This curtain panel has an airy cream filet mesh with five columns of wheat ears running up its length. Each ear has a raised stem, seven pairs of puffy grains in cream and terracotta, and a single cream bud at the tip. Against a window, the mesh glows and the grains stand out like embroidery.
It’s a warm, farmhouse-meets-boho style that suits kitchens, sunrooms and harvest-season decorating. The pattern uses US crochet terms throughout.
The finished panel measures about 25 in (63.5 cm) wide and 63 in (160.0 cm) long, including the border and hanging loops.
You work the panel flat in one piece, from the bottom up. Each row is open mesh, and you work the wheat stitches into it as you go. Two rounds of single crochet tidy the edges, and a final row of chain arches across the top takes the curtain rings.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 25 in × 63 in (63.5 cm × 160.0 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: DK (#3) cotton
- Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: 36 mesh squares wide; 5 wheat columns, each 4 squares wide
- Piece size before border: 24 in × 61.5 in (61.0 cm × 156.2 cm)
- Border depth: 1/2 in (1.3 cm) per side, plus about 1/2 in (1.3 cm) of hanging arches at the top
Materials
Use a smooth DK cotton or cotton blend at about 120 m (131 yd) per 50 g. Mercerized cotton gives the crispest grains. Fuzzy yarns blur the mesh.
- Color A, Cream: 900 g, about 2,160 m (2,362 yd)
- Color B, Terracotta: 100 g, about 240 m (262 yd)
Tools:
– 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– 5 stitch markers
– Scissors and a tape measure
– Rustproof pins and a blocking surface
– 14 curtain rings, 1 1/2 in (3.8 cm)
All yarn quantities include a margin of roughly 10–15%.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sc: single crochet
- dc: double crochet
- FPdc: front post double crochet
- BPdc: back post double crochet
- sk: skip
- sp: space
- st(s): stitch(es)
- RS / WS: right side / wrong side
- M (mesh square): ch 2, dc in next dc (or in the next sp where stated)
Special stitches
- Leaf: [yo, insert hook in the stitch, yo and pull up a loop to 3/4 in (1.9 cm)] 5 times (11 loops on hook). Yo and pull through all 11 loops, then ch 1 to lock. The locking chain doesn’t count. A Leaf counts as 1 stitch.
- Leaf pair: (Leaf, ch 1, Leaf) all in the same stitch.
- Stem stitch: FPdc on RS rows, BPdc on WS rows. Either way, the ridge sits on the RS.
Zone instructions. Each wheat zone is 4 squares wide: 12 stitches after its first dc, ending in a dc.
- Plain zone: M 4 times.
- Stem zone: M, ch 2, Stem stitch around the next (center) dc, M twice.
- Leaf zone (RS only): ch 4, sk next dc, Leaf pair in next (center) dc, ch 4, sk next dc, dc in next dc. Count: 4 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 4 + 1 = 12 sts.
- Close zone: ch 2, dc in ch-4 sp, ch 2, dc in ch-1 sp between Leaves, ch 2, dc in next ch-4 sp, ch 2, dc in next dc. This gives 4 squares, 12 sts.
- Bud zone (RS only): ch 5, sk next dc, Leaf in next (center) dc, ch 5, sk next dc, dc in next dc. Count: 5 + 1 + 5 + 1 = 12 sts.
- Bud close zone: ch 2, dc in ch-5 sp, ch 2, dc in top of Leaf, ch 2, dc in next ch-5 sp, ch 2, dc in next dc.
Changing to terracotta: Cut a 60 in (152.4 cm) length of Color B for each terracotta pair.
- Work the zone’s first ch-4 in cream, finishing the last chain with Color B.
- Work the Leaf pair in B.
- Finish the second Leaf’s final pull-through with cream, then lock it with ch 1 in cream.
- Carry the cream behind the Leaf base on the WS. Leave 6 in (15.2 cm) B tails.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 6 mesh squares = 4 in (10.2 cm), and 8 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm), in pattern. Each square is about 2/3 in (1.7 cm) wide, and each row is 1/2 in (1.3 cm) tall.
Test swatch: Ch 30.
- Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across. The skipped 3 ch count as a dc. 28 sts.
- Row 2: Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch-2), sk 2 dc, dc in next dc. [ch 2, sk 2 dc, dc in next dc] 7 times, working the last dc in the top of the turning ch. 9 squares.
- Rows 3–12: Ch 5, dc in next dc, M, work the zone, then M 3 times, ending in the 3rd ch of the turning ch. Use these zones:
- Rows 3–6: Stem zone
- Row 7: Leaf zone in cream
- Row 8: Close zone
- Row 9: Leaf zone in terracotta
- Row 10: Close zone
- Row 11: Leaf zone in cream
- Row 12: Close zone
The swatch should measure 6 in × 6 in (15.2 cm × 15.2 cm). If it’s too big, go down a hook size. If it’s too small, go up a hook size. If only the rows are off, adjust your dc height (pull up taller or shorter loops), not your chain tension.
Checkpoints:
– After Row 2: 24 in (61.0 cm) wide
– After Row 26: 13 in (33.0 cm) long
– After Row 74: 37 in (94.0 cm) long
– After Row 123: 61.5 in (156.2 cm) long
The Panel
The layout is symmetric, so every row reads the same from either end.
Foundation: With Color A, ch 111.
Row 1 (RS): Dc in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across. The skipped 3 ch count as a dc. 109 sts.
Row 2 (WS): Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch-2 throughout), sk 2 dc, dc in next dc. [ch 2, sk 2 dc, dc in next dc] 35 times, working the last dc in the top of the turning ch. 36 squares; 37 dc and 109 sts in total.
