Have you ever wanted to make a temperature blanket, but the task itself scares the heck out of you because you will have a yearlong project that may grow double the length of your bed? With so many patterns out there, you have nothing to fear, but let me introduce you to the Mirage temperature blanket.
The Mirage temperature blanket is a large lap blanket, estimated to be 52” x 68” once finished. How? Well, the blanket is made up of monthly blocks that are 16” x 16” that tracks the low and highs of each day. Each row only takes around 5 minutes to make, that is 10 minutes a day you will commit to your blanket. Alternatively, you could wait to the end of each week and complete a weeks’ worth over the weekend.
For a temperature blanket that tracks such a large temperature range, you will need around 12 to 20 colours for 2 - 4°C increments. Now selecting colours is the tricky part. You can choose the traditional rainbow spectrum, or you could go with your favourite colours.
For my 2023 Mirage blanket, I have chosen browns, oranges, and reds as they were sitting in my stash and needed to be used. I live in a semi-arid climate, meaning cold and frosty winters and blistering hot summers hot as Tartarus. When I worked up most of January, it remined me of a mirage that you see in the desert, thus the name, plus the illusion effect the two columns of colours give.
I also started another blanket, tracking the temperatures for our 10th anniversary year, June 2022 to May 2023 in a muted rainbow colour palette.
Both blankets use Fiddlesticks Superb 8 from Tex Yarns. This is an 8ply / Dk / #3 weight yarn (100g; 250m/274yd). If you are using another weight yarn, know the finished size will be different to the pattern.
Yarn usage is all dependant on the area you live, how many colours you are using and what temperature increments you are using, thus as a rule of thumb, the temperatures that are common are the colours you will need more of. Now, you could go through a whole years’ worth of temperatures and count the days per temperature increment you have allocated, or you could just look at the average low and high for each month. For my area here in Australia, 16 - 30°C are the main temperatures out of 0 - 38°C that occur year-round, so out of my 20 colours, 8 colours I will need more of.
Because of this, yarn amounts are not included only a rough estimate the blanket will use, I won’t know the actual amount until I finish my anniversary blanket by mid-year. Now are you ready to start your Mirage temperature blanket?
You can purchase the pattern for $3 here in my store or on Ravelry. The PDF has US and UK terms, plus a bonus temperature record sheet for you to use.
Mirage temperature blanket Pattern
Terms: US terms
Skill Level : Advanced beginner / Intermediate
Video Tutorial
Materials:
8ply/Dk/3 weight yarn (colours listed below)
4.5mm hook & 5.5mm to start the border.
Scissors
Needle to sew in ends
Sizes
High & low blocks – 16” x 16”
Blanket size - approx. 52" x 68"
High OR Low block – 8” x 8”
Blanket size – 28” x 36”
Gauge
18 Sts x 16 rows = 4”
Yarn usage
Each 16” x 16” block uses approx. 300m, total of 3600m for all 12 blocks. The border uses approx. 1000 – 1500m, blanket total 4600 – 5100m.
Each 8” x 8” high or low block uses approx. 80m per block, total of 960m for all 12 blocks. The border uses approx. 500 – 1000m, blanket total 1460 – 1960m.
Stitches & abbreviations
St/s – Stitch/es
Sk – Skip
SS – Slip Stitch
Ch – Chain
Sc – Single crochet
Dc - Double crochet
Hdc – Half double crochet
Pattern Notes
The interlocking block stitch can become tight, so go up to a 5mm hook if needed.
The pattern is written for 2 types of monthly blocks:
8” x 8” is to track daily high OR low temperatures.
16” x 16” is to track daily high and low temperatures.
There are 2 border options, first you can weave in ends and SS along the edges then work the border. Second you can make a double border enclosing the ends. This border is much more difficult to make and you need a lot of patience.
Ch 1 at the start of rows, does not count as a St.
*to* represents a repeat of stitches.
( ) brackets represent a group of Sts in the same St/Sp.
Colours used in samples
Please note my temperatures are for a semi-arid environment here is Australia, you may use more or less of colours. Check your past weather for the months lowest and highest maximum and minimum temperatures for a general idea which colours you may need more of.
2°C increments - 0 - 37°C
Fiddlesticks Superb 8 – 8ply/ Dk/ # weight yarn (100g;250m/275yd)
2023 temperature blanket
Chocolate, Brown, Warm grey, Donkey, Taupe, Latte, Sand, Petal, Sherbet, Salmon, Blossom, Pumpkin, Carrot, Orange, Coral, Red, Rich red, Burgundy, Mulberry, Violet, Natural (border)
10-year anniversary blanket
White, Marl grey, Light grey, Duck egg blue, Amalfi blue, Blue, Steel blue, Tartan green, Green, Leaf green, Butter, Mustard, Peach, Strawberry, Raspberry, Cherry, Maroon, Purple, Light purple, Magenta, Grey black (border)
Photo and video tutorial
Stylecraft special Dk (100g/295m) 4°C increments to 28°C, then 2°C to 35°C
<4 Lobelia, 5 - 8 Empire, 9 - 12 Turquoise, 13 - 16 Grass green, 17 - 20 Kelly green, 21 - 24 Pistachio, 25 - 28 Dandelion, 29 - 30 Blush, 31 - 32 Fondant, 33 - 34 Fuchsia purple, 35+ matador, border - cream.
