DECEMBER 1, 2021 TO PRESENT

Am finally caught up on Temperature Blanket,

and am so enjoying this project.

So now it's just one row a day to the end.

Most scared that I will run out of certain yarn colors and I already have over $300 invested.

Did I mention how hard it is to find Peace Fleece right now?

I even had to go outside the U.S. to Canada to find a few of the colors. 

So my fingers are crossed.

The temperatures in Crestline went up into the mid 80's

 and I was able to bring in a new color for that temp.

Can you guess which one it is?

It's called Mourning Dove and represents temps from 84 to 89 degrees

We had a couple of those days mid Feb. and beginning of March.

I'm really hoping that the temps drop way low in April and May 

so I can throw in colors called Amaranth and Woolly Bear.

We usually get one more super cold front between now and the end of May.

Plus we still need more rain and snow to build up enough water 

to take us thru another super warm summer that is predicted for this year.

As Liz from I'm Going to Texas remarked in the comments,

it's looking like a blanket inspired by the Ukraine people,

their flag colors of blue and yellow.

How apropos. 

SNEAK PEEK ALONG WITH AN UNPLANNED HAPPY COINCIDENCE

Temperature Blanket yarns have all arrived and been caked up.  

Now to get caught up for 2 1/2 months on Temperature Blanket.

You are looking at the month of Dec. 2021 where I wanted to start this blanket.

The city temperature is based at our cabin in Crestline, Ca.,

and taken at 12 p.m. noon everyday.

This is usually the highest temp during the daytime hours there.

The first of Dec. was a bit on the warmer side (low 80's) 

seen in the light cream on very edge ,

and then dropped a bit (high 70's) to the yellow (Chickie Masla).

 By 3rd of Dec. the temps quickly dropped down into the 60's and a few 50's,

with several days in-between in the 70's.

Needless to say a fairly warm December.

The Peace Fleece Yarn has a bit of a stiff hand

 so I upped the size of the crochet hook from an "H" that was recommended to a "J".

It's helped a bit but still a little denser feeling then I was hoping for.

The yarn is supposed to soften a bit after a gentle warm bath at the end.

I was also told by yarn store owner at Buku Yarns in LaVerne, Ca.

to add lots of extra lanolin in the rinse for softness.

But I'm so enjoying the tweed -like color changes and textures in all the yarns.

Plus the size "J" hook gives it a bit of an open lacy vibe.

Working on 2 separate projects right now.

The pair of socks for Jim (just turned the heel on first one)

and this blanket where I'm averaging about 6 rows of crochet a nite.

The happy coincidence happened after the first several nights of crocheting.

After finishing up one night I left the blanket on the couch 

and the next morning realized that the colors I picked to work with 

are almost identical to the colors in the painting above the couch.

Crazy, right?

My husband and I were so surprised because it was totally unplanned.

So now we know where it will end up when finished. 

Right now it's helping to keep the chill off in the evenings while working on it.

Our pup is enjoying it too!

What a life, huh?

LOL

If you are wondering about the painting,

it is an original oil that Jim purchased before I knew him,

one of his favorite pieces in the house.

It's such a stunning piece and I so admire the artist's loose style.

I guess I'm been looking and crafting under it for a good 10 years now.

Guessing the colors have penetrated my sub-conscious.

You are seeing only 7 of the 12 colors chosen.

Looking forward to incorporating the rest when the weather calls for them.

So far a super fun and exciting project

that's totally controlled by the weather.

WHICH ONE?

#1

All my skeins have arrived and have been wound into cakes.

But is there a preference,

 I'm wondering,

 between the 3 slightly different orders?

#2

Or are none of them just right yet?

Input would be appreciated.

#3

Please leave a comment.

Thanks All!

A LOVELY RESPONSE

Super excited that several of you responded to the Temperature Blanket project 

and to the use of Peace Fleece.

This grouping above was on the Ravelry site which is such a pleasing selection.

Sadly there is no finished blanket to go with this picture.  

Guessing it's still in production.

A quick note if any of you out there are interested in starting this blanket.

I had to go to at least 6 different yarn stores across the nation 

to find all the colors I wanted to use.

I'm guessing there are a lot of people out there doing this project

or something else with Peace Fleece. 

So many of my colors were sold out. 

I actually spent all nite rounding up my choices,

which turned out to be a fun challenge.

I looked up on the Peace Fleece site all the stores that carried their yarns.

