Temperature Afghan
Years ago, Bernat Yarns prior to rebranding themselves as Yarnspirations had a blog where they used a Yarn Temperature Gauge for making unique afghans, generally referred to as a Temperature Afghan.
I was reminded of this when Sarah, founder of Repeat Crafter Me, posted this as an idea for crocheters. I’ve been looking for this gauge and was unable to find it. Thanks, Sarah for the reminder!
Getting Data from the Past
If you don’t know the temperatures of the past, you can find them pretty easily. I have written a blog on where to get the information plus there are 4 examples from Crochet Crowd Community Members to gawk at too! Where to Find Temperature Information.
How A Temperature Afghan Works
If you have never heard of a Temperature Afghan, it’s pretty straight forward. You commit to crocheting 1 – 3 rows/rounds of your work using the temperature gauge as your colour choice each day. So you can either check your temperature outside of your home or refer to the weather network each day and crochet accordingly. If you think you are not going to crochet for a day, just take the temperature and write it down so when you pick up your project, you have that information handy.
The temperature gauge is showing 6 colours of Caron One Pound yarn.
Once you know the temperature, look at your gauge and crochet the colour that falls within the temperature readings.
The trick is not to cheat the system by falsifying a temperature because you think the colour shouldn’t go where it does. The whole point is capturing the temperature as it happens making the afghan a true representation of the season you are crocheting in.
PSST… if you cannot start on the first of the month, you can start anytime, when you are done, no one is really going to know if you started on a the 1st of the month or had to delay it.
Customizing Your Temperature Gauge
In my region of the world, the chances of it hitting anything above 54 – 66 degrees is unlikely at this time of year. So what I would do is to change the temperatures to be closer to what is normal for your region.
So I would just stroke out the temperatures and redo the gauge that is closer to temperatures that are possible. For example, I would actually put my lowest temperature to be up to -20 degrees and work up increments all the way up to a maximum to 13 degrees as my highest point. Be creative, just because there are 8 increments that don’t mean you have to have only 8, you can have more colours and closer temperatures.
I would also look at the yarn colours and you can change out the yarn colours too depending on what is in your collection or making something that more reflects your own personal tastes.
To help you further, I have created a downloadable PDF of the Temperature Gauge so you can make your own notes or alterations.
Thermometer Applique
I have written a pattern called the Yarn Thermometer. This pattern will show you how to make an applique that can be applied to your Temperature Afghan.
The colours you have selected for your project are to be used in the thermometer. Once you are done this applique and your project are done. Simply sew this onto the corner of the afghan.
To help you remember what the colours mean, the gauge shows the colours in order of the temperature. So when you look at the project, you can look at the thermometer and remember the temperature increments.
How Many Chains to Start Worksheet
Tips on Selecting the Right Stitch
The Afghan may be up to 365 rows. Based on single crochet using Caron One Pound with a 5 mm or H Hook, 3 days equals 1 inch of height. This means the afghan will be 121″ long. If you have seen most temperature afghans, it’s way too long and isn’t practical.
So I attempted doing slip stitching and I know what you are thinking, ‘Slip stitching’ an entire afghan is crazy. But wait. You have to do 365 rows. Slip stitching with 5 mm or H Hook using Caron One Pound, you can get 8 days in just 1″. This will give you an afghan that is really tight and approximately 46″ long instead.
If you want texture, when you are slip stitching, use the front loop only. This will give a unique look and make the afghan have elastic look and feel to it.
If you do a lapghan size of 180 chains to start. You can create an almost square lapghan. Then you can add on a border to make it slightly bigger.
Tutorial
What Types of Projects Can You Do?
It’s usually done in granny format but you can follow your own rules or designs. Here is a list of 5 patterns that are great for this. Again, be creative.