Pattern is written as 8” x 8” (16” x 16”)
Ch 33 (65) or Foundation Sc 32 (64)
R1 (Day 1 low)
Sc in 2nd Ch from hook, Sc in each Ch to end.
Stitch count – 32 (64) Sc
R2 (Day 1 low)
Ch 1, turn, Sc in 1st St, *Ch 2, Sk 2 Sts, Dc next 2 Sts* repeat until 3 Sts remain, Ch 2, Sk 2 Sts, Sc in last St, change colour to high temp for day 1, fasten off low temp colour.
(Stitch count – 32 (64) Sts = 14 (30) Dc, 2 Sc, 8 (16) Ch 2)
Note – All rows are now worked into the skipped Sts over the Ch Sp of the previous row.
R3 (Day 1 high)
Ch 1, turn, Sc in 1st St, Dc next 2 Sts 2 rows below, *Ch 2, Sk 2 Sts, Dc next 2 Sts 2 rows below* repeat to end, Sc in last St, change to day 2 low temp for day 2, fasten off high temp colour.
(Stitch count – 32 (64) Sts = 16 (32) Dc, 2 Sc, 7 (15) Ch 2)
R4 (Day 2 low)
Ch 1, turn, Sc in same St, Ch 2, Sk 2 Sts, *Dc next 2 Sts 2 rows below, Ch 2, Sk 2 Sts* repeat to end, Sc in last St, change to high temp colour for next day, fasten off low temp colour.
(Stitch count – 32 (64) Sts = 16 (32) Dc, 2 Sc, 7 (15) Ch 2)
R5 (Day 2 high)
Ch 1, Sc in first St, Dc next 2 Sts 2 rows below, *Ch 2, Sk 2 Sts, Dc next 2 Sts 2 rows below* repeat to end, Sc in last St, change to low temp colour for same day, fasten off high temp colour.
(Stitch count – 32 (64) Sts = 14 (30) Dc, 2 Sc, 8 (16) Ch 2)
Continue to size you are making to finish off the block.
8” x 8” square (high or lows only)
R6 – 31 (Day 5 – 30)
Repeat R4 & R5, finish on a R5 repeat. For months that do not have 31 days, fill in the remaining days with your border colour. Months with 31 days, the maximum temp for day 31 will be the next row.
R32 (Day 31)
Ch 1, turn, Sc in 1st St, Sc next 2 Sts, *Dc next 2 Sts 2 rows below, Sc next 2 Sts, * repeat to end, Sc last St, fasten off.
(Stitch count – 32 Sts = 16 Dc, 16 Sc)
16” x 16” (high and low)
R6 – 62 (Day 3 low – 31 low)
Repeat R4 & R5, finish on a R4 repeat (low temp row). For months that do not have 31 days, fill in the remaining days with your border colour. Months with 31 days, the maximum temp for day 31 will be the next row.
R63 (Day 31 high)
Ch 1, turn, Sc in same St, Dc next 2 Sts 2 rows below, *Sc next 2 Sts, Dc next 2 Sts 2 rows below, * repeat to end, Sc last St, change to border colour or use same colour for last row.
(Stitch count – 64 Sts = 32 Dc, 32 Sc)
R64 (Day 31 or border colour)
Ch 1, turn, Sc in 1st St, Sc in each St across, fasten off.
Stitch count – 64 Sc
Border
Foundation
5.5mm hook (if you crochet tight, go up to a 6mm hook)
Starting in the bottom left corner (right for left handers), SS along bottom of block into each St,
turn to work along the edge, SS up the edge of the block in each row to the last row,
turn to work the top of the block, SS into each St along the top of the block,
turn to work along the edge, SS down the edge of the block into each row to the R1, SS to 1st SS.
Place SM in corners, making sure there are 32 (64) SS per side, 31 (63) SS between SM’s.
Change to 4.5mm hook
R1
Note - Place a SM in the 2nd Sc in each corner.
Ch 1, 3 Sc on same St as SM, *Sc under both loops of SS along edge to last St, 3 Sc in St with SM* repeat around, omitting last 3 Sc, SS to first Sc.
Stitch count – 136 (264) Sc = 34 (66) per side [33 (65) Sts between SM’s]
R2
SS to 2nd Sc in corner (with SM if you placed one), Ch 1, *(Hdc, Ch 2, Hdc) in same St, Hdc in each St to 2nd Sc in next corner* repeat around, SS to first Hdc, fasten off.
Stitch count – 144 (272) Sts = 35 (67) Sts per side
Sew in ends.
Envelope border
Repeat R1 & 2 on the opposite side of the block, working under the loop of the SS or you can SS around again and work as the front. Knot and trim ends. To join both sides of the border, Sc together, making (Sc, Ch 2, Sc) in the corner.
Joining squares
You can work a JAYG (Join As You Go) Sc round for joining squares together. You can sew or SS squares together if you are not familiar with the JAYG method.
I hope you enjoy making your blanket. Make sure to tag @buttonnose_crochet on instagram and use the tags #miragetemperatureblanket and #buttonnosecrochetpattern