Chevron Tassel Temperature Blanket – free Tunisian crochet wave stitch afghan pattern

2023 is a wrap, and you know what that means. It’s finally time to share my Chevron Tassel Temperature Blanket pattern!

This is my 5th temperature blanket completed in consecutive years, and I’m excited that the tradition is going strong. Last year I made the classy Linen Pixel Temperature Blanket, before that was the fan-favorite Linen Square Temperature Blanket, which came after the Bias Granny Temperature Blanket, and before that was the inaugural Tunisian Crochet Temperature Blanket. Each year’s design is a chance to stretch my skills, play with new yarns, and track my year in the best way I know – crochet! Keep reading for full details on my latest temperature blanket design.

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PIN IT NOW, MAKE IT LATER

What the Heck is a Temperature Blanket?

A temperature blanket is a crochet or knit afghan where a series of rows or squares correspond with the day’s temperature. This post is specific to my Chevron Tassel Temperature Blanket, but you can find more specific information about temperature blankets in these posts:

• Plan the Perfect Temperature Blanket
• Picking Temperature Blanket Colors + Yarn
• 15 Knit + Crochet Temperature Blanket Ideas

Still curious about temperature blankets? Sign up for my FREE 5 day email course to learn the ins and outs of planning and executing your next temperature blanket. JOIN THE COURSE!

CHOOSING MY YARN + COLORS

Picking colors for a temperature blanket can be pretty daunting. You have to consider the number of colors you want to use, yarn fiber, and availability. I’ve used commercially-available yarns in the past and love the convenience of them. Still, I decided to treat myself to a hand-dyed palette this year, courtesy of the Yarn Fairies at Sewrella Yarn.

I met Ashleigh of Sewrella when she was still a blogger and designer. More recently, her hand-dyed yarn business has taken off. I contacted her about my temperature blanket color palette idea and she instantly said yes! We decided to use her Nylon Sock base, which combines merino wool with a touch of nylon for added durability. This yarn is categorized as a category #1 fingering weight yarn – the perfect weight for a throw-size temperature blanket.

Learn more about Sewrella Yarn from their website, and join their email list for special collections and behind-the-scenes content. Special thanks to Sewrella Yarn for providing the yarn for this year’s temperature blanket!

Color helps to establish the mood of the finished temperature blanket. Last year’s blanket had a classy, mature look to it. This time, I wanted something a bit more fun. We pulled inspiration from a Moroccan spice market, and then I asked the Sewrella team to sprinkle their fairy dust on it. The resulting palette blends rich warm and cool tones with a healthy dose of varied neutrals. Your eye drawn to the bright mustard and grapefruit colors, but they’re balanced with shades of brick red, deep teal, khaki brown, and other gorgeous shades.

Tools + Supplies

I like to designate a specific set of tools for my temperature blanket project at the very beginning. This helps me stay organized and maintain my gauge from start to finish. I felt especially spoiled by the Sewrella team this year – they gifted me a set of their new metal interchangeable Tunisian crochet hooks! I’ve wished for a hook set like this for ages, and what I received exceeded my expectations. Each hook is silky smooth with a perfect point, and they fit my favorite swivel cords perfectly.

Learn more about these hooks in my review – CLICK HERE!

Given the light gauge of the fingering weight yarn, I could break it with my hands when fastening off, so I didn’t keep scissors with this project. I also vowed not to weave in a single end on my blanket so I didn’t keep a tapestry needle with me. Instead, I turned all of the yarn tails on the edges of my blanket into vibrant twisted tassels.

I like to finish my projects with a reality TV binge, and this year, I watched multiple episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars. Watching hilarious drag queens lip-sync and sashay their way to the crown is the perfect way to twist over 50 tassels!

Try not to pass out from shock, but I did not block my blanket after finishing this year. There is something so fun and relaxed about the slight curling at the top and bottom of my blanket that I didn’t want to lose. I will need to wash it at some point, and it makes sense to pin the edges while it dries. For now, though, I’ll enjoy the casual chic style of my Chevron Tassel Temperature Blanket.

Chevron Tassel Temperature Blanket Details

MATERIALS

• Sewrella Yarn Nylon Sock, fingering weight (#1), 400 yards per 100 grams, in 15 colors (see temperature gauge above). Alternately, use any fingering weight yarn that you love or consider stash-busting.
• 5mm Tunisian crochet hook with 24″ cord (I used these hooks and these cords)
• Scissors

FINISHED SIZE

60″ long x 48″ wide

GAUGE

Given the weight and drape of this blanket, determining the gauge is a little tricky. Reference the photos above and try to match my unblocked gauge to achieve the same dimensions.

