How to Knit a Year-Long Temperature Blanket or Scarf in 2025? Tutorial and Free Knitting Pattern!

Temperature blankets and temperature scarves are always popular projects among knitters, and for good reason! The concept is simple but meaningful: knit one row for each day of the year in a color corresponding to the temperature of that day. Whether you’re an experienced knitter or a beginner looking for a fun and colorful project, knitting a temperature blanket offers so many perks:

• It’s an easy knit project that even beginners can enjoy.
• It’s a loyal WIP (work in progress) that will always be there for cozy Knitflix nights.
• The results are full of surprises, as the multicolor design emerges with each passing day.
• It’s a wonderful stash buster—a great way to use up leftover yarn.
• Plus, it’s a long-term commitment, perfect for knitters who love a year-long knitting challenge!

For all these reasons, I knitted my first temperature blanket in 2021, and since this knitting experience was so satisfying, I might very well a new one in 2025.

 

Step 1: Finding Temperature Data for Your City

Before you start knitting your blanket, you’ll need to have some knowledge of the daily temperatures for your area. A simple search like “2024 temperatures [your city]” will bring up multiple websites. I like AccuWeather.com: you can search for your city, click “Monthly” and you’ll get detailed daily temperature data (note that you can switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit in your settings by clicking on the top-right menu) . You’ll see both the maximum (top) and minimum (bottom) temperatures below each day. I use the maximum temperature for my blankets, as it’s typically what we refer to when talking about the weather.

However, feel free to choose whatever method works best for you, as long as it remains consistent throughout the year. Some people use the “feels like” temperature or even their own thermometer readings at a specific time of day.

Before starting my first temperature blanket, I browsed through the 2020 temperature data for Montreal. I learned that the maximum temperature of the coldest day of 2020 was -16°C (3°F), while the warmest day reached 36°C (97°F)—the kind of weather where you can’t wear any knitted piece! This gives a thermal range of 52°C (94°F). Take note of your city’s range; you’ll need this for the next step.

 

Step 2: Choosing Yarn for Your Temperature Blanket

This is where the fun really begins! A temperature blanket typically calls for a rainbow of colors, with a gradient effect that reflects the gradual change in temperatures throughout the year. Many knitters use cool colors like blues and greens for cold days and warm colors like reds and yellows for the hotter ones.

For my blanket, I chose a dark and muted rainbow of heathered yarns, avoiding bright colors like red or yellow in favor of softer shades like pink and beige. You can create your own color scheme—whether that’s using the full color wheel or sticking to a more subdued palette. You can decide to use only two or three color families (blues and purples; yellows, oranges and reds; etc.), only dark or light colors, only colors with a brownish tint… You could even knit a black and white blanket with shades of grey for a more minimalist look.

You’ll also need to decide how many colors to use. Fewer colors mean each one will cover a wider temperature range, while more colors offer a finer gradient. Note that you’ll need more yardage of each color if you use only a few colors, and less yardage for each if you use many colors. For my 52°C thermal range, I used nine colors, each covering about 5–6°C. 

If you’re working from stash, make sure all your colors have the same gauge and are similar in content. I recommend using DK, Aran, or worsted weight yarns. If you’re buying new yarn, look for options available in a variety of shades that will create a yarn gradient that appeals to you. I’d also look for the perfect fiber for a blanket, I’d recommend either a soft wool blend or acrylic, which are relatively cheap and they are usually available in plenty of colors. For my 2021 blanket, I used yarns from my stash: Berroco Ultra Alpaca and KnitPicks Wool of the Andes, two yarns with a natural rustic feel and a heather look. If I were to buy new yarns for this project, I’d probably get Paintbox Yarns Simply Aran which is some good old durable acrylic, Cascade 220 for a 100% wool option (or the superwash version), or an in-between option for both price and content (50/50 acrylic and wool, more expensive than acrylic but cheaper than wool): Sirdar Country Classic Worsted.

Planning your yarn yardage for a temperature blanket can be tricky since weather patterns vary each year, which means some colors may be used more than others. My top recommendation is to choose yarns that are still available for purchase—this way, you can easily buy more if needed. If you’re working from stash or using discontinued yarns, make sure to have an ample supply of each color. If you are using about 8 to 10 colors, I suggest having at least 200g of worsted weight yarn for each shade, though 300g would provide an extra safety net.

