I’m working on a new project/experiment, and I thought I’d share it with you. Last month I added a new meditation to my practice, a Metta/Loving Kindness meditation. I read on Instagram (I know, it’s Instgram, but sometimes I find useful stuff there) that the Metta meditation can help rewire your brain for happiness. Apparently, the practice of loving kindness increases activity in the left prefrontal cortex (the happy place) and reduces activity in the right prefrontal cortex (the depression and anxiety place). I figure I’ve got nothing to loose and everything to gain, so why not?! I read-up on the study that I initially read about, found a nice free Metta meditation on the Insight Timer app, and got to meditating every morning.

The only thing is that it’s hard to know if it’s working (especially if you don’t have access to an fMRI to track your brain). I’ve heard from teachers like Eckhart Tolle that you won’t actually see a difference in yourself as you grow and heal, it’ll mostly be the people around you who notice a difference. So I figured, maybe I’ll track it, which will also improve my ability to stick with it. Then I figured, why not have some fun with it and create a tangible, physical representation of what’s going on inside me … I’ll make it into a blanket!!! Instead of tracking the weather, I’m going to track something I can celebrate: my neuroplasticity.

HOW I’M DOING IT

• My lowest point every day is when I wake up, so as soon as I come out of sleep and back into conciousness I take note of how I feel on a scale of 1 to 10. I do a lot of things to moderate my mood, including exercise, dance, connection, crafts, meditation, etc, and I want to get a reading from a point in the day when I haven’t done anything to affect it. The purpose of the experiment is to track if my baseline is shifting, and if so how much. I don’t really need to know how much better I feel after the Metta meditation (right now it seems to be about 30% better), I want to know how it affects my baseline neurology, the function of my brain when I haven’t yet done anything.
• I track my numbers in an online journal. There are lots of online journaling apps out there, I use the Day One, which I’ve had for a decade. You can use a calendar, a note book, your journal – whatever is easiest for you to use and is easy to get your data from.
• I’m planning on doing the Crochet Linen Pixel Temperature Blanket (see below). I like the idea of making squares!
• I’m using Sandnes Garn Double Sunday, which I restock regularly (I have no idea how much I’ll need of each colour for this project), and I’m sticking to a palette that’s a bit of gradient from burgundy to light pink. I like the idea of the darker colours representing the lower numbers or ‘darker’ states, and the lighter colours reflecting the higher numbers or lighter states of being.

SUGGESTIONS

Unfortunately, I don’t have anything to show you yet, other than my colour selection, but I already have a few insights.

• Start collecting your data a little ahead of time, before you start knitting/crocheting. I started collecting my data a month into the meditation practice, and I’m finding that my numbers are going up, and the lowest number I’ve had since I started collecting my data has been a 3. If it keeps trending up (fingers crossed) then I’ll never have occasion to use my first two colours.
• Select a yarn that’s easy to get more of. I have no idea how much I’ll actually use of any of the colours, so I chose a yarn that I restock regularly (Sandnes Garn Double Sunday).
• You might need more than 10 colours. I started working on a scale from 1 to 10, but I’m already hitting 6, so I’m predicting that I might go over 10, and I’m adding a few colours to the top of my scale (or shifting my scale and making it stretch from 3 to 15)
• You don’t need to make a blanket! People also make shawls, scarves, cowls, socks, stuffies, etc. See the links below.
• HAVE FUN WITH IT! People take meditation too seriously and get into a lot of judgement of themselves around their ability to do it, and whether they are doing it ‘right’. Meditation is a practice; there’s always something to learn and room to grow, so if you are taking it up for the first time, just have as much fun with it as you possibly can!
• CHECK YOUR TENSION! One caveat is that making internal changes like taking up meditation or going to therapy can bring ease to your entire system, which in turn can temporarily change your tension (it usually gets looser). If this happens to you, you might need to go down a needle/hook size or two for a little bit.

WHAT IS A TEMPERATURE BLANKET?

A temperature blanket is a project where each row or stitch represents the weather conditions or temperature of a specific day. From cool blues and greens for cold winter days to warm oranges and yellows for hot summer weather, the colours of the blanket change according to a pre-chosen colour scale. Knitters/crocheters typically assign a colour to certain temperature ranges, allowing them to visually depict temperature variations over time.

If you aren’t drawn to the idea of tracking the temperature, you can also follow other types of data, like precipitation (I have one client who was making a blanket based on the security alert updates at her university …. you can adapt the idea to any trend or phenomenon). Some people make blankets for children based on the weather from the first year of their life.

