Crocheted ocean-themed garland with teal shells, starfish, and beads hanging from a light wooden board.

Tidepool Shell Strand Curtain Crochet Pattern

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This curtain brings the beach indoors. It has a row of turquoise scallop shells along the top, with light, airy strands hanging below. The strands carry seafoam rosettes, cream starfish, small disc beads, extra shells and ribbed teardrops. Sunlight passes through the gaps, so the curtain decorates a window without blocking it.

The palette uses three colors: turquoise for the shells and teardrops, cream for outlines, starfish, beads and cords, and seafoam mint for the rosettes. The style is relaxed coastal cottage, with a bit of texture from the raised ribs on each shell.

The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain measures 36 in (91.4 cm) wide by 38 in (96.5 cm) long, not counting the hanging loops.

Here is how it comes together. You work eight shells in rows, add a cream edging to each, and join them at their corners. Then you crochet a cream band across their straight top edges. Last, you build fifteen strands from the top down, attaching each motif as you go with a chain-and-slip-stitch cord.

Finished Size and Construction

  • Finished size: 36 in (91.4 cm) wide × 38 in (96.5 cm) long
  • Skill level: Intermediate
  • Terminology: US
  • Yarn weight: DK (3), cotton
  • Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
  • Pieces: 8 header shells, 15 strands built from 75 rosettes, 30 starfish, 16 strand shells, 28 disc beads and 15 teardrops
  • Layout: 8 shells in one row; 8 Strand A (one under each shell) alternating with 7 Strand B (one under each join)
  • Shell size: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide × 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall
  • Header before band: 36 in (91.4 cm) × 2.75 in (7.0 cm)
  • Band depth: 1 in (2.5 cm), plus loops of about 1.5 in (3.8 cm)

Materials

Use a smooth mercerized or matte cotton in DK weight. Cotton keeps the stitch definition crisp and hangs straight. The amounts below assume about 110 m per 50 g.

  • Turquoise: 200 g / 440 m (shells, teardrops)
  • Cream: 250 g / 550 m (shell edging, band, starfish, beads, cords)
  • Seafoam mint: 100 g / 220 m (rosettes)

These quantities include a margin of roughly 30%. That covers a gauge swatch and keeps you from running short on the last strands.

Tools: 4.0 mm (G-6) hook, tapestry needle, stitch markers, scissors, tape measure, blocking mats and rust-proof pins, and 9 curtain rings (optional).

Abbreviations (US Terms)

  • ch – chain
  • sl st – slip stitch
  • sc – single crochet
  • sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
  • hdc – half double crochet
  • dc – double crochet
  • st(s) – stitch(es)
  • RS / WS – right side / wrong side
  • FPdc – front post dc: yarn over, insert the hook from front to back to front around the post of the stitch, and complete a dc.
  • BPdc – back post dc: the same, but insert the hook from back to front to back.

Special technique: motif traverse. Sl st into the motif’s top point. Turn the motif to the WS and work loose sl sts down its center, through the backs of the stitches, until you reach the bottom point. This carries the cord through the motif invisibly.

Gauge and Checkpoints

  • Dc gauge: 18 dc and 10 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm)
  • Band gauge: 14 sc = 3 in (7.6 cm)
  • Chain gauge: 8 ch = 2 in (5.1 cm)

Make one complete shell first and measure it at three stages.

  1. After Row 5, the straight edge measures 4 in (10.2 cm) and the radius measures 2 in (5.1 cm).
  2. After edging Round 1, the straight edge measures 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
  3. After edging Row 2, the shell measures 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall.

If the shell is too big, go down one hook size. If it is too small, go up one size. A difference of 0.25 in (0.6 cm) per shell grows to 2 in (5.1 cm) across the header, so it is worth getting this right.

Handmade crocheted garland featuring cream and teal flowers, beads, and fan motifs on a soft brown background.

Shell Motif (Make 24: 8 Header + 16 Strand)

Use turquoise.