Interesting idea. It would be fun to look at blankets and try and guess where the person lives
I agree that a 12-15 foot blanket is too long, so here is the solution that I think will work best for me:
Whatever number of stitches wide I decide to make the blanket, for example 200 stitches, I will do half the stitches (100) for Day 1, and the next half (100) for day two. This should translate into a blanket that would be a more manageable 6-8 feet in length.
I also like an idea that I saw where you hold metallic thread with your yarn for days that are special occasions in your family: birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
I also thought this could be a neat blanket idea to document someone’s pregnancy!
Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! I was thinking the same thing!!!!! I really need to have other crocheter’s validate what I’m thinking!!!!!!! I’m such a newby, well, I’ve been practicing a lot..however, I’ve never finished anything!!!! So I would use a single crochet, with overlap, for a twin bed, one row would equal 2 days…it should come out to 85.5 inches. Did I mention I have 4 to make!!!!!! So I have to catch up quick!!!! Could you or this sight please affirm my calculations. I would truly appreciate yet!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!! Kathy
I believe you are correct. I would do a 10×10 swatch to check my gauge, everyone’s different.
How do you crochet a blanket or afghan each day when for example the other day it was 3 degrees Celsius and went up to 36 degrees c. Another day may be 12degrees Celsius to 27 degrees cel.
Does that mean 2 rows a day to crochet which is a lot of time and yarn or is there another way? Tomorrow i move into a new home so time is limited here and also by health.
I would like to be able to record the extremes of weather.
Thanks
You decide on the time of day or take the high or low of the day and be consistent whichever you choose. Sometimes I can’t crochet each day so I log it in my day planner and do them all on the weekend.
Try doing half of the day in one color and the other half day in the other color. It will still be beautiful.
When I made mine I did it by slip stitching the low on the right side then changed to the high on the left side. I used black to show the change of the month. It ended up covering my grandson’s twin bed.
Please forgive me if this is a stupid question but this is my first crochet project. I measured a single crochet row to be about 3/8 of an inch with Caron Simply Soft and using a 5.5 mm hook. By my calculations a finished throw would be approximately 12 feet long or am I just totally off? The chart is very helpful for the chains but I feel like I’m missing something. :/
These afghans do tend to turn out quite large. You may want to drop a hook size or 2. I think the recommended for CSS is 5.0mm.
I have just started my first Temperature blanket and am very excited about it…Wish me luck everybody… I live in Ohio and am using the highs for the day..,Good luck to all you who are making this blanket…
I don’t understand how to enter my own colors for the afghan. I can enter the zip code, etc. but I don’t understand how to change the colors.
I modified the range of temperatures to my area. Chain and first row in hdc. All next rows will be in moss stitch. One row a day. 240 stitches per row. First 120 stitches lowest temperature and next 120 stitches highest temperature of the day. Weird, isn’t it? But it’s still a Temperature Afghan and I love my 2 and a half rows so far 😉
Thank you for the inspiration
Picture please! 🙂
My daughter and I are each going to start one this year and since we don’t have the year yet we’ve been writing the temp down for when we can actually start it, our question though iis there a certain pattern that works best or does everyone just use their favorite pattern?
I used the moss stitch. Easy and one you can do while watching TV or conversing. Makes a nice weight for a blanket. I am using a G hook and chain of 200+-
Started today using the granny stripe method and 10 colors. I used the weatheragan site earlier and found it interesting and thought I might do one for my daughters birth years. It seems to be down right now – wondering whether we “crashed” it ?
I’m struggling to find all the colors. I really want to do this project and the blend of colors on the temperature guage are wonderful, but even the bernat website doesn’t have all the colors. Amazon wants like $37 a skein for some of the harder to find colors and I can’t afford that. Any help?
I went to Walmart and got bernat permire at 3.47 perball
For me I had that same problem and am looking at other brands of yarn or other colors that would come close to the colors.
I went to Hobby Lobby and bought “I love this yarn”. I was able to find 11 of my 12 colors there. They didn’t have a great orange, so I had to buy a different brand for my orange, but overall, I got all the colors I wanted.
