I’ve jumped on that colorful bandwagon and am making a Temperature Quilt, or as my scientist husband likes to refer to it: a Heat Map. And, I’m hosting a
…so keep reading for how you can win. Teaser:
Giveaway now closed.
Now back to our regularly scheduled blog post.
Here are some examples of heat maps:
And one we are most used to: temperature heat maps. By the way, between the polar vortex and Australia’s heat waves, the heat maps this year are really getting quite the range.
Over the space of a few days, I’d looked up the range of temperatures in my area, chosen my colors, and then set to choosing colors. I had bins of my favorite solid fabrics: Painter’s Palette by Paintbrush Studio and what I didn’t have, I found at the Pineapple Fabrics booth at the Road to California, which just happened to be open this week. (See below for more information and the giveaway).
I made myself a preliminary chart, but by looking at Weather Underground’s calendar for this month for my city, I could see I would need to add a couple more lows. The chart on the right is the final one, and I added a color for rain, since that’s a Big Deal around here. Here’s the website for my city; you can type in yours and get your own calendar.
I was following along with Michonne’s Instagram posts for her Temperature Quilt last year. Like me, she’s not a fan of the heat (she lives in a hot climate, too) and since I didn’t want a whole quilt of reds and oranges, I switched up my colors. I don’t think it matters what you do, just keep a chart and be consistent.
Because I recently had rotator cuff repair surgery (aha! you knew it had been quiet around here…well that’s why), I was back to drawing lines on cloth and cutting them apart with scissors. It’s my right arm that’s out of commission, so no rotary cutting for me for a while.
I put them all in little baggies, labeled with their place in the chart, the color number and name, and the temperature degrees spread. I went with a three-degree spread because I wanted a lot of variation and colors.
I only made a few of this color, because if it’s over 115 for too many days, I don’t know what I’ll do.
If the day is warmer than the day before, the middle arrow points upward.
If the day is cooler than the previous day, the middle arrow points down.
If it’s a tie, I’ll look at the day’s low temperature and let that be the deciding factor.
If everything is a tie, then it stays pointing up.
Rain triangles always go on the left side of the big triangle when it’s pointing up (even if it is flipped around).
I penciled in the date in the seam allowances.
It’s interesting sewing with the dominant hand mostly out of commission. I’ve gotten better at wrangling the iron left-handed. And I iron in steps, as shown above. Everything is s l o w e r.
I was excited to get this to use for tracing around for cutting, but whoops. This just won’t do.
I corresponded with the company and apparently I need to iron the seam allowances toward the smaller triangles to make it work. I haven’t done that. Those of you who are long-time readers know I appreciate the sculpting that can happen with the direction the seam allowances are pressed. Because I want the larger triangle to pop, this won’t work, but I’m keeping this ruler around anyway. (I ended up using a smaller 4 -1/2″ ruler with a rough undersurface to help things from slipping around.) [And no, I’m not obsessing if the tip of a triangle is cut off a bit. There’ll be over 365 of those in this quilt, and since I’m working left-handed, it’s a miracle they are even sewn.]
And so here I am on this nearly last day of January. I planned this so I’d have pinks in the scorching temps and lots of blues in the moderate temps, but was surprised at the combination of oranges and greens in January’s temps.
It reminds me of the citrus bushes next to my driveway (kumquats) and if you ever drive by, you are welcome to pick some. It’s citrus-picking season around here (Valencia oranges come on later in the season). But no worries, I’ve lived before in Wisconsin in during one of the coldest-it’s-been-in-80-years winters, so I am familiar with how it feels be up North. Obviously their temperature maps this year will be blasting open the lower ranges of possibility:
Pineapple Fabrics is the place where I buy all my Painter’s Palette. (If you use that link, you’ll be taken right to the place to purchase the fabrics.) There are several of us who are total manaical fans of this fabric and after you try it, you’ll be converted. Linda has written about why you should try this fabric; I’m in love not only with the colorfastness, but the silky hand and fine weave.
I’d like you to be able to try some. Because I can’t get to the Post Office (not cleared for driving yet), and because my husband is the one doing all my errands, I’m going to limit this to U.S. readers only.
And you’ve got to get your quilts quilted, right?
When I did the top quilt, all in a rainbow, Magnifico was just new on the market. Some of those sections are Magnifico, some are So Fine, both threads by Superior Threads Company.
But when I quilted my two most recent quilts: Northern Lights Medallion and Annularity, it was Magnifico all the way for one reason: it makes your quilting look great. Superior Threads has graciously agreed to give away some thread, too.
If you want to win this bundle, leave me a comment about the hottest day you can remember and where it was.
If you want to win this bundle, leave me a comment about the coldest day you ever lived through and where it was.
Both bundles have one spool of Magnifico Thread, and two yards of Painter’s Palette Solids. Yep — you have to choose: either the Hottest or the Coldest. If you write for both (always interesting) I’ll use the first comment you left for your entry. If you are a follower, you get two double chances. I’ll close the giveaway February 1st.
