This doorway curtain is made of small golden bells, each topped with a cream bow and finished with a pearl clapper, hanging on long cream cords. The bell rows are staggered, so the curtain reads as an even, sparkling grid instead of straight lines.
You need two colors: a gold, metallic-look light worsted yarn for the bells and a soft cream cotton for the cords and bows. The pearl beads add shine without any extra stitching skill. The look is classic and cozy, and it suits Christmas through the whole winter.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain hangs from a 40 in (101.6 cm) dowel, with 18 strands spread over 34 in (86.4 cm). The longer strands hang 74 in (188.0 cm) and the shorter ones 68.5 in (174.0 cm). Each bell measures 1.75 in (4.4 cm) tall and 1.9 in (4.8 cm) across the rim.
Here is how it’s built. Each bell is worked top down in continuous rounds of single crochet and finished with a crab-stitch rim. Each bow is a short strip folded into two loops plus a tail strip. Each cord is a slip-stitch chain. To assemble, you slide the bells onto the cords, sew them in place at counted stitch positions, then add the pearls and bows.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished curtain: 40 in (101.6 cm) dowel; strands spread over 34 in (86.4 cm)
- Strand drop: Strand A 74 in (188.0 cm); Strand B 68.5 in (174.0 cm)
- Skill level: Easy-intermediate (repetitive, simple stitches)
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Light worsted / DK (#3)
- Hooks: 3.0 mm (bells), 3.5 mm (cords and bows)
- Number of pieces: 117 bells, 117 bows (each a loop strip plus a tail strip), 18 cords
- Layout: 18 strands, alternating 9 Strand A (7 bells) and 9 Strand B (6 bells), spaced 2 in (5.1 cm) apart
- Piece size: Bell 1.75 in (4.4 cm) tall × 1.9 in (4.8 cm) rim diameter
- Size before border: Bell 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall after Round 9
- Border depth: Crab-stitch rim adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm)
Materials
Yarn advice: Pick a firm, smooth yarn for the bells so the single crochet stands up by itself. A cotton or cotton-blend with a metallic strand works well. For the cords, use a soft but sturdy cotton that won’t stretch much under the weight of the bells.
- Gold (bells): 300 g / about 690 m light worsted cotton-metallic blend (50 g = 115 m)
- Cream (cords, bows, sewing): 250 g / about 550 m DK cotton (50 g = 110 m)
Quantities include a margin of about 20% for gauge swatches, tails, and practice pieces.
Tools and notions:
– 3.0 mm and 3.5 mm crochet hooks
– 110 cream faux pearls, 8 mm (99 needed between bells)
– 125 cream faux pearls, 6 mm (117 needed as clappers)
– Cream sewing thread and a beading or sharp needle
– Large-eye tapestry needle
– Wooden dowel, 1 in (2.5 cm) diameter × 40 in (101.6 cm) long
– Two screw-in cup hooks or curtain brackets
– Stitch markers (at least 20), a tape measure, scissors
– Fiber stuffing or a small foam ball for blocking (removed after)
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- rev sc – reverse single crochet (crab stitch)
- MR – magic ring
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- BB – back bump of a chain
Special stitch, reverse single crochet (rev sc): Work from left to right (right-handed). Insert the hook into the next stitch to the right, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, and pull through both loops. This makes a rolled, rope-like edge.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Bell gauge (gold, 3.0 mm): 5 sc and 6 rounds = 1 in (2.5 cm) in continuous rounds.
Cord gauge (cream, 3.5 mm): 4 sl st = 1 in (2.5 cm) along the finished cord.
Bow gauge (cream, 3.5 mm): 5 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Make one complete bell before you start the batch, and check it at each stage:
- After Round 2: crown is 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
- After Round 9: bell is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall; mouth circumference is 6 in (15.2 cm).
- After Round 10: bell is 1.75 in (4.4 cm) tall and 1.9 in (4.8 cm) across the rim.
If the bell is too big: go down to a 2.75 mm hook, or tighten your tension so the fabric is solid with no gaps. If it is too small: go up to a 3.25 mm hook. Keep the stitch counts the same; change only the hook.
For the cord, make 40 sl st as a test. It should measure 10 in (25.4 cm). If it is longer, the cords will drop too far, so go down a hook size or chain more tightly.
Bell (Make 117) – Gold, 3.0 mm Hook
Work in continuous rounds without joining. Move a marker to the first stitch of each round.
