Each blanket crafted by Candice Everett captures the essence of a single field season in the Northwoods, acting as a tactile diary that evokes memories of varying weather conditions.
Every row and color represents not just daily weather data but the unpredictable journey of hands-on learning and community spirit.
With a hook, yarn, and a data spreadsheet, Everett crochets tapestries that wrap her in memories of her tenure at the University of Michigan Biological Station.
“The end result is phenomenal. It’s peaceful and beautiful. You actually get that feeling of when you’re here,” Everett remarked.
As the academic program manager at the U-M research campus in Pellston, Everett oversees over 10,000 forested acres and coordinates field-based courses. Her position allows her to guide students and faculty to success during their spring and summer terms in nature.
Everett’s innovative “temperature blanket” project records daily temperatures using UMBS air sensor data, collected by resident biologist Adam Schubel.
“I wanted something that represented my time here,” Everett said, “especially since it’s the home of historic datasets that span generations of research by students and faculty.”
Introduced to crochet by her grandmother, Everett later embraced the craft during the early 2000s. At the station, her projects range from single-row blankets to intricate granny square afghans.
In 2023, she created a full-size blanket reflecting the high temperatures of each day using a pre-chosen color palette, from whipped cream to sunshine. The next year, she expanded her project to incorporate both high and low temperatures, choosing colors that harmonize for a modern granny square design.
One notable square records a 94-degree day, using burgundy and ocean colors, marking it as memorable.
In 2025, Everett made a temperature shawl, focusing again on high temperatures but using a broader color range. “I didn’t need another blanket,” she explained. “I wanted something I could wear in the office.”
Everett finds joy in crochet, describing it as a source of relaxation and accomplishment. She is already planning a gender-neutral temperature blanket for the 2026 field season, possibly as a prize for the UMBS staff’s annual ice-out competition.
— For a longer version of this story, visit the U-M Biological Station website
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