And many thanks to our donors:
Leave me a comment!
OccasionalPiece--Quilt! 
we have had temp’s above a hundred a few years back here in N.West Ga.
30 below when I lived in Minnesota
The hottest I can remember is the summer of 2002. I worked at the Inyo Register in Bishop, Calif. The writers sat up in the attic of the all metal building, right above the printing presses. We had a malfunctioning swamp cooler that would have been worth more for its scrap metal. That was the first time I experienced my chair being warm when I came back to it. Yuck. I’m almost certain I’ve been in hotter weather since then, but that summer will forever stand out to me.
When I was in Indiana, even Purdue closed when the wind chill was below -65 for fear the students would get frostbite while walking to class. So the students went out and played.
Hottest: I spent my mission in central Florida & thought that was hot… however- now I live in Eastern Washington. E WA is a desert & this past summer was 115 degrees in a hot, dry heat. The only relief was about 10 degrees cooler in the basement.
Hi, Elizabeth,
Although I have lived in TX for 30+ years, I spent several years in upstate NY..actually, WAY upstate! We lived 150 miles north of Syracuse in a small town (600 people) called Hermon. The temps in the winter would routinely get to -30 degrees. One day, they closed school because the temp that morning was -47 and they couldn’t get the boiler in the school to work.
I cannot imagine trying to sew with my non-dominant hand! You are a wonder to me and I always love reading your pieces and seeing your work.
Blessings,
Celia
When I was a kid I can remember it getting in the -20s here in eastern Washington but not in recent years.
Coldest: I grew up in Utah with an elevation of about 5,000 feet. For someone that does NOT like snow or being cold, it seemed like everyday was the coldest day ever.
Just saw the blizzard of 78 come up on FB. Lowest barometer ever in Cleveland, lower than a hurricane. We are down to 2 tonight, but only catching the edge of that polar vortex. Gosh, I’d love to walk outside and pick kumquats! I’m happy to see the luscious citrus at the store!
Coldest day would be here in Michigan -30 this week! Love your post and pictures. Fabulous quilt!
July 6th, 2018 it was 118 degrees in my hometown. Even the pool was too hot to be refreshing. We don’t do cold much in this area. But even 50 degrees feels cold when you are used to warmer temps. 🙂
Hottest day was well over 100 degrees a few years ago, here in Western NC. I like your colors! Have a happy day!! 🙂 🙂 angielovesgary2 atgmail dotcom
The coldest day I can remember in Austin, Texas, where I used to live, was 15 degrees F. After we moved to New York, I remember that the first time I experienced single digits was a shock.
Your temperature quilt is going to be spectacular. I’m looking forward to watching it grow. Your hot days are going to look so great in those colors. Hopefully, we will see a rain block this weekend. I agree that the Fantastico is a perfect quilting thread. It quilts so well and I like the shine it has. I have used the Paintbrush solids a bit and they really are such a nice quality. Wish they were available closer.
You know how I love the heat, but I think the coldest I have ever been was growing up in the Midwest. I remember walking the two blocks to school on such a cold day that my sister and I walked backwards to keep the wind out of our faces. When a total stranger pulled up and asked if we wanted a ride we jumped in her car so fast – in spite of all the warnings our folks had given us. She took us right to school too!
The hottest day I can remember was back in the summer of 1996 when the temperature reached 110 degrees F. as we were driving through Death Valley, California. However, it was dry heat and did not feel as bad as 90+ degrees with lots of humidity which we often have here in SW lower Michigan each summer.
You do like to mix things up don’t you. I love that you are adding rain into the mix. As for the hottest day, it probably wasn’t really the hottest temp I’ve experienced but it was the hottest most miserable I’ve ever been . . . hiking a jungle trail with a Mayan medicine man and sweating in places I didn’t know you could sweat.
My family lived in Indio, CA and I can’t remember a single “hottest” day, just a string of summer days so hot that we would spend all day indoors and wait until 10pm before we would venture outside. Mom would go grocery shopping then, while we kids would meet up with our friends, and the little kids would play under the stars, thankful for the feeling of cool grass on their bare feet. It really was rather magical–it felt like we were “out of time”, not bound by the clock. Meanwhile, during the day the thermometer readings were above 115, regularly.
The hottest day I remember most is my birthday, Feb 8th I cannot recall the year but in the dead of winter it got to 96 degrees in Texas. I was born in Minnesota on a day when it was 50 below zero. That is almost 150 degrees difference! Amazing what humans can withstand!
The coldest day I have ever experienced would be today. Currently in Great Lakes, Illinois for my sons boot camp graduation. The low was -17.
The hottest day actual temperature wise I’ve experienced here in eastern Oregon was 112 degrees. I’m looking forward to seeing your quilt as it grows.