Round 1: Make a MR, 6 sc in ring. Pull the ring closed, but leave a small hole about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) wide for the cord. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 4: [Sc in next 3 sts, inc] 3 times. (15 sts)
Round 5: Sc in each st around. (15 sts)
Round 6: [Sc in next 4 sts, inc] 3 times. (18 sts)
Round 7: Sc in each st around. (18 sts)
Round 8: [Sc in next 2 sts, inc] 6 times. (24 sts)
Round 9: [Sc in next 3 sts, inc] 6 times. (30 sts)
Rounds 1–7 make the narrow, gently sloping shoulder. Rounds 8 and 9 both increase, so the mouth flares out. Sl st into the next st to even the round, then go on to the Border section below.
Bow (Make 117) – Cream, 3.5 mm Hook
Loop strip: Ch 22. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (21 sc) Fasten off and leave a 4 in (10.2 cm) tail. The strip measures 4.2 in (10.7 cm).
Tail strip: Ch 9. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (8 sc) Fasten off. The strip measures 1.6 in (4.1 cm).
Shaping: Fold both ends of the loop strip in so they overlap by 0.25 in (0.6 cm) at the center back. This gives you two loops about 1 in (2.5 cm) long each. Fold the tail strip in half into a V and set it behind the center. Wrap the long tail tightly around the center 5 times, then secure it with 2 stitches through the back. Keep that tail for sewing. The finished bow is about 2 in (5.1 cm) wide.
Cords (Make 18) – Cream, 3.5 mm Hook
Each cord is a chain with a row of slip stitches worked back along the back bumps, which makes a firm, rounded cord that won’t spiral.
Strand A (make 9): Ch 317. Sl st in the BB of the 2nd ch from the hook and in each BB across. (316 sl st = 79 in / 200.7 cm)
Strand B (make 9): Ch 295. Sl st in the BB of the 2nd ch from the hook and in each BB across. (294 sl st = 73.5 in / 186.7 cm)
Fasten off and leave an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail at the starting end.
Hanging loop: Count from the starting end. Fold the first 20 sts (5 in / 12.7 cm) into a loop and sew st 1 to st 20 with the tail. St 20 is the hanging point, at 0 in (0 cm). Every position below is counted from st 20, where position (in) = (st number − 20) ÷ 4.
Make All Pieces
- Gold: 117 bells (63 for Strand A + 54 for Strand B)
- Cream: 117 loop strips, 117 tail strips, 9 Strand A cords, 9 Strand B cords
- Pearls: 117 × 6 mm clappers; 99 × 8 mm spacers (6 per Strand A × 9 = 54, plus 5 per Strand B × 9 = 45)
Layout grid (left to right on the dowel, 2 in / 5.1 cm apart):
Strand: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Type: A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B
Position table (measured from the hanging point):
Drop in (cm) Strand A Strand B
6 (15.2) BELL st 44 -
11.5 (29.2) pearl st 66 BELL st 66
17 (43.2) BELL st 88 pearl st 88
22.5 (57.2) pearl st 110 BELL st 110
28 (71.1) BELL st 132 pearl st 132
33.5 (85.1) pearl st 154 BELL st 154
39 (99.1) BELL st 176 pearl st 176
44.5 (113.0) pearl st 198 BELL st 198
50 (127.0) BELL st 220 pearl st 220
55.5 (141.0) pearl st 242 BELL st 242
61 (154.9) BELL st 264 pearl st 264
66.5 (168.9) pearl st 286 BELL st 286
72 (182.9) BELL st 308 -
Cord end st 316 (74 in) st 294 (68.5 in)
A pearl on one strand sits at the same height as a bell on the strands next to it. That’s what makes the staggered grid.
Joining
Method: Slide the bells onto the cord and sew them in place, then sew on the pearls and bows.
- Put a marker in each bell st and each pearl st from the table.
- Thread a tapestry needle with the bottom end of the cord. Pass it in through the crown hole of a bell and out through the mouth. Start with the top bell (the one nearest the dowel) and work down.
- Slide the bell up until its crown sits at the marked st. Using cream yarn, sew 3 stitches through the Round 1 sts and the cord. Stitch-to-stitch logic: each bell crown is anchored to exactly 1 cord st, so the spacing in the table never drifts.
