If you have been following me for awhile, you would know that I have a love for temperature projects. You might be asking, “What in the world is a temperature project?” Or maybe you have already completed several of your own temperature projects, and you are looking for a new one to start this year. Whatever your level of familiarity with this fun trend, I’m going to give you all the scoop on what it is and how to get going on one of your own!

What is a temperature project?

A temperature project is a project you make over the course of a year in whatever medium you’d like, by only completing a small portion everyday. The catch is that the color you use each day to complete that little bit is not predetermined. The color you use is decided by the weather, and more specifically, the high temperature for the day. You could complete the exact same pattern multiple years in a row, but since the weather changes each day and from year to year, you will never get the exact same finished product! Each project is totally unique to you and where you live. In this way, it becomes a journal-of-sorts to document your year.

My mom is the one who introduced this idea to me. She is a lover of crochet and knitting, and she had seen this idea floating around the internet. When she first explained it to me, it sounded like the perfect project I could undertake! It is such a small commitment each day, but with such a colorful, rewarding result at the end!

Where do I begin?

Create a temperature chart

I live in an area that has a wide range of temperatures throughout the year. Because of this, I was able to easily create a temperature chart that breaks down the weather into five degree increments.

If you live in an area where the weather stays fairly warm throughout the year, you will want to shrink your chart to fit your weather. You may want to divide your chart into two degree increments. Make sure your chart fits the area where you live.

2. Pick your colors

This is the fun part! Head to your favorite craft store, and pick out colors to match up with your temperature chart. I like to use cooler colors for cooler weather, but you can pick and choose your colors however you would like. My husband has made a temperature blanket in only shades of blue and another in only shades of white and grey. Just make sure that you have enough colors to match up with your chart.

3. Pick your pattern

Now you will need to decide which pattern you want to use for your project. If you are going to crochet a temperature blanket, pick a pattern you like that lends itself well to breaking it up into small pieces. I have created three different crochet blankets, and I have used a different pattern each time. Here is a breakdown of each of my blankets:

Granny Hexagon Blanket

For this blanket, I found a granny square pattern that I liked, then tried to calculate how many across and down I would need for the year. I shared some of the details for this blanket on this post on my website. Looking back at this blanket now, I would have added two additional hexagons across, as it ended up being a bit too long. I do love how the colors turned out on this one though!

Bobble Stripes Blanket

For this blanket, I ended up using more colors than I did with my hexagon blanket. I stitched half a row one day, then half a row the second day. Then on the third, fourth, and fifth days, I stitched a third of a row with a bobble stitch. I then repeated that pattern all the way through the year. You can find more specifics on this post on my website.

Circle in a Square Highs and Lows Blanket

This past year, I decided to use both the highs and lows to stitch my blanket. I stitched a circle in the high temperature, and the square surrounding it in the low temperature. I couldn’t find a pattern that fit my sizing, so after playing around with stitches, I created this pattern. You can watch my video tutorial to create this design yourself.

You can also find the details for this blanket on my website here. You will need to stitch your squares together each day, but the end result is so fun and colorful!

Temperature Cross Stitch Patterns

If cross-stitch is more your speed, I have several temperature cross-stitch patterns available in my Etsy shop. This triangle one pictured above starts in the top left corner, then works its way down throughout the year. You only have to stitch 15 stitches a day. You can find this pattern in my shop HERE.

This pattern starts in the center, and spirals around the center, finally ending at the edges. You only complete one 5 square by 5 square box a day. Directions and color suggestions are included with the pattern. You can find this pattern in my shop HERE.

My heart temperature pattern also begins in the middle and spirals around the center. Again, you only stitch one 5 square by 5 square each day. Some boxes are blank on this pattern, which means you just move ahead to the next box that has stitches. This pattern can be purchased from my shop HERE.

4. Track Your Weather

My favorite site for tracking my daily weather is Weather Underground. This site can find the weather for a location closest to you, so that you can get an accurate temperature for each day. Here is how to find the high temperature on Weather Underground:

Click on locations and search for the station closest to you
Select that station
On the station page, click on the name of the station (it should be in blue)
Scroll down to the weather history for that location where you can see the day’s high and low
You can also change the date to see recent weather history if you need a day in the past

5. Start your project!

Do just a little bit every day. If you know you will not be able to complete your piece for the day, it is a good idea to keep track of the weather you missed. When I go on vacation, I like to use the weather for the place where I am staying that night. This helps me remember fun times in my life. I occasionally also like to document birthdays, holidays, and other special days by using a silver string with my crochet blankets. It makes those days stand out so that I can remember them more easily.

I always love to see progress on temperature projects! Feel free to tag me or share your photos with me on social media! @apricotpolkadot #apricotpolkadottempcrossstitch