Row 1 (RS): Ch 4, then work 6 dc in the 4th ch from the hook. The skipped ch count as 1 dc. Turn. (7 dc)

Row 2 (WS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the first st, 2 dc in each of the next 5 sts, dc in the top of the turning ch. Turn. (13 dc)

Row 3 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the first st, [FPdc around next st, 2 dc in next st] 6 times. Turn. (20 sts: 14 dc + 6 FPdc)

Row 4 (WS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in next st, [BPdc around next FPdc, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st] 6 times. Turn. (27 sts: 7 groups of 3 dc + 6 ribs)

Working BPdc from the WS keeps the ribs raised on the RS.

Row 5 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, [FPdc around next BPdc, dc in each of next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st] 6 times. (34 sts: 7 groups of 4 dc + 6 ribs)

Fasten off. You now have a flat half circle, 4 in (10.2 cm) across and 2 in (5.1 cm) deep, with six ribs fanning out from the center.

Edging Round 1 (RS, cream): Join cream in the first st of Row 5. Ch 1, then sc in the same st and in each of the next 15 sts. Sc2tog over the next 2 sts, then sc in each of the last 16 sts. That gives 33 sc around the curve.

Rotate the shell to work along the straight edge. Work 2 sc in each of the 5 row-ends, sc in the base of Row 1, then 2 sc in each of the 5 row-ends on the other side. That gives 21 sc on the straight edge. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (54 sc)

Edging Row 2 (curve only): Ch 1, sc in the first sc, then [skip 1, 5 dc in next st, skip 1, sc in next st] 8 times. (8 scallops + 9 sc)

Fasten off. The 5th sc of this row is the center bottom point. The 11th of the 21 straight-edge sc is the center top point.

Small Motifs

Rosette (make 75, mint):
– Rnd 1: 12 sc in a magic ring. Join. (12)
– Rnd 2: [Sl st in next st, 3 hdc in next st] 6 times. Join. (24 sts, 6 petals)

Each rosette measures 1.25 in (3.2 cm). Its top and bottom points are two sl sts on opposite sides.

Starfish (make 30, cream):
– Rnd 1: 10 sc in a magic ring. Join. (10)
– Rnd 2: [Ch 7, then starting in the 2nd ch from the hook work sl st, sc, sc, hdc, hdc, dc; skip next st of Rnd 1, sl st in next st] 5 times. (5 arms)

Each starfish measures 2.5 in (6.4 cm) from tip to tip. The top point is the tip of one arm. The bottom point is the sl st between the two opposite arms.

Disc Bead (make 28, cream):
– Rnd 1: 6 sc in a magic ring. Join. (6)
– Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st. Join. (12)

Each bead measures 0.75 in (1.9 cm).

Teardrop (make 15, turquoise): Ch 9. Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, work sc, hdc, dc in each of the next 4 ch, hdc, then (sc, ch 2, sc) in the last ch for the tip. Working along the other side of the chain, work hdc, dc in each of the next 4 ch, hdc, sc. Join to the first sc. (16 sts + ch-2 tip)

Each teardrop measures 2 in (5.1 cm) × 1 in (2.5 cm). The top point is the first sc.

Make All Pieces

Piece Color Quantity
Shells Turquoise + cream 24
Rosettes Mint 75
Starfish Cream 30
Disc beads Cream 28
Teardrops Turquoise 15

Layout, left to right:

Band:     [==============================================]
Shells:   S1    S2    S3    S4    S5    S6    S7    S8
Strands:  A  B  A  B  A  B  A  B  A  B  A  B  A  B  A

Joining

Header shells: Lay shells S1–S8 RS up with their straight edges lined up. Where two neighboring shells meet, whipstitch with cream through their touching corners. Go through the outer sc of Edging Row 2 and the corner sc of Round 1 below it, with 2 stitches per join. Join corner to corner only. Do not stitch the straight-edge sc together, and do not add any stitches.

Keep the tension snug but flat. If you pull too hard, the corners will cup.

Checkpoint: The joined straight edge measures 36 in (91.4 cm).

Strands: Each strand is worked top down in cream. Chain the stated number of stitches, then traverse the next motif. Every motif is attached RS facing.

Strand A (make 8): Join cream with a sl st in the center bottom sc of a header shell. Ch 8. Then work [rosette, ch 6, starfish, ch 6, rosette, ch 6, strand shell, ch 6] twice. Finish with rosette, ch 6, teardrop. Sl st into the teardrop’s top point and fasten off.