- Clapper: Count 6 sts below each bell st (1.5 in / 3.8 cm) and sew a 6 mm pearl to the cord there. It shows just inside the rim. On Strand A the clappers sit at sts 50, 94, 138, 182, 226, 270, and 314. On Strand B they sit at sts 72, 116, 160, 204, 248, and 292.
- Sew an 8 mm pearl at each pearl st with sewing thread, passing through the cord 3 times.
- Sew a bow over the crown front so it covers the cord’s entry point.
- Knot the cord end below the last clapper and trim to 0.25 in (0.6 cm).
Tension advice: Snug the anchor stitches without pinching the crown. If you pull too hard, the bell tips forward. Let the cord hang straight while you sew; don’t stretch it.
Size checkpoint: Hang the finished strand from its loop. Strand A should drop 74 in (188.0 cm) and Strand B 68.5 in (174.0 cm), give or take 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
Border: Crab-Stitch Bell Rim
The border is the rim on each bell. A bell is round, so there are no sides or corners; the whole border runs around one 30-st edge.
Border gauge: 5 rev sc = 1 in (2.5 cm), the same as the body. The round adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm) of depth.
Round 10: Ch 1. Working left to right, rev sc in each st around. This is a trim round: 30 sts worked 1 per existing st + 0 extra = 30 rev sc. Sl st to the first rev sc and fasten off. Weave in the ends on the inside.
Why the math works: Round 9 ends at 30 sts, which is 6 in (15.2 cm) around, and 6 in ÷ π ≈ 1.9 in (4.8 cm) across. Working exactly 1 rev sc per stitch keeps the circumference the same, so the rim neither ruffles nor pulls in. The rolled crab stitch adds the ridge you see and adds height (1.5 in + 0.25 in = 1.75 in / 4.4 cm) without changing the width.
Final Blocking
- Block the bells before joining. Lightly mist each bell with water.
- Push a small ball of stuffing or a foam ball into the bell so the sides are smooth and the mouth flares evenly.
- Pinch the crab-stitch rim into an even circle 1.9 in (4.8 cm) across.
- Let the bells dry fully, then remove the filler.
- Mist each bow, shape the loops to 1 in (2.5 cm) long, and fan the tails into a V.
- After joining, hang every strand for 24 hours and let the cords relax. Then check the drops again.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- All 117 bells measure 1.75 in (4.4 cm) tall × 1.9 in (4.8 cm) across
- Each bell has exactly 30 sts at the rim, with no ruffling
- Bows are centered over the crowns and the loops are even
- Each clapper sits 6 sts (1.5 in / 3.8 cm) below its bell crown
- Strand A has 7 bells and 6 spacer pearls; Strand B has 6 bells and 5 spacer pearls
- Strands alternate A/B and are spaced 2 in (5.1 cm) apart on the dowel
- Hanging loops are sewn securely at st 20
- All ends are woven in and the cord knots are trimmed
Troubleshooting
Bells look floppy: Your tension is too loose. Go down a hook size, or block over a ball and let them dry completely.
Rim ruffles or cups inward: The count is off in Round 10. Recount: 30 rev sc, exactly 1 per st.
Cord won’t fit through the crown: Loosen the MR a little before Round 2 on later bells, or ease the cord through with a small hook.
Strands hang at different lengths: The cord tension varies. Hang the strands for 24 hours, then adjust by moving the hanging loop 1–2 sts.
Bell tilts on the cord: Re-sew the anchor with stitches spaced evenly around the crown.
Pearls slide: Pass the thread through the cord 3 times and knot it on the back.
Care
Dust gently, or spot clean with a damp cloth and let the curtain dry flat. Take it down and store it loosely coiled in a box so the bells keep their shape.
Final Notes
The measurement chain runs from small to large. Gauge is 5 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm). That gives a 30-st rim of 6 in (15.2 cm) around and 1.9 in (4.8 cm) across. The bell is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall before the border and 1.75 in (4.4 cm) after it. The cord gauge is 4 sl st = 1 in (2.5 cm), so the bells sit every 44 sts, or 11 in (27.9 cm), on each strand, and the stagger between strands is 5.5 in (14.0 cm). Across the dowel, 18 strands spaced 2 in (5.1 cm) apart cover 34 in (86.4 cm), with 3 in (7.6 cm) of dowel left at each end. Check each link as you go and the curtain will hang evenly.
Happy crocheting!