 

Step 3: Figuring Out Which Yarn Will Knit Which Degrees

Now that you’ve picked your yarn for your knit temperature blanket, and you know the thermal amplitude of your location, it’s time to create a temperature chart. This chart will help you keep track of which color corresponds to each temperature range as you knit your blanket.

You can jot down this chart anywhere convenient—a notebook, a file on your computer, or even a note on your phone. The key is to make sure you have it on hand for reference throughout your year-long knitting project.

How to Create Your Temperature Chart

1. Determine Your Temperature Ranges: First, divide the total temperature amplitude by the number of colors you plan to use. For instance, in my case, Montreal’s temperature range for 2020 was 52°C (94°F), and I decided to use 9 colors. To find out how many degrees each color will represent, divide the amplitude by the number of colors. Here’s my calculation:
   

   Amplitude: 52°C (94°F)
   Number of colors: 9
   52°C ÷ 9 = 5.78°C per color range
   94°F ÷ 9 = 10.44°F per color range

   Since I didn’t get whole numbers, my temperature ranges aren’t exactly equal. Instead, I assigned a range of 5 or 6°C (or 10 or 11°F) to each color, adjusting slightly so that the extreme temperatures have broader ranges. This makes better use of yarn, as mid-range temperatures tend to be more frequent.

2. Assign Colors to Each Range: Start with your coldest temperature and work your way up. Write down the color you want to use for your coldest days, and then add your “magic number” (the degrees each color will cover) to assign colors for the warmer temperatures. Here’s how my chart turned out:
   

   Dark green: -40°C to -11°C (-40°F to 13°F)
   Light green: -10°C to -5°C (14°F to 23°F)
   Light blue: -4°C to 0°C (24°F to 32°F)
   Medium blue: 1°C to 5°C (34°F to 43°F)
   Dark blue: 6°C to 10°C (44°F to 53°F)
   Burgundy: 11°C to 15°C (54°F to 63°F)
   Dark pink: 16°C to 21°C (64°F to 73°F)
   Light pink: 22°C to 28°C (74°F to 83°F)
   Beige: 29°C and beyond (84°F and beyond)

   Though it’s important to stick to your chosen temperature ranges throughout the year so your temperature blanket has a unified look, it’s also okay if your temperature ranges aren’t perfectly equal. A difference of one or two degrees won’t make a huge impact on your overall project. The goal is to capture the general flow of temperatures over the year, rather than an exact scientific representation. If, like me, you live somewhere with extreme fluctuations, feel free to extend the lowest or highest range just in case—you never know when an unexpected cold front (or heatwave!) might occur.

3. Stay Organized: After finalizing your chart, make sure to keep it easily accessible. Whether you prefer a digital note on your phone or a printed version to tuck into your knitting bag, this chart will become your trusty guide throughout the project. Each day, simply check the maximum temperature, refer to your chart, and knit your corresponding row in the right color. If you’re unable to knit every day, be sure to note down each day’s temperature so you can catch up later.

 

Step 4: Knitting Your Blanket

You have the freedom to create your temperature blanket or temperature scarf exactly as you envision it! I’ve seen all kinds of beautiful designs—garter stitch, granny squares, wave patterns, and more—and they all yield stunning results. I’m excited to share my contribution to the world of temperature blanket knitting patterns! This design features an easy 2×2 ribbing pattern, complemented by 1×1 ribbing edgings. Each row is crafted the same way, so you won’t have to worry about which side is the right side while you knit. Plus, this temperature blanket pattern is perfectly reversible, making it both practical and beautiful!

This blanket consists of exactly 390 rows, including the borders. The lower and upper borders are worked in your first color (the coldest), while the side borders are created using your current color as you knit the regular rows.

If you’d like your blanket to be square, cast on approximately 340 stitches. For a slightly longer rectangle, aim for about 280 stitches. This adjustment can also help reduce yardage if you have limited amounts of some colors. For a cozy scarf made with worsted weight yarn, I recommend casting on around 80 stitches. If you have a specific size in mind, be sure to knit a swatch first and adjust your cast-on accordingly to achieve the desired dimensions.

