What’s the Deal With Temperature Blankets?
Temperature blankets, once a crochet sensation, may have lost their spark, but here’s the bright side: they’re ready for a resurgence! Let’s infuse them with your creative magic, personal style, and a modern vibe. Say goodbye to the ordinary and embark on an exceptional journey!
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What Are Temperature Blankets?
The basic idea of a temperature blanket is to crochet (or knit) a number of rows on a blanket each day for a full calendar year. The colors used each day correspond with the temperature outside. Expectedly, the more colors in your palette, the more variance you get in your overall blanket.
A temperature blanket project typically starts with making a temperature gauge based on the climate of your local area. Above is a temperature gauge found on the Lion Brand blog using their Vanna’s Choice yarn.
For a more successful (and enjoyable) making experience, adjust the temperature gauge to better fit the weather of your region. The easiest way to do this is to find the average high/low of your city (resource) and divide that range by the number of colors you want to use.
Traditionally, temperature blankets were made with rainbow colors. Since their inception, color palettes for these projects have evolved. I’ve seen many on Pinterest using pastels, ombre colors, and even colors based on paintings. There are no right or wrong answers when choosing the colors for your blanket.
If the goal is to let your color palette stand out, choose a simple pattern for your temperature blanket. Rows of single crochet might be traditional, but that can get a bit tiresome for a year-long project. Mix things up by picking a different stitch – perhaps the granite stitch or granny stripe. Or have even more fun by trying a completely different pattern – like corner-to-corner, chevron, or a granny square.
So, The Internet Actually Hates Temperature Blankets…
I got the inspiration to start my own temperature blanket journey for 2019 after seeing a gorgeous blanket on Instagram. I was so inspired by the colors and the feel of this one photo that I mentally committed to a year-long project. Yes, I am that impulsive.
Like any responsible maker, I took to my Instagram stories to get a feel for the current state of temperature blankets. Learn from my mistake – when you ask The Gram how they feel about something, be VERY PREPARED for the response. And I was not prepared.
In a nutshell, temperature blankets have fallen out of favor with many makers. Whether it’s the time commitment, the unappealing rainbow color palette or the lack of temperature variance in some regions, there are plenty of reasons to dislike a project like this.
My suggestion: Let’s collectively take temperature blankets to the next level. The last few years have gifted us with the insight and the yarn options to try new things with this concept. Instead of traditional bright rainbows, build a color palette around your personality. Instead of feeling obligated to crochet every single day, batch your crocheting to one or two days at the end of the month. And if you feel like you’ll fall behind and never catch up again, get an accountability partner from the very beginning to keep you motivated.
My 2019 Temperature Blanket
In my normal Toni fashion, I committed to a temperature blanket at about 2 AM and had the idea fully fleshed out by the time I finished brewing my first pot of coffee. I now present my 2019 temperature blanket plan!
The Pattern
A while back, I designed the Tunisian crochet blanket above and I never did anything with it (don’t worry – I’m planning to circle back to it). It’s been sitting on a blanket ladder in my studio for weeks. I decided to re-work the pattern (there was A LOT of math involved) and I’m using that concept for my temperature blanket.
The Yarn
I’ve always adored the color range of yarn available from Knit Picks. I knew I wanted to go with a DK weight yarn and found the perfect match with their Swish DK collection. I went for a tropical sunrise theme with some signature neutrals. From left to right: Carnation, Rouge, Conch, Clementine, Allspice, Honey, Dove Heather, Squirrel Heather, and Camel Heather.
The Organization System
One of the biggest gripes I heard about temperature blankets had to do with staying committed and anxiety around falling behind on daily crocheting. I knew I’d have a similar issue (seriously, who has time to crochet EVERY DAY??!!). Instead of committing to working on my blanket every day, I’ve set aside one hour every Sunday to catch up on the week if I fall behind. And I’ll keep track of the high temperatures of the week in my monthly planner.
Let’s Make Together!
I haven’t been so excited about a personal project in ages and I hope this post has you excited too. If you’re up for it, I invite you to start your 2019 temperature blanket with me!
- Use the Hashtag. Follow the hashtag #crochettempblanket2019 and share your progress with us using that hashtag throughout the year.
- Join the Facebook Group. Join the TLYC Makers Facebook group so we can keep each other accountable. TLYC Makers is full of crochet fanatics who love supporting and encouraging one another. I’ll be there sharing my progress monthly.
- Find an Accountability Partner. There’s nothing quite like having that go-to person or group to keep you motivated on such a big project. Find a friend or sip & stitch group you can check in with regularly. Or work your temperature blanket updates into your social media or blog calendar. Whatever you need to stay motivated, plan for it NOW!
- For more Temperature Blanket inspiration, read THIS next!