I looked on Pinterest at “Temperature Afghans” and chose the colors provided using Vanna White Lions Brand yarn because it was on sale 2/$6 versus Bernat yarn. Also found a scale for Caron Simply soft yarn but my Michael’s didn’t have all the colors. I love the brightness of the Bernat, but decided to go for more affordable.
$2.99 on Herrschners for 8 ounce balls. I bought 9 different colors.
I like the idea of a temperature afghan. I live in Ohio. The temperature changes hourly sometimes. I like the popcorn stitch for snow. But I’m not quite sure about what to use for rain. I picked out my own colors to use for the different temperatures. Our temperatures can run from below freezing to above one hundred degrees. I don’t want a giant afghan.
I will be keeping track of the temperature on a spreadsheet so that when I have the time to work on this project I will have the information needed. I have two other projects I’m working on also.
Melodie – I live in the Cincinnati area, I’m curious to what colors you have chosen and what yarn you used. Thanks, Karen
I am so excited to start a temperature blanket for 2017. I, too, have the same problem as another poster. In Southeast US the temperature can change as much as 40 degrees in a day (freezing or lower at night to 60 during the day is common for our winters). I think I am going to do multi-strand for every row, including both the high and low to solve that problem. I also wanted to include if it is raining or snowing. Snowing is easy, popcorn stitch, and I love the idea of a shiny yarn for rain. The only problem is that’s getting to be a bit much yarn. Do you have any ideas?
I’ve solved my own problem! I am going to use worsted weight for high, floss for low, and bass pro shop sells tinsel fishing wire for fly fishing, which I will use for rain…and as I said a popcorn stitch (in the worsted color of the day) for snow. Thank you for your time!
How about a spike stitch for rain?
I’m just using 9 different colors that I bought from Herrschners at 2.99 for an 8 ounce skeins.
I am finishing up mine for 2016, it is crazy big, but I was committed to do the entire year. I hope to post a photo when all complete.
Please share it on our wall when you can. We’d love to see it. 🙂
i hope to see your completion picture. WOW what commitment you have. Thanks for sharing!
I was thinking about doing half the row with the daily high temperature and the.next half with the daily low temperature
I was wondering how many skeins of yarn on average did you have to buy of each colour? I want to try a chevron pattern lapghan for 2017, and I don’t want to continuing going out to buy yarn. Thanks in advance!
I’m afraid my project would be about 2 colors. I live in Southern California. Great idea though, I just don’t see how it can work for me.
Sure it could! There is a small range of about 25 degrees between high and lows. So if you want 8 colors make your colors change at every three degrees. Another option would be to change shades of the 2 colors you are using. Nothing is impossible is my motto
You can always do 2 or 3 temps per color! And then do special colors for holidays and birthdays!
I am going to include rain and snow. You could include other conditions like dry and humid and such, you just have to create your template.
Someone suggested making the temperature range smaller, so a difference in 2-4 degrees or so would change the color. I think that would work great for someone in a climate that has a relatively consistent temperature =)
Sorry for multiple comments!
Change the colors every 2-3 degrees instead of 10.
I’m trying to figure out a way to do this and not have the blanket be huge! Even 8ft as Nikki said is a pretty big blanket. I’m thinking of only doing a row when there’s a color change, which around here with 10 colors would be at least 12 times a month, usually more. Maybe with silver for snowy days and a sparkly blue for rain.
Opinions? Or how did you make your blanket manageable?
I used a linen stitch. (Sc, chain 1) Since you are putting the sc into the chain one space of the previous row, the rows are short. My blanket for 2016 is about 80 inches long.
Did you use a high and a low?
Could you make this in a c2c with it turning out right?
I found a pattern on another site and she said she figured out how big she wanted it, figured out how many clusters it would be divided by 365 and it was 24 clusters a day…..so the colors changed in the middles of rows.
