Before I start, here are some links that might be useful if you want to embark on this mission as well.
Firstly, if you want to work on an afghan based on temperatures from a past year, have no fear. There is a way to do that. Consult Wunderground's history database. Choose custom and give the range of date from January 1 to December 31 of the year you've chosen. If you're going to work in the current year, then you just have to wait and see what temperature the day brings. :-)
Here are a few sites with information on temperature afghans. I'm sure there are many more, but these are the ones I consulted.
Michael Sellick's The Crochet Crowd http://thecrochetcrowd.com/crochet-temperature-afghans/
Margaret McClaren's Stitching in the Woods
http://stitchinginthewoods.mclarenfamilycrafts.com/2015/12/10/temperature-blanket-crochet/
Yarn Inspirations http://blog.yarnspirations.com/crochet-temperature-afghans/
Each of these give pattern suggestions. Keep in mind, however, that if you are doing daily rows for a year, you will have 365 rows. That's a lot of rows. That is probably the reason it is said most people use single crochet for their afghans.
That said, I had a couple of other ideas for this afghan.
An afghan pattern noted on Facebook says that 9 rows = 4" in her pattern. If we take that as true for this particular pattern, then your afghan would be about 13 feet long. That's pretty long. That pattern is not in single crochet. However, I was looking at my own patterns and I have a similar shell pattern that is worked in columns. I think if one divides up the rows into four columns you could get a manageable size even with 365 rows. That will entail some figuring, however.
Here's what I'm thinking - and I have not done any actual swatches to verify yet. If I work 91 rows about 10" wide, four of those would give me a piece about 40-45" wide and the same length.
Another option I am considering is to use a seed stitch (also called moss stitch and linen stitch). I'm thinking probably three columns in that case and making them wider.
Years ago (2005 apparently), I made several afghans using the seed stitch option. This stitch is worked (sc, ch 1, sk 1). Then on the next row you work your sc into the chain space. It is a multiple of 2. Rows begin and end with a sc in my pattern.
Here's an example of one. It is a scrap afghan, NOT a temperature afghan.
In looking back at the pattern I wrote up, I do give possible number of rows as an option. This is using an I hook and worsted weight yarn.
160 rows = 40”
201 rows = 50”
250 rows = 62”
300 rows = 75”
I also noted that 9 rows = 2". If that works out to be true, then you could conceivably get an afghan about 81" long (almost 7 feet). That is long but much shorter than 13 feet! That is not even breaking it up into columns but working single column rows.
Given I can figure all the above out and decide on a pattern, the next step is colors.
The link above gives a temperature gauge and is available as a pdf file. You may or may not want to use the suggested colors. You may also want to change the range of temperatures on the gauge depending on where you live and what temperatures you can expect to have throughout your year. Of course if you are working from a past year, you have all the data already so you can have a look and see what will work for you.
In my backyard we have a long period of hot temperatures. We can get cold here too, but it is generally for a short period of time and sporadic. The high is rarely very cold though the low can be. It should make for an interesting afghan though.
Your warmer colors are yellow, yellow-orange, orange, red-orange, red, and red-violet and everything in between those colors.
Your cooler colors are violet, blue-violet, blue, blue-green, green, and yellow-green and everything in between those colors.
I will talk more about my progress in the coming days.
Happy crocheting!
Sandie
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