How to Plan a Temperature Project with FREE Tracking Sheets!

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY FREE TOOLS TO PLAN A TEMPERATURE PROJECT

First, download my temperature project designs from my free library – look for Design #706. Alternatively, you can use the Save This Project from near the top of this post and the design link will be emailed to you.

The PDF folder contains a Temperature Color Chart and Temperature Tracking Chart, which you can use to help plan your project.

The SVG folder contains a 365 square grid to make a year-long cardstock temperature tracking quilt.

TIP: If you’re not sure how to download zip files and upload designs, go to jennifermaker.com/svgs.

STEP 2: PRINT OR OPEN YOUR CHARTS IN A PDF EDITOR

1. Open the PDF folder in my free download.
2. Open the Temperature Color Chart PDF (the one with “color-chart” in the file name).
3. Use the form digitally by inputting the data in a PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat, or print it from a program that can open PDF files like Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Acrobat Reader.
   NOTE: I recommend printing the color chart because you can attach a material sample of the medium you’re using (cardstock, fabric, yarn, embroidery floss, etc.).
   
4. To print from Adobe Acrobat Reader, click “File” then “Print,” or click the Print icon at the top of the screen.
5. Make sure your inkjet printer is selected from the dropdown menu.
6. Adjust your printer settings if desired. I used the default settings for my inkjet printer.
7. Click “Print.”
8. Open the Temperature Tracking Chart PDF (the file with “track-temp” in the name) in a PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat to input the data digitally, or repeat steps 4-7 to print the chart using Adobe Acrobat Reader.
   
   

STEP 3: PLAN YOUR TEMPERATURE COLOR CHART

1. Before you start your project, grab or open your Temperature Color Chart. If you printed it, also grab a pen or pencil and your project materials.
2. At the top, choose whether you’ll use Fahrenheit or Celsius temperatures for your project and write a checkmark next to that measurement.
3. Where it says “Project,” write which project you’ll be using these materials for. This is especially important and helpful if you’re making multiple temperature tracking projects. Since I’m using cardstock for mine, I’ll write “Cardstock Squares Temperature Tracking Project by JenniferMaker.”
4. Decide which temperature ranges you’d like to track, and write them in the column titled “Temperature Range.” Since I chose 10 degree increments, I wrote “0 or below” in the first field, “1-10” in the next field, “11-20” in the next, and so on.
   NOTE: I designed my chart using 10-degree increments so I only have to choose a max of 10-11 colors of materials – or fewer, depending on where you live!
   TIP: If you live in an area where there are milder temperature fluctuations, plan your temperature ranges to be 5-degree increments to ensure more color variation in your project. If you have 12 or more different colors, be sure to print multiple copies of the chart.
   
5. In the “Color Name & Number” column, find or assign the color name and/or number for each material that you’ll use to represent each temperature range.
   NOTE: I used dark red cardstock for my “91+” temperature range on my paper quilt, so I wrote “Recollections Essentials Dark Red.” This is especially helpful and important if you’re using different brands with the same color names, or different shades of the same color.
   
6. If you printed your chart, in the “Material Sample” column, you can glue or tape a small sample of the material that matches what you wrote in the “Color Name & Number” field.
   
   

STEP 4: GET AND TRACK YOUR TEMPERATURE DATA

1. Grab or open your Temperature Tracking Chart. If you printed it, also grab a pen or pencil.
2. Write a checkmark next to “Fahrenheit” or “Celsius” depending on which measurement you’re using for this project.
3. Where it says “Project,” write which project you’ll be using these materials for. This is especially important and helpful if you’re making multiple temperature tracking projects.
4. Go to wunderground.com/history in your web browser.
5. Type in your ZIP code into the “Location” field.
   
   
   
6. In the drop-down menus, select the date that you’d like temperature data for.
   
   
   
7. Click “View.”
   NOTE: The city at the top of the page may not be your city. That’s because weather data is typically gathered from stations at airports, and is representative of your general location. For example, I entered the ZIP code for Dexter, Michigan and the result was temperature data from the airport in nearby Romulus, Michigan. If you’d like to use the weather data from a different city, click “Change” next to the station name at the top, and select a new option from other nearby professional and personal weather stations.
   
8. Scroll down to where it says “Summary,” and the High Temp and Low Temp will be listed for that date.
   
   
   
9. To get data for multiple days at a time, click “Weekly” or “Monthly” at the top of the data, then scroll down to see “Daily Observations.”
   
   
   
   NOTE: In the “Weekly” and “Monthly” views, the high temperature is called the “Max” and the low temperature is called the “Min.”
   
10. Record the data you need on your Temperature Tracking Chart.
    
    

STEP 5: PREPARE AND CUT YOUR PAPER QUILT PIECES

NOTE: First, measure the surface to which you will attach your cardstock squares. If you'll display your finished project in a frame, measure the inside frame dimensions from the front.

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

Your year-long temperature tracking project will reflect data for 365 days of the year. This is a LOT of data, so planning is important!

NOTE: When each of the 365 days of squares have been attached to the board, you will be left with some empty spots at the end. You can fill the space however you like, with a color key, the year, or something else.

1. In Cricut Design Space on a blank Canvas, click “Upload.”
2. Click “Upload Image.”
3. Click “Browse.”
4. Select the SVG you want to use.
   NOTE: Inside the SVG folder, there is a “full-year” file and a “heart” file. If you’re just starting your paper quilt temperature project, use the file with “full-year” in the name.
   
