This doorway curtain hangs like a slow rain of night-sky charms. Cream crescent moons, golden mustard stars and small dusty blue balls are spaced along slim cream cords. Every cord loops over a natural wooden dowel, and the strands sway gently as you walk through.
The palette is soft and warm: ivory cream, mustard gold and muted denim blue against light wood. The style mixes a boho nursery with cottage calm. It suits a child’s room, a reading nook or any open doorway that needs a gentle divider.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain is about 33 in (83.8 cm) wide at its widest point. It drops about 73 in (185.4 cm) from the dowel to the bottom of the lowest ball.
Construction is modular. You crochet 30 flat moons, 30 flat stars and 48 stuffed balls, plus 12 slip-stitch cords with hanging loops. Then you tack the motifs onto the cords at set heights and slide the loops onto the dowel.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 33 in (83.8 cm) wide x 73 in (185.4 cm) long
- Skill level: Easy to Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: worsted weight (#4) cotton
- Hook: 4.0 mm (US G-6)
- Number of pieces: 12 cords, 30 moons, 30 stars, 48 balls (120 pieces)
- Layout: 12 strands spaced 2.75 in (7.0 cm) apart, 9 motifs per strand
- Piece sizes: moon 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tip to tip and 1.75 in (4.4 cm) at its widest; star 3 in (7.6 cm) point to point; ball 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across; cord 72 in (182.9 cm)
- Size before edging: moon about 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tip to tip; star about 2.75 in (7.0 cm) point to point
- Edging depth: one round of sc, about 0.25 in (0.6 cm)
Materials
Choose a smooth, combed or mercerized worsted cotton. Cotton holds its shape, barely stretches on long cords and shows crisp stitches. The amounts below assume about 190 m per 100 g.
- Cream (A): 250 g, about 475 m: moons, cords and sewing
- Mustard (B): 150 g, about 285 m: stars
- Dusty blue (C): 150 g, about 285 m: balls
All quantities include a safety margin of roughly 30 percent.
Tools:
- 4.0 mm (US G-6) crochet hook
- Wooden dowel, 36 in (91.4 cm) long and 1 in (2.5 cm) thick
- Two cup hooks or curtain brackets
- Polyester fiberfill, about 40 g
- Large-eye yarn needle
- 10 locking stitch markers
- Scissors and measuring tape
- Spray bottle, blocking mat and pins
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- inc: 2 sc in the same stitch
- sc2tog: single crochet 2 together
- sc3tog: single crochet 3 together
- MR: magic ring
- st(s): stitch(es)
- RS: right side
Special stitch: back-bump slip stitch. Turn the chain over so the bumps on the back face you. Insert the hook under the back bump only, yarn over, and pull through the bump and the loop on your hook.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 20 sc and 22 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm), or 5 sc and 5.5 rows = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Gauge controls yardage and how the motifs relate to each other. Make one of each motif first and measure it.
Checkpoints:
- Ball after Round 3: about 1 in (2.5 cm) across, flat
- Ball finished and stuffed: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across
- Star after Round 4: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across
- Star finished: 3 in (7.6 cm) point to point
- Moon after Row 1: about 4 in (10.2 cm) along the inner curve
- Moon finished: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tip to tip
- Cord: 5 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm), so 360 ch = 72 in (182.9 cm)
If your pieces come out too big, go down a hook size; if they’re too small, go up a size. Change the hook for every piece type so the proportions stay matched.
Ball (make 48 in C)
Work in continuous spiral rounds and mark the first stitch of each round.
- Round 1: 6 sc in MR. (6 sts)
- Round 2: inc in each st around. (12 sts)
- Round 3: (sc in next st, inc) 6 times. (18 sts)
- Rounds 4–7: sc in each st around. (18 sts in each round)
- Round 8: (sc in next st, sc2tog) 6 times. (12 sts)
Stuff firmly so the ball is round, not squashy.
- Round 9: sc2tog 6 times. (6 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail. Thread the tail through the front loops of the last 6 sts and pull closed. Keep the tail for attaching the ball.