The strand is 34.25 in (87.0 cm) long: 15.5 in (39.4 cm) of chain plus 18.75 in (47.6 cm) of motifs.

Strand B (make 7): Join cream through both whipstitched corners at a shell join. Ch 17. Then work [rosette, ch 6, bead, ch 6, rosette, ch 6, starfish, ch 6, bead, ch 6] twice. Finish with rosette, ch 6, teardrop, and fasten off.

The strand is 37 in (94.0 cm) long: 20.75 in (52.7 cm) of chain plus 16.25 in (41.3 cm) of motifs.

Checkpoint: Strand A starts 3.75 in (9.5 cm) below the top of the band, and Strand B starts 1 in (2.5 cm) below it. Both end at 38 in (96.5 cm), so the hem is even.

Border: Header Band

Band gauge: 14 sc = 3 in (7.6 cm).

Work across the 21 straight-edge sc of each shell. Use cream with the RS facing, and start at the top right corner.

Row 1: Ch 1, then sc in each of the 21 straight-edge sc of all 8 shells. Turn. (8 × 21 = 168 sc)

Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each st across. Turn. (168 dc)

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (168 sc)

Row 4 (loops): (Sc, ch 12, sc) in the first st. Then [sc in each of the next 20 sts, (sc, ch 12, sc) in the next st] 7 times. Sc in each of the next 19 sts, then (sc, ch 12, sc) in the last st. (177 sc + 9 ch-12 loops)

This uses 1 + 7 × 21 + 19 + 1 = 168 sts, so every stitch is accounted for.

Why the math works: Each shell’s straight edge is 21 sc. At the band gauge, 21 sc measure 4.5 in (11.4 cm). No stitches are added at the joins, so 168 sc ÷ 14 × 3 in = 36 in (91.4 cm), which matches the joined header exactly. The loops sit above the start of every shell and at the far end, about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) apart.

Final Blocking

  1. Weave in all ends, sewing each one through stitches of its own color.
  2. Soak the curtain in cool water for 10 minutes, then press out the water in a towel. Don’t wring it.
  3. Pin the header flat at 36 in (91.4 cm) wide. Shape each scallop with a pin, and open the shell ribs into an even fan.
  4. Pin each starfish arm to a point, and press each rosette into a round shape.
  5. Hang the curtain from its loops to finish drying, so the strands straighten under their own weight.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

  • Every shell has 6 raised ribs and 8 cream scallops.
  • The band measures 36 in (91.4 cm) and has 168 sts in Rows 1–3.
  • There are 9 loops, evenly spaced.
  • There are 8 Strand A and 7 Strand B, alternating.
  • All strand ends hang at 38 in (96.5 cm).
  • No cord is twisted, and every motif faces RS out.
  • All ends are woven in securely.

Troubleshooting

  • The shell ruffles: Your tension is loose in Rows 4–5. Go down a hook size for the shells only.
  • The shell cups: Your tension is tight. Go up a hook size, or loosen up on the 2-dc groups.
  • The band is wider than the shells: Your band tension is loose. Rework the band at 14 sc = 3 in (7.6 cm).
  • Strands are different lengths: Count the chains again. A ch-6 should measure 1.5 in (3.8 cm), and an extra stitch or two adds up over a strand.
  • Motifs flip over: Traverse more firmly, and catch the center ring of the motif on the WS.

Care

Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, then reshape the curtain and hang it to dry. Keep it out of the dryer, because the strands can tangle and stretch.

Crocheted teal and cream window hanging with dangling shells, starfish, and beads on a wooden rod by a bright window.

Final Notes

The measurements chain together like this:

  • A shell that measures 4 in (10.2 cm) after Row 5 becomes 4.5 in (11.4 cm) with its edging.
  • Eight shells make a 36 in (91.4 cm) header.
  • 168 band stitches hold that width exactly.
  • Strands of 34.25 in (87.0 cm) and 37 in (94.0 cm) bring the curtain to 38 in (96.5 cm).

If you check each link in that chain, the finished curtain will hang straight and even.

Happy crocheting!

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