I’m not sure that I’m an expert on this, but I’m into my third year of this strange behaviour, so I think I can add something to the discussion.

During my first weeks in Beijing I began to collect the data for my scarf.   Just temperature and weather conditions, but it was enough to keep me interested.  I was surprised at how long the scarf was after only 4 months!

It was fun to do, so I began a more detailed project in 2016, creating a piece of fabric with r strips. To the left is the Air Quality for Beijing, nest is the temperature, then the weather, and finally a record of the temperature where my daughter was (Beginning in Calgary but ending in London, Ontario).  I’m not sure there’s a correlation between weather, temperature and air quality, but I do know from experience that WIND is my friend in Beijing.  2016’s data is not really wide enough so for 2017 I am adding a stripe for AQI in Beijing and the temperature in London, Ontario will be added to the right.

These are a few things you might want to consider before getting into this adventure:

• These blankets eat yarn, so buy lots of it.  Even with stripes of 30 stitches and Double Knitting weight yarn, I was looking for more of some colours.
• They get heavy.  I did mine in three pieces.  By the end of March it’s already getting warm here in BJ, so I started another strip.  By the time I got caught up  after summer vacation, it was so cold in my apartment that I welcomed the extra to keep me warm.
• There are alternatives.  You could make a hat for each month – give it to someone for a birthday preasent, perhaps.  A scarf would work, or a very long stocking hat could work too!Y
• You have to collect your data.  Thanks to internet sites you can miss a week or two and get the information, but after that it may get more difficult.  You can get behind on your knitting, but not the data.

Having said that, I found that I could knit while listening or watching something.  As I recorded the data I also had some space to write notes about what I did that particular day.  It’s an interesting little journal.

I hope this is helpful if you are planning such a project.  It can become addicting!

Have a great day!

Marcia