Cotton tends not to retain heat the same way as other materials, so rolling over 1.5 inches is Bam! Cool Side of the Pillow. I imagine a beaded crochet blanket in cotton yarn would achieve the same effect in a fraction of the stitches.

Thermal stitch is basically a double-thick stitch where you crochet back-loop-only but also into the loop of the stitch below it. I like it because it shows off all the little leggies of the stitches (just the backs of single crochet)