   
   
5. Click “Open” and then “Continue.”
6. Click “Upload” to add the design to your Canvas.
7. Ungroup the design.
   NOTE: On each square, one layer will represent the High temperature and the other layer will represent the Low temperature for one day. You can choose which piece represents the High or Low – just make sure they stay consistent throughout the whole board! I used the bottom piece for the Low temperatures and the top piece with the heart cutout for the High temperatures.
   
   
   
8. Click “Save” and give your project a name.
9. Select the entire full-year design and resize it to match the dimensions you measured on the surface to which you'll attach your squares. Keep the lock icon closed to maintain proportions.
   NOTE: The dimensions of your full-year grid design on your Canvas should be as close as equal to the inner dimensions of the front opening of your frame. My frame's front opening measured about 23.625" x 17.625". I entered "23.625" in the "Width (W)" field, which resized the height to 17.719", which is almost exactly the size of the frame opening.
   
   
   
10. Look at your Temperature Tracking Chart and determine how many days worth of squares you need to cut. I recommend cutting squares in batches and updating your project throughout the year.
11. Select the number of squares on the Canvas that matches the number of days you need squares for, then drag them to the side.
    
    
    
12. Group the remaining squares.
13. Rename the group of remaining squares “Rest of the Year.”
14. Click the eye icon to hide the “Rest of the Year” group so they won’t be cut on this batch.
    NOTE: When you’re ready to cut another batch of squares, open this project in Cricut Design Space and follow the same steps to prepare more.
    
15. Select one square.
16. In the Layers Panel, click the arrow next to the square to expand the two layers.
    
    
    
17. Using your Temperature Color Chart for reference, use the Color Box at the top to change the colors of each layer to reflect your chosen colors for the High and Low temperatures for each day. Remember to stay consistent when selecting which layer represents the High and which represents the Low.
    
    
    
    NOTE: When using the same colored materials for multiple days worth of squares in one cutting session, be sure to choose the same exact shade of that color so the right number of pieces cut on the right mats.
    
    TIP: If you’re cutting a lot of squares at once, drag each completed one down to the bottom of the Canvas to help stay organized.
    
    
    
    
18. When you are finished changing the colors of all of the squares on the Canvas, group them.
19. Right click on the group in the Layers Panel and rename it to reflect the dates they represent.
    

CUTTING

1. Make sure the correct machine is selected.
2. Click “Make” in the upper right corner of the screen.
3. On the Prepare screen, make sure that “On Mat” is selected.
4. Set your Material Sizes to match your materials, if needed.
   
   
   
5. Click “Continue.”
6. On the Make screen, I used the “Medium Cardstock - 80 lb (216 gsm)” setting with “More” Pressure for all of my mats.
   
   
   
7. Place your first mat’s material face up on a green StandardGrip machine mat so it covers the design area on the screen.
   NOTE: Make sure to load the correct color and material to match your screen.
8. Use your brayer to smooth the sheet down and make sure it’s adhered well.
9. Make sure your Premium Fine Point Blade is clean and in the correct clamp.
10. Insert your prepared mat into your cutting machine so it matches the screen’s orientation, and press the flashing button to load it.
11. Press the flashing middle button to begin the cuts.
12. When it has finished cutting, don’t unload the mat just yet. Instead, gently lift a corner of the design to see if the cut went all the way through the sheet in the correct spots.
13. If it’s not cut through, smooth the material back down and press the middle button again so your Cricut can go back over the cuts one more time.
14. When the cut is finished, press the flashing button to unload the mat.
15. Flip your mat over and peel it away from the material.
    TIP: Save the leftover cardstock heart shapes for confetti, or use them as material samples on your Temperature Color Chart.
16. Repeat steps 7-15 for the other mats.

STEP 6: ASSEMBLE YOUR PAPER QUILT

1. Use your Canvas in Cricut Design Space as reference to match up the layer pairs for each day.
2. On one layer pair, turn the top layer over.
3. Apply a small amount of craft glue to the back of the top layer. Avoid applying glue too close to the heart cutout.
4. Adhere the glued top layer to the bottom layer. Make sure the edges align.
   
   
   
   TIP: If you’re making a batch of squares, write the date on the back of each one as you go to keep track.
   
   
   
5. Remove the backing and glass from your frame. Place the glass somewhere safe until the year is over and your project is finished.
6. Place the artboard inside of the frame.
7. Replace the backing on the frame, then flip the frame over to the front. Make sure the frame is positioned horizontally, with the hanger at the top pointing away from you.
8. Starting with January 1st, apply a small amount of craft glue to the back of the square.
9. Press the glued square into place on the very top left of the inside of the frame. Be sure to align the edges of the square with the edges of the frame so the entire grid stays straight and aligned as you fill it in.
   
   
   
   TIP: Reference your Temperature Tracking Chart as needed if any pieces move out of place.
   
10. Repeat steps 8-9 with the remaining squares. Align the edges of each subsequent square with the previous one you added to the board.
    NOTE: Make new squares in batches to fill in the remainder of your board throughout the year.
    TIP: The "full-year" file is very large and may cause Cricut Design Space to work slowly on your device. To save time, use the "heart" SVG to prepare and cut as few as one square at a time. If you resized your original full-year grid, open it on your Canvas and record the dimensions of one single square. Resize the single "heart" SVG to match those dimensions, then duplicate it as many times as needed for each batch of updates.

STEP 7: SHOW IT OFF

Here’s what my temperature tracking paper quilt looks like after my first batch of squares were added!



Follow this tutorial to prepare and add more pieces of data to your temperature tracking project throughout the year!