Another fun option is to cast on twice the number of stitches and knit two rows every day, creating a giant temperature blanket that can easily cover a king-size bed!

For the blanket as described, you’ll need roughly 1,300 yards of worsted weight yarn. Since it’s difficult to predict how much yarn you’ll need for each color in advance, ensure you have enough of each shade or that they are readily available and not discontinued.

 

Step 5: How to Stay on Track

Knitting a temperature blanket is a year-long project, so staying on track can feel daunting, especially as life gets busy. But with a little planning and consistency, you’ll find it totally manageable. Here are a few tips to help you keep up with your progress:

1. Choose the Best Time for Daily Knitting:

Find a time in your daily routine that works well for your knitting. It could be in the morning over a cup of coffee, during a lunch break, or as a relaxing way to wind down in the evening. By dedicating a regular time to knit your row for the day’s temperature, you’ll stay on track without feeling overwhelmed.

2. Batch Your Rows if Necessary:

Life can get hectic, and you might not be able to knit every single day. That’s okay! Don’t feel discouraged. You can always batch-knit several rows at once. If you fall behind, just check the historical temperatures on a website like AccuWeather and knit the corresponding rows in your chart. You can also take note of the daily temperatures and knit them later. Here are some ways to stay on track with the days that are done and those that aren’t:

• Pen and notebook: write down the day and color, strike it when done.
• Excel or other stylesheet software: write down the day and color, fill the cells in gray when done.
• Some “todo” software: set up a project, add a task for each day with the date and color in the title, check it when done.

I used the latter option, using Todoist. The free version of this app works perfectly for this task. You can access it from your phone, computer, tablet… which is very convenient, and it’s easy to use.

3. Stay Organized with Yarn:

Keeping your yarn organized is a big part of staying on track. Since you’ll be using several different colors, it’s a good idea to store your skeins or balls of yarn in a tidy manner. Consider using:

• A basket or bin: This will keep all your yarn in one place, preventing tangles and making it easy to grab the right color for the day.
• Yarn labels: Label each skein or ball of yarn with the temperature range it represents. This will make your daily knitting more efficient and ensure consistency throughout the project.

4. Give Yourself Flexibility:

While knitting your temperature blanket, remember to enjoy the process. It’s okay to tweak things as needed or to add some creativity, like switching up stitch patterns for different months. The project is meant to reflect the unique climate of your area, but it’s also a personal journey. You could even add special rows to commemorate meaningful days like birthdays, holidays, or major life events.

 

Afterthoughts

Here are some thoughts, so you can also learn from my personal experience.

• For my next temperature blanket, I will use round numbers for my ranges… ranges of 5 or 10 degrees. For my first temperature blanket, I made the ranges work for the colors I had on hand. Next time, I’ll make my colors work for the ranges I want. Why? Because it’s so much easier to remember, both while knitting and once the blanket is finished. A few years later, you won’t remember that the third range started at -4°C, but you might remember it if it started at -5.
• By the end of the project, you might run out of some colors. If you’re short of a color just for a few rows, use the closest color that you have on hand. It’s okay to cheat a little!

Fun Additions to Make Your Blanket Unique

In 2021, I had the joy of hosting a knit-along (KAL) with over 30 enthusiastic participants, and it was such a delightful experience! Each participant brought their own creativity to the project, contributing fantastic ideas for adding personal touches to their blankets. One knitter cleverly incorporated a white strand of yarn on snowy days, using a worsted weight white yarn that created a lovely, bulky effect when paired with her daily color. I think using a lace or fingering weight strand would work beautifully too! You might also consider adding a gray strand for those rainy days.

Another popular suggestion was to knit rows in a completely different color to commemorate birthdays and significant dates. Several knitters chose to add a special separation row in a distinct color after each month, while many were excited about the idea of embroidering the year onto the blanket’s border.

Additionally, beads and trinkets were incorporated into various blankets, placed near the edge to highlight birthdays, important milestones, and the start of new months. These creative additions not only make the blankets more personal but also transform them into cherished keepsakes!

Happy knitting!