ABBREVIATIONS

• Ch = chain
• Lts = Last Tunisian Stitch (see Special Stitches)
• RetP = Return Pass (see Special Stitches)
• Sk = skip
• St(s) = stitch(es)
• Tks = Tunisian knit stitch (learn it HERE)
• Tss = Tunisian simple stitch (learn it HERE)
• Yo = yarn over

SPECIAL STITCHES

–Last Tunisian Stitch (Lts): Insert hook under BOTH vertical bars of the last stitch and complete as for Tss.

–Return Pass (RetP): Ch 1, (yarn over, pull through the next 2 loops on hook) until 1 loop remains on hook.

NOTES

• The Chevron Tassels blanket is inspired by the Bahama Blanket. It uses a 14-stitch chevron of Tunisian simple stitch. The Forward Pass counts as one day, and the Return Pass counts as the next day.
• I worked my project using historical weather from the year I got married, and I stitched 13 months to represent the 13 years of my marriage so far. I pulled the high temperatures only for Columbus, Ohio, where I lived for the first year of my marriage. I found historical weather information from Wunderground.com.

TIPS FOR CHANGING COLORS

• If you need to change color before starting a Forward Pass, add the new color when there are 2 loops left on the hook at the end of the Return Pass. If you need to change color before starting the Return Pass, add the new color when pulling up the loop of the Lts (see Special Stitches) at the end of the Forward Pass.
• Leave a 15″ tail when adding a new color or fastening off. This will ensure that your tails are long enough to turn into twisted tassels. I measured close to 15″ by holding the yarn in my fingers and (lightly) stretching it to my elbow.

CHEVRON BLANKET LAYOUT

The Chevron Tassel Temperature Blanket is constructed from the bottom up in rows of Tunisian simple stitch chevron. The Forward Pass of a row is one day, and the Return Pass of that same row is the next day. My blanket was designed to represent a historical year – the year I got married. My blanket starts in March 2010 and includes 13 months to represent the 13 years I’ve been married so far.

After binding off, I made a pile of yarn strands with my leftover yarn to create a twisted fringe on the edges of my blanket. Making fringe this way prevented having to weave in a year’s worth of ends. Learn my method for perfect twisted tassels in this tutorial video:

Not familiar with the Tunisian crochet chevron? Learn it in this helpful video:

Chevron Tassel Temperature Blanket Pattern

REMEMBER: The Forward Pass counts as one day, and the Return Pass counts as the next day. See notes above for tips on changing colors.

With the first color, ch 267.

ROW 1: Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, pull up a loop in the back bump of each ch across. The starting chain + the Forward Pass are worked in the same color. Change to the color for Day 2, RetP.

ROW 2: With the next day’s color, yo, tss 5, sk 1, tks 1, sk 1, *tss 5, yo, tks 1, yo, tss 5, sk 1, tks 1, sk 1; rep from * to last 6 sts, tss 5, yo, Lts, change color if needed, RetP.

Repeat Row 2 for the remainder of the blanket (13 months total). Slip stitch bind off when the last day is complete using the same color. Fasten off, leaving a 15″ tail.

Finishing

Using a mix of your leftover yarns, make a pile of 30″ yarn lengths. Use this tutorial for making twisted tassels that incorporate the yarn tails from the blanket. I had 16 yarn lengths in each tassel. OPTIONAL: Steam block your blanket to meet the finished size and/or to manage the curling at the top and bottom of the blanket.

Working on My 2023 Chevron Temperature Blanket

I know I say this every single year, but the Chevron Tassel Blanket has to be my favorite. Not only is this blanket beautiful, but it represents one of the best and most challenging years of my young life.

When talking about temperature blankets, some of the same questions come up time and time again, with the most frequent being how to stay motivated. I think I’ve cracked the code – make your blanket special. Consider changing the formula of a typical temperature blanket and make it your own. Instead of tracking temperature, track your moods or the scores of your favorite sports team. Instead of tracking the current year’s temperature, try a historical year that means something to you. I used my first year of marriage, but you can use a baby’s birth year or even the first year you lived in your new home.

If you have a dyer you’d love to work with or a stash of fingering weight yarn to use, the Chevron Tassel Temperature Blanket is the one for you. Here’s a video preview of what you can expect when working on your blanket:

Whether this is your first temperature blanket post from me or you’ve been following this journey since 2019, THANK YOU for being here. This is one of the most fun traditions I have in TL Yarn Crafts, and it means the world to me that you’re interested in my projects. Be sure to join my email list and follow me on Instagram to get updates on my 2024 blanket. I think you’re really going to like it!