Temperature blankets also don’t have to be linear – you can make squares, strips, or blocks and join them together in any way you like. Plus, one of the major benefits is you don’t need to have elaborate skills to make a temperature blanket, the basics go a loooong way!

• Temperature Blanket Inspiration of Instagram
• Crochet Temperature Projects
• Knitted Temperature Projects

Crochet Linen Square Temp Blanket

• FREE Pattern
• Worsted Weight Yarn (like Cascade 220 Superwash or Berroco Vintage): 1 ball in each of 12 colours (or more)
• 5mm crochet hook

Choosing the colour scheme

One of the appealing aspects of knitting a temperature blanket is the ability to personalize the project and choose a colour scheme that resonates with you. You can create your own colour scale or use existing templates available online. Some people prefer using a simple scale (like the colours of the rainbow), assigning a unique colour to a specific temperature range (ie. assign warm colours {pink, red, orange, yellow} to the warmer temperatures and cool colours {green, blue, purple} to the cooler temperatures). Others get more creative, incorporating multiple shades within a range to add depth and texture to their project. Some go for neutrals or keeps things more tonal. If you want to go REALLY off grid, you can choose a bunch of different yarns in similar colours and let the nuances of the different textures take over (be sure to choose yarns that are very close in thickness, for example all worsted weight or all DK weight). It’s totally up to you, there are no rules.

Tracking the temperature

To create a temperature blanket, it is essential to track the temperature each day. You can use various sources such as local weather reports, weather apps, or outdoor thermometers. Maintaining a record of the daily temperature allows you to map out the colours for each row or stitch accurately.

Tunisian Crochet Temperature Blanket

• FREE Pattern
• DK Weight Yarn (like Berroco Vintage DK, Berroco Vintage Baby, or Sandnes Garn Double Sunday): about 100g in each of 9 colours (or more)
• 5mm to 6mm tunisian crochet hook (depending on your tension … if you are making short rows like this blanket you may only want to get a 24″ cord for your hook, an extra-long cable may get a little in the way)

Selecting the pattern and yarn

One of the great things about a temperature project, especially a blanket, is you have tons of flexibility in which yarn you choose! Thicker, thinner machine washable, the variables are flexible. Once you have decided on your color scheme, it’s time to choose the pattern and yarn for your temperature blanket. Simple, repetitive stitch patterns like garter stitch or stockinette stitch work well for these projects since they allow the colours to take centre stage.

Want some inspiration? Try #temperatureblanket on instagram

• Most patterns for temperature blankets seem to be designed with DK or Worsted weight yarn. If you want your project to work up faster go for a thicker yarn like Berroco Vintage Chunky, but be sure to adjust your needle size.
• I suggest making your blanket in one piece or in larger blocks that are easy to join. If you choose a pattern with small motifs, make sure it’s a “join-as-you-go” technique, otherwise you’ll have a pile of tiny pieces at the ends and may want to commit homicide (or worse).

Crochet Linen Pixel Temperature Blanket

• FREE Pattern
• DK Weight Yarn (like Berroco Vintage DK, Berroco Vintage Baby, or Sandnes Garn Double Sunday): 15 colours (they used a total of 2500g to make a queen sized blanket)
• 5.5mm crochet hook

The joy of daily knitting

Knitting a temperature blanket involves a long-term commitment, as it represents an entire year’s worth of weather patterns. Many knitters find the slow progression of this project to be a calming and reflective experience. Each day, as you add a new row or stitch to your blanket, you reflect on the passing of time and the seasons that shape our lives. It becomes a tangible way to record memories and observe the subtle changes throughout the year.

Knitted All Kinds Of Weather Blanket

• FREE Pattern
• Worsted Weight Yarn (like Cascade 220 Superwash or Berroco Vintage): 1 ball in each of 10 to 25 colours.
• 5mm/US8-29″ to 32″ circular needles

A keepsake to treasure

Knitting a temperature blanket not only results in a beautiful and functional creation but also serves as a keepsake to treasure for years to come. Each time you wrap yourself in your blanket, you will be reminded of the effort, patience, and memories that went into its creation. It becomes a personal and unique memento, capturing the story of a year in one cozy and comforting piece.

Knitted Ribbed Temperature Blanket or Scarf

• FREE Pattern
• Worsted Weight Yarn (like Cascade 220 Superwash or Berroco Vintage): 1 ball in each of 12 colours (or more).
• 5mm/US8-36″ circular needles (or longer for blanket, or 24″ to 29″ for a scarf)