The Buttercream Lattice Curtain is an open window panel made from small diamond-shaped ring motifs joined point to point. The result looks like a lattice: each solid diamond ring is surrounded by smaller diamond-shaped gaps, so light comes through while the window stays softly screened.
The sample is worked in one color, a warm butter yellow in smooth worsted-weight cotton. The look is simple and calm, with a slightly retro feel. A chunky tassel hangs from each bottom point, and a short chain loop at each top point holds the panel on the rod.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. One finished panel measures 35.5 in (90.2 cm) wide by 70.5 in (179.1 cm) tall, not counting the hanging loops and tassels. Make two panels for a pair, as shown.
You’ll make one motif in 3 rounds and check its size. Every motif after that joins its neighbors on its last round (join-as-you-go). A single round of single crochet then finishes the whole zigzag edge, and the tassels go on last.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished panel size: 35.5 in × 70.5 in (90.2 cm × 179.1 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: #4 worsted, cotton
- Hook: 4.5 mm (US 7)
- Number of pieces: 98 motifs per panel (196 for a pair)
- Layout: 7 motifs wide × 14 motifs tall, joined tip to tip
- Motif size: 5 in (12.7 cm) from point to point; each side 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
- Size before border: 35 in × 70 in (88.9 cm × 177.8 cm)
- Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm) on each edge
Materials
Yarn: Use a smooth, firmly twisted worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend, about 190 m per 100 g. Cotton keeps the points crisp and doesn’t sag much on a hanging panel. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy yarn, because it blurs the lattice.
- Butter Yellow: 350 g / 665 m per panel; 700 g / 1,330 m for a pair
These amounts include about a 10% margin for swatching, joining tails and dye-lot safety. Buy all your yarn from one dye lot.
Tools:
– 4.5 mm (US 7) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Stitch markers
– A piece of stiff card 7 in (17.8 cm) tall, for the tassels
– Scissors
– Blocking mats, rustproof pins and a spray bottle
– Tape measure
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS – right side
Special stitch – Valley sc2tog: Insert the hook into the ch-1 sp on the first motif next to the join, yarn over and pull up a loop. Insert the hook into the ch-1 sp on the second motif on the other side of the join, yarn over and pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on the hook. This counts as 1 sc.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Your gauge is one finished motif. Make one motif and block it before you start anything else.
Swatch gauge: 16 hdc = 4 in (10.2 cm), which works out to 4 hdc per inch.
Checkpoints for Motif 1:
– After Round 1: the ring is about 2.4 in (6.1 cm) across when laid flat.
– After Round 2: about 3.8 in (9.7 cm) from point to point.
– After Round 3: 5 in (12.7 cm) from point to point, with each side 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
Up to 0.2 in (0.5 cm) either way is fine. Small errors add up across the panel, though: if every motif is 0.2 in too big, the panel will be 1.4 in (3.6 cm) wider and 2.8 in (7.1 cm) longer.
- If your motif is too big, switch to a 4 mm hook.
- If your motif is too small, switch to a 5 mm hook.
Don’t change the stitch counts. The joins and the border depend on them.
Motif (make 98 per panel)
The center hole is a chain ring, so its size stays steady from motif to motif.
Foundation: Ch 36. Without twisting the chain, sl st to the first ch to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each ch around. Sl st to the first sc. (36 sc)
Round 2 (corner round): Ch 1. (Sc, ch 2, sc) in the next st for a corner, sc in each of the next 8 sts. Repeat from * 3 more times. Sl st to the first sc.
(40 sc + 4 ch-2 sps). That is 36 sts worked 1 per stitch, plus 4 extra sc from the corners. There are 10 sc on each side between the ch-2 sps.
Place a marker in the first corner sp. This is the top point. Going around, the next corners are the right, bottom and left points.
Round 3: Sl st into the first ch-2 sp. Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch). (2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in the corner sp, hdc in each of the next 10 sc. Repeat from * 3 more times. Sl st to the first hdc. Fasten off.
(56 hdc + 4 ch-2 sps). That is 40 hdc worked 1 per stitch, plus 16 extra hdc from the corners.
Per-side count: Each side has 14 hdc between corner sps: 2 hdc from the corner group, 10 hdc, and 2 hdc from the next corner group. These 14 already include the hdc on both ends of the side, so don’t count them again anywhere else.
Weave in the ends on the WS, along the hdc band, so they don’t show through the openings.
Make All Pieces
You need 98 motifs per panel, all in Butter Yellow. Make Motif 1 as written above. Make the other 97 the same way through Round 2, then join them on Round 3 as you go.
Layout (one panel, ◇ = one motif, joined at every touching point):
Row 1: ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Row 2: ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Row 3: ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
... (repeat)
Row 13: ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Row 14: ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
7 columns × 14 rows = 98 motifs
The motifs sit in straight columns. In each row, each motif’s right point touches the left point of the next motif. In each column, each motif’s bottom point touches the top point of the motif below. Only 2 motifs ever meet at one point.
Joining (Join-As-You-Go)
Method: Work Round 3 as usual. When you reach a corner that needs to join a motif that’s already finished, replace the ch-2 like this:
Joining corner: 2 hdc in the corner sp, ch 1, sl st into the matching ch-2 sp of the finished motif, ch 1, 2 hdc in the same corner sp.
Stitch logic: The ch 1, sl st, ch 1 takes the place of the ch 2, and the 2 hdc on each side don’t change. Every joined motif still has 56 hdc and 14 hdc per side. Only the corner sps join, and no side stitches are sewn together, so the diamond-shaped gaps between motifs stay open.
Order of work:
– Row 1: Motif 2 joins only at its left point, to the right point of the motif before it.