Star (make 30 in B)
The star has a solid round center and five short points worked in rows. The magic ring leaves a tiny visible ring at the center.
Center
Work in joined rounds. The ch 1 at the start of a round does not count as a st.
- Round 1: ch 1, 10 sc in MR, sl st to first sc. (10 sts)
- Round 2: ch 1, (sc in next st, inc) 5 times, sl st to first sc. (15 sts)
- Round 3: ch 1, (sc in next 2 sts, inc) 5 times, sl st to first sc. (20 sts)
- Round 4: ch 1, (sc in next 3 sts, inc) 5 times, sl st to first sc. (25 sts)
Place a marker every 5 sts to divide the round into 5 sections of 5 sts.
Points
Work each point over one 5-st section.
- Row 1: ch 1, sc in next 5 sts, turn. (5 sts)
- Row 2: ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next st, sc2tog, turn. (3 sts)
- Row 3: ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (3 sts)
- Row 4: ch 1, sc3tog. (1 st)
Fasten off. Join B with a sl st in the first st of the next section and repeat Rows 1–4 until you have 5 points. Weave in the tails.
Moon (make 30 in A)
The moon is worked in rows on a foundation chain. The taller, increased center stitches push the outer edge into a curve. The slip-stitch ends taper the tips to soft points.
- Foundation: ch 21.
- Row 1 (RS): sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 2 ch, hdc in next 3 ch, dc in next 2 ch, 2 dc in each of next 4 ch, dc in next 2 ch, hdc in next 3 ch, sc in next 2 ch, sl st in last ch, turn. (24 sts)
Chains used: 1 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 4 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 20.
- Row 2: ch 1, sl st in first st, sc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 3 sts, dc in next 3 sts, 2 dc in each of next 4 sts, dc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 3 sts, sc in next 3 sts, sl st in last st, turn. (28 sts)
Base check: 1 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 4 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 1 = 24 sts used.
- Row 3: ch 1, sl st in first st, sc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 4 sts, dc in next 4 sts, 2 dc in each of next 4 sts, dc in next 4 sts, hdc in next 4 sts, sc in next 3 sts, sl st in last st. (32 sts)
Base check: 1 + 3 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 1 = 28 sts used.
Do not fasten off. Go straight to the moon edging in the Border section.
Make All Pieces
- A (cream): 30 moons and 12 cords
- B (mustard): 30 stars (you can make 6 of them in A for cream accents)
- C (dusty blue): 48 balls
There are two strand types. Strand A has 5 balls, 2 stars and 2 moons. Strand B has 3 balls, 3 stars and 3 moons. Make 6 of each:
- Balls: 6 x 5 + 6 x 3 = 48
- Stars: 6 x 2 + 6 x 3 = 30
- Moons: 6 x 2 + 6 x 3 = 30
Motifs are placed every 8 in (20.3 cm), starting 8 in (20.3 cm) below the dowel.
Height below dowel Strand A Strand B
8 in (20.3 cm) Ball Star
16 in (40.6 cm) Star Moon
24 in (61.0 cm) Ball Ball
32 in (81.3 cm) Moon Star
40 in (101.6 cm) Ball Moon
48 in (121.9 cm) Star Ball
56 in (142.2 cm) Ball Star
64 in (162.6 cm) Moon Moon
72 in (182.9 cm) Ball Ball
Dowel order, left to right:
A B A B A B A B A B A B
Alternating the two strand types staggers the moons and stars across the curtain.
Joining
Cords (make 12 in A)
- Hanging loop: ch 24, sl st in first ch to form a ring.
- Cord: ch 360. Work a back-bump sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch back to the ring. (359 sl sts)
Fasten off and weave in. The 24-ch ring is about 4.8 in (12.2 cm) around. It slides easily over a 1 in (2.5 cm) dowel and hangs about 2.4 in (6.1 cm) deep.
Attaching Motifs
Lay a cord flat and measure from the base of its loop. Place a marker at every 8 in (20.3 cm), 9 markers in all, then follow the layout grid above.
