Fabric Temperature Quilt with English Paper Piecing
- Belle Brunner
- Dec 27, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Making a 2026 Temperature Quilt with Jewel Petal (or Hexi) EPP shapes.
For the last three years after learning what a temperature quilt was, I’ve wanted to make one. But I never got around to it. This year I’m going to do it! Would you like to join me?
A temperature quilt is a quilt that visually records daily temperature data over a set period of time—most commonly a full calendar year—using fabric color (usually solids) to represent temperature ranges. Each day becomes a fabric moment, turning weather data into a meaningful, stitched record of time, seasons, and lived experience.
Rather than focusing on patterns or motifs alone, a temperature quilt tells a story through color. As the year unfolds, the quilt reveals gradual seasonal shifts, sudden cold snaps, heat waves, and everything in between. When finished, it becomes a textile time capsule—one that reflects both climate and memory.
How a Temperature Quilt Works
Before any sewing begins, a temperature quilt starts with planning. You create a temperature key by dividing a range of temperatures into increments—often 5° or 10°—and assigning a specific fabric color to each range. Once this key is established, it remains consistent for the entire project.
I’ll be using 5° increments per color from my 16 Fat Quarter Blissfield Solids Bundle for Benartex. The collection ships to quilt shops in March 2026 along with my Montgomery Mountain Charm collection. I suggest you start out with 1/4-yard cuts of any of their other solids available now and then buy more as you need.
Our extremes here in west central Arkansas are normally not below 25° and not higher than 95° so that is where I'm starting and ending using a plus or minus on the extremes just in case it gets below or above those temps. You can choose to use a wider increment of temps and less fabric or a shorter range of temps and more colors. It all depends on your preferences. I suggest you visit www.wunderground.com to see what the history is with the highs and lows in your town.
Each day’s temperatures are recorded and matched to the appropriate color based on that key. Over time, these daily choices build a visual timeline of the year.
Here are the two handy charts I made to log my swatches/temp ranges and the daily highs and lows for each day of the year. You can download them along with the EPP templates further down in this article.
High & Low Temperature Using English Paper Piecing (EPP)
There are MANY options for making these types of quilts but for my temperature quilt, each day is represented by two English Paper Piecing (EPP) shapes:
• One represents the daily high temperature
• One represents the daily low temperature
I’ll be using the Jewel Petal shapes to form a heart, but you can choose between two shape options:
• Two jewel petal shapes per day
OR
• Two hexagon shapes per day
I decided to go with an EPP block because I wanted something simple that didn’t require tons of fabric and a quilt block that I could stitch up quickly (even when not at home). Templates for both options are provided so you can choose the shape you prefer before beginning.
ADD MEANING: I plan to write one thing I’m grateful for on the back of one of my petals for each day. You can also keep a journal that corresponds to what you were grateful for or a highlight of that day. I like this one: One Line a Day Journal
THE STEPS
For each day:
1. Select the fabric color that corresponds to the high temperature.
2. Select the fabric color that corresponds to the low temperature.
3. Cut your fabric into 1” EPP shapes using my paper template provided, Accquilt GoBolt or an acrylic template.
I used my Accuquilt Bolt and Jewel Petal Die to cut my EPP shape. You can always get the Accuquilt GoMe if you need something more budget friendly.
I have a limited number of the hexagon papers and jewel petal fusible leave-in papers in my online shop. Then you can get more HERE.
4. Glue base fabric to either EPP papers , Jewel Petal Papers, or ThermoWeb HeatnBond Craft Extra Firm Non-Woven fusible or non-fusible leave in stabilizer (my preference). Here is a video on how I cut and use leave-in firm stabilizer: VIDEO
5. Create two of the same EPP shapes (either hexagons or jewel petals).
6. Hand sew the two shapes together.
7. Machine appliqué the joined shapes onto a 5” background fabric squares (4.5” finished) . You need a total of 381 background squares.
Here is the video tutorial to show you how from start to finish:
I have a bunch of jewel petals cut and ready to stitch for the first week of January. I had to guestimate how many I would approximately need based off all four seasons we have here in Arkansas. I'll likely have to cut a few more depending on how the weather actually turns out. I plan to stich mine each night in bed while watching the Great British Sewing Bee on Roku with Quilt Husband. We love that show (he's expressed wanting to learn to sew because of it!)
Each completed background square with EPP shapes represents one full day. You may choose to stitch one each day or several days at once depending on your schedule. Once I have 19 squares machine appliqued, I'll likely go ahead and sew that row together and set aside.
If you want to use Hexi EPP shapes instead, here is what that could look like (without predicting all the colors you would use):
BACKGROUND AND CONSTRUCTION
All daily units are machine or hand appliquéd onto 5" background fabric squares. I picked 5" in case you wanted to use solid charm squares but also because it would be an even bigger quilt if they were any larger. You may choose either white or black background fabric so that your colors pop. For this quilt, I’m using Vanilla from Benartex Superior Solids to provide warmth and allow the temperature colors to stand out clearly.
QUILT LAYOUT & FINISHED SIZE
The quilt is laid out in a 19 × 20 grid:
• 365 appliqued squares represent daily high and low temperatures
• 12 empty background squares are placed at the end each month to denote the start of a new month. Then 4 feature squares are placed at the end of the last row to finish off that row.
Those four feature empty squares/section might be fun to include:
• Quilt title
• Year
• Location
• Temperature key or legend
This layout results in a finished quilt top measuring 85.5 inches × 90 inches. Then you will baste and quilt as desired or send off to a longarmer 😉. I know one who is taking new customers. Leslie is a gem. Send it off to her HERE. I think that's what I'll do since my longarm frame is only 8ft.
MY EXPECTATIONS
This temperature quilt won’t just be about tracking weather (which I do all the time as I plan my life)— I think it will be about stitching time into fabric at home or on the go. When the year ends, what remains should be a quilt rich with memory and meaning. Not to mention the biggest quilt I’ll have made yet! The great thing is it won't feel daunting since it will be made bit by bit.
If you end up making a Jewel Petal or Hexie EPP Temperature Quilt too, tag me on social media. I’d love to see yours! #EppTemperatureQuilt
PS. New to English Paper Piecing and not quite ready to make a Temperature Quilt yet? I often have Beginner EPP Kits in my shop (sometimes I'm sold out). The kit comes with beginner video tutorials and everything you need to make your first three EPP flowers.
Make Lovely Things,
Belle 🔔