I tried to make one, but fell behind and then gave up (the Weatherghan thing wasn’t even close to accurate for our temperatures). Our temps fluctuate greatly, throughout the year as well as the day. During the year we get everything from the teens in Winter, to 120 degrees in summer. I did 10 degreees for each color and ended up with like 11 or 12 colors. Right now, we’re waking up in the 20s or upper teens, but then it goes up to at least the 40s, if not 50s, or sometimes a 60. In the summer we wake up to 50s or 60s and it goes up to at least 90s if not 100s most days, so that’s like 6 or 7 colors, per day; just too much. Using every color from the various temperature/color zones proved to be way to labor intensive because of our great temperature fluctuations. I am trying to come up with a different breakdown of colors, maybe do every 15 degrees instead of every 10 degrees.
have you contacted the owner to inquire about accuracy. I know she worked months on that.
I would pick a certain time of the day and use that temperature. Using the same time for every day for example 2:00 pm everyday and the temperature at that time
go by just the H or L of the day pick one or both and go with that
Pick Pickard a time of day to check the temperature everyday and that’s your color for the day, or you can choose the high of the day in summer and spring and the low in winter and fall. There are area number of options but you want to do one row a day because it’s going to come out very long by the end of of a year. I did my first one this year in a single crochet stitch and it all ready goes from the top of a king bed and is hanging over the foot by about 7 to 8 inches.
Why not try a variegated/multi strand yarn for those days our colors are the same
The temperatures in NC, US vary that much also. I am going to do high and low for the day (weather . Com is pretty accurate for me, if you are in the US). I am going to use worsted weight for high, and walmart sells floss next to the yarn in lots of colors, which I will use for the low. I hope you can finish your project one day!
I have a simulare problem. I’m getting ready to start my first temperature afghan. I’m doing mine to show my grandfathers battle with cancer, he’s at end of life so it’s going to be a sort of memorial blanket. It’s only going to cover from last august through the day he passes away which will probably be really soon. We live in Houston, and sometimes there’s a 20-30 degree change in one day. I was able to find a site, though, that gave the high, low, and average temps for each day. Since I’m not doing a full year I’m considering doing a row for each temp. I might just do the high and low. I’m having trouble deciding. If anyone has a suggestion that would be great.
This is awesome, I’m going to do for my dad with the temps of the year he was born.
That’s a great idea! How are you looking up the temp for it?
I just googled it. If you are Canadian the government of Canada website has historical weather information and you can even download it to an excel spreadsheet to make it easier
every time I put my zip code and the year. ( 2017 ) it comes up that I have an error. I do not know what I am doing wrong. HELP thanks Denise
Maybe because 2017 hasn’t happened yet…
2017 hasn’t happened yet.
That’s because 2017 hasn’t started yet so there is no data
Just wondering what style of afghan the chain worksheet is it for? Is it a chevron blanket?
Where can I find this tempature yarn at
You use regular yarn for the blanket, he has excellent directions posted
I’m going to do one that is the average temp per week for 2017. I don’t want a blanket that is 365 rows long, nor do I want to have a starting chain of 200+, so I’m going to do a Bavarian Stitch blanket. I figured on the average gauge of that stitch, the finished blanket will be about 8.5 feet square! Can’t wait to start it!!!
Hi Tonya,
I was thinking of doing the same….an average for the week with 52 rows! How many balls of each colour will you purchase? How many stitches to start?
Thanks,
Renée
I hadn’t thought about how big one would be! I think your idea of avg. weekly temps would be much more manageable.
I was thinking perhaps using an ombré in the temps color range to indicate snow/rain.
This website certainly has all the information I wanted about this subject and didn?t know who to ask.
I started mine for the year 2016 on Jan1 and now it is Oct 31 2016. I chose to go with the Mitered square pattern, due to the fact it grows very quickly and very large. A mitered square grows slowly. I am on June right now (trying to catch up) and it measure approx 4 ft X 4 ft across. I use one row of black between each month to separate the months. Bein in the very hot Phoenix desert I had to adjust my colors a bit cause temp gauge didnt go as as hot as it gets here.
