off and weave in all ends.

PANELS 2-5: Using the join as you go method (video tutorial here), chain 53 for the starting chain. The stitch used to connect the new panel to the existing panel counts as a stitch.

Assuming you are crocheting for a year with 365 days, each panel will have the following dates:

• Panel 1: January 1 – March 14
• Panel 2: March 15 – May 26
• Panel 3: May 27 – August 7 (August 7 will only have 2 stripes instead of 3)
• Panel 4: August 8-October 19
• Panel 5: October 20-December 31

Once your blanket is complete, weave in all remaining ends and steam block as necessary.

Let’s Make Together!

Even though I stumbled a bit through my 2019 temperature blanket, I loved the process and I’m pumped to do it again. I have my 2020 blanket planned and my yarn just arrived in the mail! If you’re making a temperature blanket, I invite you to crochet along with hundreds of other makers:

• Use the Hashtag: Use hashtag #CrochetTempBlanket2020 on Instagram to get inspired by other makers and to share your own progress.
• Join the Facebook Group: I share my progress regularly in my Facebook group, TLYC Makers. Feel free to post photos and ask questions in the group.
• Get your Questions Answered: I did a post at the beginning of 2019 that answers some of the most asked questions related to temperature blankets. If you’re still on the fence, read this post and see if that clears things up.

Happy hooking!

xoxo – Toni L.