You’ve probably seen beautiful temperature blankets floating around social media. They’re more than gorgeous—they’re a year’s worth of weather captured in yarn. Whether you knit, crochet, or do Tunisian crochet, you can turn your daily highs (or lows) into a memory blanket.
In this guide, we’ll walk through what a temperature blanket is, how to start (even midyear), choosing your palette and yarn, and simple tips to keep your project going strong.
What Exactly Is a Temperature Blanket?
A temperature blanket uses one row (or half-row) per day of the year. Each temperature reading matches a color in your key. By the end, you’ll have 365 (or 366) rows—your weather story in yarn.
Beyond the formula, you can make it yours. Maybe you follow high temps, low temps, or even a mix of both. It’s a canvas for your climate, creativity, and style.
Do You Have to Start on January 1?
Not at all. If you weren’t planning ahead, it’s okay to start today or on a special date (birthday, anniversary, season change).
Want to catch up? Go back and grab past daily temperatures from a weather site and knit or crochet those rows first. Or design a temperature “countdown” blanket—like a nine-month project for a baby, or a school year wrap. Your rules, your timeline.
Choosing a Color Palette
Before selecting colors, study your local weather patterns. In Southern California, for example, your range likely leans warm year-round. That means your color-to-temperature map should compress at the warm end and stretch at the cooler.
You can use 10-degree or 5-degree intervals depending on how many colors you’re comfortable working with.
Then choose your palette. Classic rainbows work beautifully. But you’re free to go pastel, earthy, tonal, or based on a favorite palette (e.g. team colors, a blush-neutrals scheme). The key is consistency so your temperature-to-color mapping makes sense year after year.
Picking the Right Yarn
Your color palette matters, but so does your yarn.
If you live somewhere warm, consider breathable yarns like Cotton to the Core or Cotton Bliss. They’ll feel lighter and drape better.
In cooler climates (or for winter rows), cozy fibers like Woolen Delights, Off-the-Yak, or tweedy blends like Tweed Twinkles are beautiful. Blends let you balance warmth and softness. Always swatch first to see drape, density, and behavior.
🧶 Tip: Because this project involves lots of color changes, stick with yarns you enjoy working with daily to keep momentum going.
How to Choose Colors for Your Temperature Blanket
Choosing your temperature blanket colors might just be the hardest—and most exciting—part of the process. With so many beautiful hues and yarn options, it can feel overwhelming at first. But with a little planning, your finished blanket will look like a work of art.
What to Keep in Mind When Choosing Your Color Palette
Before you follow the first color key you find online, take a moment to think about your local climate. Your blanket should reflect where you live.
If you’re in a warm place like Southern California, most of your temperatures will be on the higher end—so you’ll want more variation in your warm tones. If you live somewhere cooler, focus more on blues, purples, and grays for your low temperatures.
To plan your palette, check your average yearly temperatures on your local weather website. If your range covers about 60°F, decide how many colors you want to include. Ten-degree intervals make for a simple 6-color blanket, while 5-degree intervals give you double the shades for a smoother gradient.
Once you know how many colors you’ll need, the real fun begins—picking your palette!
Traditional Color Palettes
Most temperature blankets use a rainbow spectrum: reds, oranges, and yellows for warm days, and greens, blues, and purples for cooler ones. This setup mirrors the temperature maps you see on weather forecasts—deep reds for heat, and dark purples for cold.
In practice, your summer rows will glow with warm colors, while your winter rows shift to cool tones. Spring and autumn create a lovely in-between, blending both ends of the spectrum.
For 10-degree temperature intervals, your chart will look something like this:
Here few color palette ideas for some of our most popular yarns:
You can see all KnitPal yarn lines and colors here. If you love that classic look, this is a timeless choice. But if rainbow isn’t your vibe, you have plenty of other options.
Creative and Non-Traditional Color Palettes
You can design your blanket to match your style or home décor. Try these fun ideas:
Soft and Subtle Pastels — Perfect for baby blankets or spring projects. Think blush, mint, sky blue, and lavender for a gentle, airy effect.
Desaturated or Muted Shades — Colors with gray undertones create a modern, sophisticated blanket that fits beautifully in a living room or study.
Neutral Palette — Whites, creams, tans, and grays make an elegant, timeless blanket that won’t clash with any décor.
Monochrome or Duo-Tone — Choose different shades of one or two colors (like blues and teals, or pinks and mauves). Lighter hues represent cooler days; deeper tones mark warmer ones.
Team or Themed Colors — A great idea for gifts! Use the recipient’s favorite team colors, or hues that match a special event like a wedding or graduation year.
Earthy Tones — Combine browns, greens, and mossy neutrals for a nature-inspired piece that feels cozy and grounded.
Warm-Only or Cool-Only Palettes — For a bold twist, stick to just one temperature family. Work from light yellow to deep red for warmth, or white to navy for cool serenity.
Patterns to Make Your Own Temperature Blanket
You can make your temperature blanket in any craft you love—crochet, knit, or Tunisian crochet.
FAQs
Q: Can I skip a day and come back later?
Yes—just note the date, insert that row later, and keep going. Your chart is your map, and your journey is yours.
Q: Should I use high or low temperature as the metric?
Either! Pick one (daily high, low, or even average) and remain consistent. Your story is in the process.
Q: How many colors should I use?
Ten to fifteen colors often strike a good balance between variety and manageability. If you want more subtle gradation, go with narrower intervals (like 5°).
Q: Will all yarn brands accept the same number of skeins?
No—yarn yardage, gauge, and fiber content differ. When substituting, note how many yards per skein you need and pick yarns accordingly. Always test with swatches.
Final Thoughts
Temperature blankets are beautiful, personal, and meditative projects. They let you weave weather, color, and memory into something you can snuggle.
Start anywhere, choose yarns you love, mark your place, and lean into the rhythm. And when you’re ready, share your progress with our KnitPal community—we’d love to see your colors come alive.