– Rows 2–14: The first motif in each row joins only at its top point. Every other motif joins at its left point first, then at its top point.
Before you join a corner, turn the motif so that corner lines up with its neighbor. This keeps the marked top point facing up across the whole panel.
Total joins per panel: 84 side-to-side (14 rows × 6) and 91 top-to-bottom (7 columns × 13), for 175 in all.
Tension: Work the joining sl st loosely, about as tall as a ch. If it’s too tight, the points pucker and the panel gets shorter.
Size checkpoint: When Row 1 is done, it should measure 35 in (88.9 cm) from the first motif’s left point to the last motif’s right point. Every 4 rows, check that the panel is 20 in (50.8 cm) longer. The full grid should come to 35 in × 70 in (88.9 cm × 177.8 cm).
Border
Border gauge: 1 sc in each hdc, which keeps the 4-stitches-per-inch gauge, so the edge lies flat.
Hold the panel RS up. Join yarn in the ch-2 sp at the right point of the top-right motif (Row 1, Column 7).
Border round: Ch 1.
Corner: (Sc, ch 2, sc) in the corner sp.
Top edge (working right to left across Row 1):
– Sc in each of the 14 hdc on the upper-right side.
– (Sc, ch 12, sc) in the top-point sp. This makes the hanging loop.
– Sc in each of the 14 hdc on the upper-left side.
– Valley sc2tog across the join to the next motif.
Repeat across all 7 motifs, but skip the valley sc2tog after the last motif. Then work the corner (sc, ch 2, sc) in the left point of the top-left motif.
Top-edge count: 7 motifs × 28 hdc (2 sides × 14) = 196 sc. Add 14 sc at the top points and 6 valley sc2tog, for 216 sc + 7 ch-12 loops.
Left edge (working down Column 1): For each motif, work sc in each of the 14 hdc on its lower-left side, then a valley sc2tog across the join below. On the next motif, work sc in each of the 14 hdc on its upper-left side, then (sc, ch 2, sc) in its left point. Continue to the bottom. On Row 14, stop after its upper-left side and work the corner (sc, ch 2, sc) in its left point.
Left-edge count: 26 sides × 14 = 364 sc, plus 12 points × 2 sc = 24 sc and 13 valley sc2tog, for 401 sc + 12 ch-2 sps.
Bottom edge: Work the same way as the top edge, from left to right. In each bottom point, work (sc, ch 3, sc) instead of the loop. This makes the tassel sp.
Bottom-edge count: 216 sc + 7 ch-3 sps.
Work the corner (sc, ch 2, sc) in the right point of the bottom-right motif.
Right edge: Work the same way as the left edge, going up. Sl st to the first sc and fasten off.
Right-edge count: 401 sc + 12 ch-2 sps.
Round total: 216 + 401 + 216 + 401 + 8 corner sc = 1,242 sc.
Why the math works:
– Working 1 sc in each hdc matches the motif gauge, so the sides don’t ruffle or pull in.
– The sc2tog in each valley pulls the inner angles in neatly, so they don’t flare.
– The 2 sc at each point keep the outer angles sharp.
The 80 motif sides around the edge all get exactly 14 sc each. Every extra stitch is listed above, so you can check your count edge by edge.
Tassels (7 per panel):
1. Wrap yarn 20 times around the 7 in (17.8 cm) card.
2. Tie the top through a ch-3 sp, then cut the loops at the bottom.
3. Wrap a separate strand tightly 0.5 in (1.3 cm) below the top and knot it.
4. Trim the tassel to 6 in (15.2 cm).
Final Blocking
- Lay out foam mats about the size of half the panel. You’ll block it in two sections.
- Lay the top half RS up. Pin the top points in a straight line, 5 in (12.7 cm) apart.
- Pin each column straight down, with a pin at every join, 5 in (12.7 cm) apart.
- Pin the sides of each motif straight, so each one measures 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
- Mist until damp. Don’t soak the panel, because wet cotton is heavy.
- Let it dry completely. Then move the panel along and block the bottom half the same way.
- Comb the tassels straight with damp fingers and trim them even.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- All 98 motifs have 56 hdc and 14 hdc per side.
- All 175 joins are in place and none have been skipped.
- The marked top points all face up.
- The panel measures 35.5 in × 70.5 in (90.2 cm × 179.1 cm).
- The border count is 1,242 sc, with 7 hanging loops and 7 tassel sps.
- The diamond gaps are open and evenly sized.
- All ends are woven in on the WS and out of view.
- The tassels are 6 in (15.2 cm) long and match.
Troubleshooting
- Motif cups: The Round 1 sc are too tight. Go up 0.5 mm for Round 1 only.
- Motif ruffles: Check that there are exactly 10 sc per side in Round 2.
- Points look rounded: Pull the ch-2 snug and pin the points sharply when you block.
- Panel leans to one side: You’ve rotated a motif. Check the marked top points.
- Edge waves: You’ve added extra sc. Recount each motif side in the border; each should have 14.
- Gaps between joins: Loosen the joining sl st, but don’t skip any chains.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Roll in a towel to press out water, then dry flat and re-pin if needed. Don’t hang the panel while it’s wet, because the cotton will stretch lengthwise.
Final Notes
The measurements build on each other. Gauge is 16 hdc to 4 in (10.2 cm). That gives a 5 in (12.7 cm) motif with 14 hdc per side. Seven motifs across and 14 down make a 35 in × 70 in (88.9 cm × 177.8 cm) grid. The 1,242-stitch border brings the finished panel to 35.5 in × 70.5 in (90.2 cm × 179.1 cm). If your first motif is the right size, the rest of the panel will be too. Make a second panel to match for a pair.
Happy crocheting!