I started mine on Jan 1, 2016. Decided to use 16 colors spaced out about every 4-5 degrees so as to have a variety from maroon to lilac. I am using an h hook, single crochet, 275 stitches. As of November 30 it is ten feet long. If, if, if I ever do this again, I will use an f hook I think. I left 8 inches at each end and will tie them off in bunches of three.
I live in AZ too. Can you email me your temperature gauge? It needs more higher temps!
Can you share your pattern for the mitered squared and what size hook? I am leaning towards this type of temperature afghan and am interested in how you proceeded. Thank you!
This is done for a month? If so, when do we start in order to get all the possibilities of different temperatures?
You can start anytime you’d like. I’m working on one that I started last January and doing the whole year of 2016. It’s up to you. 🙂
this is done everyday of every month for the year you are doing it for.
You can also do this where you pick one day, then gather temperatures from friends and family from all over, and crochet a set number of rows/colors/stitches to represent each. Great for grandma’s, wedding dates, birthdays, Christmas around the world, you get it!
That is a very clever idea. I am always looking for keepsake ideas.
I live in Sweden. My January afghan would have been one large field of sultana with a few rows of teal somewhere near the end …
Can someone tell me how many stitches are used. Plus what size is it?? Thanks
Beverly, there is not a pattern. Everyone is doing there own thing. Some single, some double, some granny, they are all different! The thermometer is just a suggestion for inspiration.
I’m making historical temp blankets for my sons. 200 chains using sc with and F hook.
These are so lovely! But here in England we don’t get the huge variations of temp as you do in Canada…it might not look so good…x
You could adjust it so that every 2- 3 degree changes result in a different color!
Tried to order the yarn but two colors are not on the list. Lagoon and Foliage. Disappointing.
The temperature thermometer is nearly 4 years old. Sounds like some colours have been discontinued. Sorry for the inconvenience. – Michael
Has anyone done a temperature afghan and added precipitation in? I heard using grey or rain, and white for snow. Any suggestions??????
I have seen some do that! They had some drop stitches for rain and white bobbles for snow. I think it was posted in our group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/905296302884699/
I am going to do this. Bass pro shop sells a tinsel fishing wire that I will use (as in a milti strand row) for rain, and I have seen people do a popcorn stitch for snow. I have seen snow done in only white, but I will be doing my popcorn stitch in the color/temperature of the day, since it can snow at at least three of my color choices! =)
What about using a lighter weight yarn (2 or 3) and doubling temperature color with weather color?
Hi, I’m thinking about doing this project and I’m pretty new to crochet! Will 365 rows be enough for a nice size blanket or will I need to make multiple rows per day?
Hi Mikey. Just found you. Saw this temperature afghan on Pinterest, got ‘hooked’ on the idea and now I’m a member. I did have a good laugh though. I live in sunny warm Florida so most of my afghan will be golden and Crimson. Rows and rows. So I’m making the temp intervals smaller. I do so love purple. And I liked the comment on using white for snow. I can only dream.
I would add white for the days it snows.
I LOVE the idea of putting white on days it snows!! I think I’m going to see about finding a variegated white/blue or white/purple for those days.
Just found the crochet crowd website today. Where have you been all my life?
For the crochet temperature afghan, is that done on a daily basis with the various temperature?
Yes it is. You can choose what type of stich and style. It will be a one of a kind because of the many varities you have to choose from.
I am wondering how much yarn to purchase. Does anyone have an idea–I live in MN where the weather can be quite variable. Thank you
It would depend on your pattern. I just bought one skein of each color and just figured if I need more later of a certain color, I’ll just get it then.
Its really nice Mikey. I made one simalar to this awhile back. You are always spot on in everything you do, thanks for all your hard work!!