The summer my daughter was born in 1993,we decided to go camping at Moabi on the Colorado river in Arizona. The temperature that weekend was 128 degrees, we were in a motorhome and the generator would not work, so no air conditioning. I think that is the hottest day I can ever remember
I think the coldest day that I can remember was when I was in first grade in WV. We did not have school. In the afternoon, my two older brothers (one was 9 years older and the other was 3 years older) decided they wanted to go sledding. Of course, I wanted to go, too. They told me that they would not wait for me. Mom, being a teacher was at home with us and Dad was out on the farm at his parents’ home. I put on my coat, hat, scarf and gloves. I had on sock and just pulled on my boots and did not put on shoes. I have no idea at that age what the temperature was. It had to be COLD because we had school if it was warm enough for the buses to start. I grabbed my sled and crossed US highway 119. I pulled the sled across the field, across the bridge, and over to the hill. I pulled my sled up the hill and down I went. I couldn’t make it down the hill very many times because my feet were so cold. The older brother had to pull me home on the sled. He didn’t make me walk up the steep steps to the house. He pulled me around the driveway to the back door. I barely walked into the back porch and pulled off my boots. My feet were bright red. I had to sit in front of the front fireplace with my back to the fire and my feet under a blanket. My mother was not happy with any of us.
In Oklahoma, we have very hot days. We get 110 degree days. Years ago, my ex-husband and I had a ski boat. When we would stop, we would have to get us and the kids out of the boat and get under the edge of the boat for shade because of the temperature and the sun combined.
The coldest would have to be today. Here in Wisconsin where I live the high today was -11, and it was windy so there was a wind chill around -30 . And by morning on Thursday, it is suppose to get down to a temp of -30 with a wind chill around -50. Pretty hard to keep the house warm, even the wood stoves don’t seem to want to work very well. But, we will get thru it and it is suppose to warm up by the weekend.
Yesterday was -6 with a windchill of -18. Too cold.
You sure are well organized! My coldest day was when we lived in Caribou, Maine. Temp never got above zero despite bright sunshine. I’m just telling you, that was awful.
You are so organized! The coldest day I remember was in New York City, I was 15 walking to the train station in ballet flats (we were poor) in deep snow so I can get to school. My feet were frozen and wet by the time I got to the station and I still had 24 stops before getting to school. Not a good day at all.
I have just found your blog, thanks to Cindy at Live a Colorful Life. Your quilts are simply amazing! I signed up to follow so I don’t miss anything going forward. I live where we don’t get too many extreme temperatures so I’m struggling to come up with either a hottest or coldest day memory. I do remember many hot days on visits to our son in New Orleans, where of course it’s hot AND the humidity is oppressive.
Well, today was -25 when I got up and yesterday was -24. So I think this is the coldest ever. Wind chills down to -60.
When our family went to Hoover Dam it was 117. That was my hottest day ever. Ugh.
Oh, I’m so glad you’re joining the temperature quilt craze! Yours with flying geese is going to look so good! And I’m impressed that you managed to cut fabrics with your left hand. I don’t think I could do that. Love it whenever someone has a giveaway with PPS (as you know!). It’s such gorgeous fabric! Thanks for pointing others to my blog post about why it’s so good. Of course for your giveaway I MUST choose the hot bundle, and while I love the fabrics, I am looking forward to trying Magnifico thread. I’ll be looking for some at QuiltCon. One particularly hot day, when our family lived in Mason City, Iowa, all of us were gone. When my little brother was the first to return home, he noticed that the taper candles in our mother’s decorative sconces, were no longer standing tall, but were all drooped over. Turns out the air-conditioner had gone out. It was hot!
The coldest day I can remember was in Edmonton, Alberta in the mid 1980s. It was so cold that when you opened the door, a kind of dry fog was created and billowed down the basement stairs. Brrrrr.
The hottest day I remember was two summers ago, here we had several days above 110 degrees and or AC was broken at the house. The coolest our house got was 80 F. Inside or house it was regularly 100 F.
For interesting information, seven years ago in Indiana it was -40. We stayed inside for a week.
Here in Adelaide we’ve just had our hottest day since 1939 – 115F (46.2C) I lay in front of an electric fan and watched the tennis on tv 🙂 we drank plenty of cold drinks and ate salad. I thought about making a temperature quilt but have decided I will do a rainfall quilt instead.
My hottest day was 108° in Delaware in 1984. Over 100 for 8 days and not below 90 at night. People had blocks of ice delivered to cool off pool water.
My coldest was-25° actual temperature Christmas Eve 1975. Just home from college between semesters, my car was not winterized and allowed to go in the one car garage. Spent Christmas morning jump starting family’s and neighbor’s vehicles. Also -25° in Saranac lake for winter festival in 2007. My father’s Christmas gift trip to see ice castle and events in that small Adirondack village. He was in his 80’s. Good memory.
Thank you for the link to history temperatures. I have been searching for a reliable easy to use site.