Row template (all following mesh rows): Ch 5, dc in next dc, M. Work the zone named for that row, then M 3 times. Repeat from * 3 more times. Work the zone once more, then M twice, working the last dc in the 3rd ch of the turning ch-5.
Squares: 2 + 4 × (4 + 3) + 4 + 2 = 36. Each row has 109 sts.
Place a marker in the center dc of each of the 5 zones, and move the markers up as you go.
Wheat repeat (24 rows). “R” numbers the rows within the repeat. Work it 5 times: Rows 3–26, 27–50, 51–74, 75–98 and 99–122.
- R1–R4 (stem): Stem zone. R1 and R3 are RS rows (FPdc); R2 and R4 are WS rows (BPdc).
- R5 (RS): Leaf zone in cream.
- R6 (WS): Close zone.
- R7: Leaf zone in terracotta.
- R8: Close zone.
- R9: Leaf zone in cream.
- R10: Close zone.
- R11: Leaf zone in terracotta.
- R12: Close zone.
- R13: Leaf zone in cream.
- R14: Close zone.
- R15: Leaf zone in terracotta.
- R16: Close zone.
- R17: Leaf zone in cream.
- R18: Close zone.
- R19 (RS): Bud zone in cream.
- R20 (WS): Bud close zone.
- R21–R24: Plain zone.
Every row keeps 109 sts and 36 squares. All Leaf and Bud rows fall on odd (RS) rows, so the grains all puff toward the front. Each ear ends up with 7 Leaf pairs, 3 of them terracotta, and 1 bud. Across the panel that’s 25 ears and 75 terracotta pairs.
Row 123 (RS, solid top): Ch 3 (counts as dc). [2 dc in next ch-2 sp, dc in next dc] 36 times, working the last dc in the 3rd ch of the turning ch.
Count: 37 dc worked one per existing dc, plus 72 dc worked into the 36 spaces, gives 109 sts. Fasten off.
Weave in all terracotta tails along the nearest dc posts on the WS.
Border
Border gauge: 18 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm); 4 sc rounds = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Round 1 (RS): Join Color A with a sl st in the first st of Row 123, at the top corner.
- Ch 1, 3 sc in the same st, sc in next 107 sts, 3 sc in the last st.
- Down the side, work 2 sc in each of the 123 row-ends, for 246 sc.
- Along the 109 foundation-chain bases, work 3 sc in the first, sc in the next 107, and 3 sc in the last.
- Up the second side, work 246 sc.
- Sl st to the first sc.
Per side, counting both corner sc: top and bottom have 111 sts each; the sides have 250 each. Total: 718 sts.
Round 2: Sl st into the corner sc and ch 1. Work 3 sc in each corner sc and sc in every other st. Sl st to the first sc.
Per side: top and bottom have 113 sts; the sides have 252. Total: 726 sts. Fasten off.
Row 3 (top arches): Join A in the top-right corner sc. Sc in the same st, ch 10, sk 7 sts, sc in next st. Repeat from * 14 times, ending in the opposite corner sc. That gives 15 sc and 14 arches, about 1 3/4 in (4.4 cm) apart. Fasten off.
Why the math works:
– Along the top, 109 sts over 24 in (61.0 cm) is about 4.5 sc per inch, which matches the border gauge.
– On the sides, 2 sc per 1/2 in (1.3 cm) row gives 4 sc per inch. That edge is slightly firm on purpose, to stop the long hanging sides from stretching.
– For the arches, 1 + 14 × 8 = 113, so they land exactly corner to corner.
Final Blocking
- Soak the panel in cool water for 15 minutes, then press out the water. Don’t wring it.
- Roll it in towels to remove excess moisture.
- Lay it flat and pin it to 25 in × 62.5 in (63.5 cm × 158.8 cm), not counting the arches.
- Pin along the side edges every 3 in (7.6 cm), keeping the mesh columns straight.
- Fluff each Leaf with your fingertips. Don’t flatten them.
- Let it dry completely, then thread the rings through the arches.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Every row has 109 sts and 36 squares.
- There are 5 wheat ears per repeat, all aligned vertically.
- Colors run cream, terracotta, cream, terracotta, cream, terracotta, cream from bottom to top, with a cream bud.
- All stem ridges sit on the RS.
- Border counts are 718 and 726; there are 14 arches.
- The blocked panel measures 25 in × 63 in (63.5 cm × 160.0 cm).
- All tails are woven in invisibly.
Troubleshooting
- Leaves look flat: Pull the loops up to the full 3/4 in (1.9 cm), and keep them even before closing.
- Leaves tilt to one side: Work both Leaves into the same center dc, with exactly ch 4 on each side.
- Panel narrows near the wheat: Your chain-4s are too tight. Loosen them, or go up a hook size for the chains only.
- Mesh squares are rectangles: Adjust your dc height until 8 rows measure 4 in (10.2 cm).
- Sides ripple after the border: You’ve worked more than 2 sc per row-end. Rip back and recount to 246.
- Terracotta shows through on the RS: Carry the cream strictly on the WS behind the Leaf base.
Care
Hand wash cool and dry flat. Reshape the grains while damp, and never hang the panel wet, because the weight stretches the mesh.
Final Notes
The measurement chain:
1. 6 squares measure 4 in (10.2 cm), and 36 squares give a 24 in (61.0 cm) width.
2. 8 rows measure 4 in (10.2 cm), and 123 rows give a 61.5 in (156.2 cm) length.
3. The border adds 1/2 in (1.3 cm) on each side, for 25 in × 62.5 in (63.5 cm × 158.8 cm).
4. The arches bring the length to about 63 in (160.0 cm).
If your swatch is right, every later checkpoint will be right too. Happy crocheting!