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I love this idea, but like others, I have questions about the size of this project. I can see it getting quickly out of control!!! I have figures out my colors, have the yarn at the ready …. but…1.) how wide should this be & 2.) As someone stated above with double or half double this will be any where from 10.5 – 15 feet long!! WHAT!?? No, no, no, say it aint so………… Can we get some help with gauge please!?
I am new at this also. I was thinking of doing one afghan square for every 30,31 or 28 days and than joining all twelve squares at the end of the year. It could be anything you want to make it. Sandy Stoneburner
I love this idea!! But won’t the afghan be way too big?
You only do it for a month, right?
everyday for each month
Awesome idea.
If I want a variety of colors, I would start this in the spring or fall. Then I would see a greater variance of temps.
Someone suggested making the temperature variants smaller if you don’t live in an area with a lot of changing temperatures.
I am trying to figure out the gauge for this. I bought my yarn and I’m ready to start, but I did a sample of 5 rows of a granny stripe (with an H/5mm hook) with double crochet and it measured 2.5″. When I did the same 5 rows with half double, it was 1.75″. This means that 365 rows would be 182.5″ (over 15 feet) or 127.75″ (over 10.5 feet) respectively – both are much too long. How can I scale this to a more reasonable afghan size? I know I could do a row every other day but really want to do it daily…
I’m interested in the replies you get. I just looked at a FB post from someone who’s going to do it with the Moss Stitch, and I think I like that option for the look, but also overall size, since it uses single crochet/chain as its pattern. I certainly think this could be HUGE when it has 366 rows! I also want it to record each day’s temperature.
Moss stitch in ww with an h hook is about 8 feet long. I did it in 2013. =)
Nikki, how many stitches across did you do? I was worried it would be way too big but 8ft long is a workable size, so you did the moss stitch in WW, one row per day, 365 rows total….how wide is it…thank you!
I have the same question but for the granny rectangle. This is a leap year so we will have one more day to crochet! 366
I amusing a round granny square.https://getpocket.com/a/read/948038942
Good idea as I would like to start this now but would have to get the supplies…Wait until spring would give me the time to get organized.
I was wondering the same thing. I am thinking of doing one of the granny square ones and a single side of the square being one day, not sure yet. I am writing down the next few days temperatures until I figure it out
This is only done for a month. I am doing the granny rectangle and I do 2 rounds a day for 30 days for a total of 60 rounds. (I am doing it for a bed, not a throw). Hope that helps.
Very interesting unique concept
Love the idea…. but here in sunny Oz the my colours could be a little different to yours!! Fun idea. Thanks. Keep on crafting.
Could you use a variation of the colors, for instance, different blue hues or purples, etc. this sounds so cool and would be a good stash buster.
Sure you can! I am on my way to the yarn store myself to pick out colors for mine. 🙂
Mikey,
This is so cool! And you could also make one for a friend or family member -hopefully they don’t live in Russia or anywhere it is crazy cold:). I look at TCC everyday for new ideas and inspiration and you (and your team members) always have something new, inspiring and sometimes challenging for the “Hookers” around the world. Thank you for all of the headaches, sweat and tears you endure to keep this craft alive. You are truly a blessing to the crocheting world!!! Many blessings to you in this coming New Year! Don’t stop believing in yourself and your dream!!!
Loved it!
I am planning on making these blankets for my familia members for Christmas 2016. I will have 30 to make. I am new to crocheting and have been learning via YouTube and some one helping me learn when they can. I love the Spectrum afghan, and think this will be the pattern I will be using. My question is this: how will I change the color for each row when needed, since I’m going to be doing a half double crochet. Is there a video for this. Please please help me. You can email me if you wish. …thanks
Thank you for the article and the pdf for the temperature gauge, I have been looking for the explanation since I had read a post, I think I will try the Granny Rectangle for this project.
Or one could choose colors to represent the conditions of the sky–clear, partly cloudy, cloudy, stormy, rainy, snowy, windy, etc.
Great idea!