My Temperature Blanket
My friend Linda Cangiano has long been a source of knitting inspiration, frequently sharing ideas and images with me. Every so often, I muster the courage (and find the time) to attempt one of them.
The Temperature Blanket was a new concept to me, though in the knitting world, it’s a well-known staple. I love the idea: a knitted or crocheted blanket that records the temperature of a specific location over the course of a year. Each row (or ridge, created by two knit rows) represents a day, with its color corresponding to the temperature on that day. If a full blanket feels daunting, you can apply the same concept to a scarf.
How It’s Made
1. Choose a location and a color scale. I selected ten soft, closely related colors for a more subtle transition. You can also use a defining color to mark each month. I chose Double Sunday Sandnes Garn, a wonderful 100% Merino Wool made in Norway.*
2. Find the daily temperature–average, high, or low–for your chosen location (easily sourced online).
3. Divide the temperature range for that location by the number of colors you plan to use.
4. Knit a row (or ridge) each day using the color that corresponds to the temperature. I chose to use the daily high temperature and plan to stay consistent.
Variations
You can base your project on the daily average, high, or low temperature.
Instead of this year’s temperatures, you could track data from a special year or season. Or, you could swap temperature for another variable, like the stock market, your mood, or your daily step count.
A scarf is a great alternative to a full blanket.
Since it is only the beginning of March, my blanket is still predominantly blue and green but I can’t wait to see some yellows and pinks appear as Toronto warms up! I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
*Purchased in Toronto at Ewe Knit and Knit-O-Matic