- Moons and stars: center the motif over its marker with the cord running behind it. With a length of A, work 3 small whipstitches at the top edge and 3 at the bottom edge. Catch only the back loops of the edging and the side of the cord. On a moon, the cord runs behind the upper and lower tips. On a star, it runs from the top point down to the valley between the two lower points.
- Balls: use the ball’s long tail. Stitch the magic-ring point to the cord 3 times. Pass the needle through the ball, then stitch the closing point to the cord 3 times.
- Lowest ball: thread the cord end up into the ball, then stitch through the ball and cord twice to lock it.
Tension: stitch firmly but don’t pull. The cord must stay flat behind each piece; if it puckers, the strand will hang short and twist.
Size checkpoint: each strand measures 72 in (182.9 cm) from the base of the loop to the center of the lowest ball. All 12 strands should match to within 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
Border
Only the moons and stars get a border: one round of sc, in A for moons and B for stars. Border gauge matches the main gauge: 5 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Moon Edging
Continue from the end of Row 3.
- Round 1: ch 1. Sc in each of the 32 sts of Row 3, 2 sc into the tip, sc in the free loop of each of the 20 foundation ch, then 2 sc into the other tip. Sl st to first sc. (56 sts)
Count: (52 sts worked one per existing st) + (4 extra sts, 2 at each tip) = 56. The outer curve carries 32 sts against 20 on the inner curve, and that difference holds the crescent shape. The tip increases keep the points from curling.
Star Edging
Join B at the tip of any point.
- Round 1: for each point, work 3 sc in the tip st. Then sc in the ends of Rows 3, 2 and 1 down one side, and in the ends of Rows 1, 2 and 3 up the next point. Repeat around and sl st to the first sc. (45 sts)
Count per point: 3 + 3 + 3 = 9 sts, and 9 x 5 = 45. That’s (35 sts worked one per existing st or row end) + (10 extra sts, 2 at each tip) = 45. The extra stitches sharpen each tip, and one sc per row end keeps the sides flat.
The edging adds about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) all round. The moon grows from 4.25 in (10.8 cm) to 4.5 in (11.4 cm). The star grows from 2.75 in (7.0 cm) to 3 in (7.6 cm).
Final Blocking
- Block the moons and stars before you attach them.
- Mist each motif lightly with water.
- Pin the moons to 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tip to tip and the stars to 3 in (7.6 cm) point to point. Let them dry completely.
- Don’t block the balls; roll them between your palms instead.
- After assembly, hang the curtain, mist the cords and leave it for 24 hours to straighten. Then check every strand length again.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 12 cords, each 72 in (182.9 cm) from loop base to the center of the lowest ball
- 30 moons at 4.5 in (11.4 cm), 30 stars at 3 in (7.6 cm), 48 balls at 1.25 in (3.2 cm)
- Moon edging has 56 sts and star edging has 45 sts
- Motifs sit every 8 in (20.3 cm) and follow the grid
- Strands alternate A, B on the dowel, 2.75 in (7.0 cm) apart, about 30.25 in (76.8 cm) from first strand to last
- All tails are woven in and no fiberfill shows
Troubleshooting
- Moon is flat, not curved: check that each row has 4 increase stitches (2 dc in the same st).
- Moon tips curl: work the full 2 sc at each tip in the edging, then block.
- Star points look stubby: make sure you worked Row 3. Skipping it shortens the points.
- Star cups: the center is too tight. Use a hook one size larger for Rounds 1–4.
- Fiberfill shows through the balls: go down a hook size or stuff a little less.
- Strands twist: a motif is tacked off-center. Re-sew it with the cord centered behind it.
Care
Shake out or dust gently. Spot clean as needed, then hang the curtain or lay the motifs flat to dry.
Final Notes
Each measurement depends on the one before it. Gauge sets the motif sizes: balls 1.25 in (3.2 cm), stars 3 in (7.6 cm) and moons 4.5 in (11.4 cm). Each cord is 360 ch at 5 ch per inch, giving 72 in (182.9 cm). Nine motifs sit every 8 in (20.3 cm) on each cord, and 12 strands at 2.75 in (7.0 cm) spacing fill the dowel. Check each step in that chain and the curtain will hang straight and even.
Happy crocheting!