When I first heard the craze about crochet temperature blankets, I was a bit confused, but after researching about the best crochet gifts on the planet, I quickly discovered the reason they are so popular –
"it is truly a gift to celebrate the life of the receiver!"
One of the best ways to get into crocheting - this blanket is an easy crochet gift that will make you the best gift giver ever. It is a thoughtful and meaningful gift that will last a lifetime. The blanket is constructed based on the 1st year of life of the receiver. You will gather temperature data from the day of birth and each day after for 1 year – you then will choose a color palette and crochet a row for each day – 365 rows to make a BIG blanket!
The Basics of a Crochet Temperature Blanket
If you have never crocheted before, this is the perfect project to start with. Learn the single crochet stitch and go for it! By the time you are finished, you will be a crocheting pro. I have made over 20 of these crochet temperature blankets for customers and gifts, and have learned a few things along the way. Here are my tips for you before tackling this crochet birthday gift:
· When gathering the temperature data, I found that using NOWData from the National Weather Service website is the easiest to use (link below). Simply choose your state and closest city, then the date and go. I typically get one month of data at a time and print the page (I give that booklet of pages to the gift receiver as well). This data will give you a lot of information, but I use the maximum temperature for that day.
· Create a sheet for your palette colors, this will make it easier when it is time to get started and when purchasing your yarn. I typically use 10 degrees between colors – for example: 100 – 91 degrees is red, 90 – 81 degrees is orange, and so on. I usually type them on a sheet, print, and attach a sample of the color beside the degree marker – I also give this to the recipient.
· Whichever stitch you decide to use – single crochet, half crochet, double crochet, etc., be consistent throughout the blanket – it looks better! I also use an ombre color to separate the months.
While this crochet temperature blanket will take you some time to create, it will be a keepsake that will be cherished for a long time. In my opinion it is one of the best crochet gifts you can give someone! Have fun creating your next blanket and cherish those memories.
Resources: https://www.weather.gov/
