How much yarn for a temperature blanket?
A throw-size crochet temperature blanket in worsted takes about 3,400 yards in total. How much of each colour depends on your town's weather.
Updated
Work out yarn per colour for my town
Total yarn: crochet temperature blanket
Half double or double crochet, all colours together, before extra.
| Size | DK | Worsted | Bulky |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lovey / security 12 × 12 in | 190 yd 175 m | 160 yd 150 m | 110 yd 100 m |
| Baby stroller 30 × 35 in | 1,400 yd 1,250 m | 1,200 yd 1,100 m | 790 yd 720 m |
| Receiving 36 × 36 in | 1,700 yd 1,550 m | 1,450 yd 1,350 m | 970 yd 890 m |
| Crib 45 × 60 in | 3,550 yd 3,250 m | 3,050 yd 2,800 m | 2,050 yd 1,850 m |
| Throw / lap 50 × 60 in | 3,950 yd 3,600 m | 3,400 yd 3,100 m | 2,250 yd 2,050 m |
| Twin 66 × 90 in | 7,800 yd 7,150 m | 6,700 yd 6,100 m | 4,450 yd 4,050 m |
| Full / double 80 × 90 in | 9,450 yd 8,650 m | 8,100 yd 7,400 m | 5,400 yd 4,950 m |
| Queen 90 × 100 in | 11,800 yd 10,800 m | 10,150 yd 9,250 m | 6,750 yd 6,150 m |
| King 108 × 100 in | 14,200 yd 12,950 m | 12,150 yd 11,100 m | 8,100 yd 7,400 m |
Total yarn: knitted temperature blanket
Stockinette, all colours together, before extra. Garter stitch uses about 15% more.
| Size | DK | Worsted | Bulky |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lovey / security 12 × 12 in | 150 yd 140 m | 130 yd 120 m | 85 yd 80 m |
| Baby stroller 30 × 35 in | 1,100 yd 1,000 m | 950 yd 860 m | 630 yd 580 m |
| Receiving 36 × 36 in | 1,350 yd 1,250 m | 1,150 yd 1,050 m | 780 yd 710 m |
| Crib 45 × 60 in | 2,850 yd 2,600 m | 2,450 yd 2,200 m | 1,600 yd 1,500 m |
| Throw / lap 50 × 60 in | 3,150 yd 2,900 m | 2,700 yd 2,450 m | 1,800 yd 1,650 m |
| Twin 66 × 90 in | 6,250 yd 5,700 m | 5,350 yd 4,900 m | 3,550 yd 3,250 m |
| Full / double 80 × 90 in | 7,550 yd 6,900 m | 6,500 yd 5,950 m | 4,300 yd 3,950 m |
| Queen 90 × 100 in | 9,450 yd 8,650 m | 8,100 yd 7,400 m | 5,400 yd 4,950 m |
| King 108 × 100 in | 11,350 yd 10,350 m | 9,700 yd 8,900 m | 6,500 yd 5,950 m |
Working out yarn per colour
Each colour gets a share of the total, in proportion to how many days fall in its temperature band. Count last year's days per band (the planner does this for you), then multiply each band's share of the year by the total.
For example, if 60 of 365 days fell in your 10–14°C band, that colour needs 60 ÷ 365 = 16% of the yarn. For a 3,400-yard throw, that's about 550 yards, or 4 skeins of 200 yards with 10% extra.
Buying tips
- Buy one extra skein of the two or three most common colours. This year's weather won't match last year's exactly.
- Buy the rare colours last. You may need only a few yards, so leftovers or mini skeins can do.
- Check dye lots for the colours you'll use most, so they match all year.
Common questions
How much yarn do I need for a temperature blanket?
A throw-size (50 × 60 in) crochet temperature blanket in worsted yarn takes about 3,400 yards in total; knitted, about 2,700 yards. That is spread across all your colours.
How many skeins of each colour should I buy?
If the yarn were shared evenly across 10 colours, each would need about 340 yards of a throw. But weather isn't even: the commonest bands can take 2–3 times that and the rarest almost none. The planner counts the days for your town so you can buy the right amount of each.
How long is a temperature blanket?
One row per day gives 365 rows. At a typical 0.2 in (5 mm) per row in worsted, that is about 73 in (185 cm) long. Two-row stripes or thicker stitches make it longer; thinner yarn makes it shorter.