They usually sell for $12.60 a skein,

but at one location I had to pay over $15

 for a couple of the colors that weren't found anywhere else. 

So this is the first time I'm  averaging out the cost,

cuz that's how I roll,

ha ha!

Let's say with shipping, tax and handling each skein comes out to about $16 a skein.

The original pattern calls for a full bed size bed blanket (6.5 by 7.5).

But I only wanted a lap blanket so I cut the pattern in half.

I also had to consider that some of our temps for Southern Ca. are more common,

like the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's,

so figuring I'd need 2 skeins for those

(but knowing me I probably ordered way too much)

It looked like at least 19 skeins were needed for half the size blanket. 

Of course it's all a guessing game.

So now,

with all of you,

 for the first time,

I'm figuring out how much I probably spent after spending it.

(of couse I could just look at Pay Pal but it's so much for fun doing it with you guys)

19 times $16.00 is

cough, cough,

$304 big ones.

Yuck!!!!

Oops.

Now remember I'm not a data nerd,

so I'm really hoping my calculations are correct.

This is going to be one hell of an expensive project,

but I rationalize that the money is going to a wonderful cause

(I'm already thinking about what I can make out of the left over yarn,

if indeed I ordered too much)

Tax right off??

Probably not.

Oh well,

I'll keep you posted.

A TEMPERATURE BLANKET

Recently I was turned on to a new Fiber Store in Portland Maine 

called Port Fiber.

As I was purusing their shop I ran across a yarn that I was introduced to

 maybe a good 20 years ago called Peace Fleece.

Back then it was a combination of American Wool mixed with Russian Wool.

Because I thought the idea a great one I purchased a bit of the yarn

 and made a child's sweater but didn't really like the feel of the wool.

It had a rough hand and was a bit stiff,

not a pleasure to knit with.

So,

 I never bought more.

but always loved the idea of it and wanting to support them.

After reading their current mission statement it looks like they are now combining Navajo Herders sheep (usually Churro but in this case Rambuillet) 

and Texas Mohair goats in combo with wool from Farms back East.

But after seeing these pictures of finished blankets in the Port Fiber shop

created with Peace Fleece,

 I was hooked,

and had to find out more about them.

So off went $10 for a color card

There are about 30 colors and 9 neutrals.

They are called Temperature Blankets and this originated as a 

Crochet-(or Knit)-Along 2 years ago.

You can see more of them on Ravelry if you are interested.

Each blanket represents a daily years worth of temps.,

and they advertise it as a perfect project for data nerds.

Well,

I know I'm not that,

ha ha,

 but the surprise and random outcomes of each blanket had me fascinated.

The outcome is not something I could completely control which I love.

The blanket is worked in stripes with one row of single crochet (or knit)

for each day in a color that represents that day's temperature.

They suggest breaking up the temps. into 5 or 10 degree increments.

I went for 5 so I could use a few more colors.

They recommended10 colors,

 but I only mangaed to narrow it down to 12 colors so I'm working with 5 degree ranges.

Below are my final choices.

Honestly I was tempted to go with the 10 saturated colors 

on the 2nd page of the color card,

but my husband said it looked too blah,

that I needed to add a few other colors to make the blanket pop a bit.

Did I listen to him?

Of course, 

he was probably right.

We'll see.

My degree breakdown looks like this from left to right:

1.  106-111 degrees  Wooly Bear

    2.  100-105 degrees Glasnost Gold

             3.  94-99 degrees  Mourning Dove         

4.  88-93 degrees      Palomino  

      5.  82-87 degrees      Chickie Masla

 6.  76-81 degrees Desert Tundra

           7.  70-75 degrees  Anna's Grasshopper

 8.  64-69 degrees     Baltic Blue

       9.  58-63 degrees  Kalinka Malinka

10. 52-57 degrees  Bonnie Blue

11. 46-51 degrees      Amaranth

 12. 40-45 degrees  Mesa Marble

Don't you just adore the names of the colors?

My favorite is Chickie Masla.

WOOL WITH PURPOSE

A small New England fiber company with a mission.

We work to support pastoral communities that have been historically in conflict with the US. Currently we are working with the Navajo to offer fair market prices for the Rambouillet sheep wool raised by families in the Navajo Nation. Our yarn is made of this wool blended with a domestic fine wool and mohair for strength. We love what we do, and we hope you will too.