This Holly Bell Christmas Window Curtain is a full window treatment. A lacy scalloped valance hangs from a wooden rod, and 13 beaded chain cords drop from it. The cords carry open-mesh bells topped with holly leaves and berries.
The colors are deep burgundy for the valance, cords, bells and berries, dark holly green for the leaves, and ivory pearls for the beads and bell clappers. The style is traditional and lacy, and daylight still comes through.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain is 48¼ in (122.6 cm) wide. The valance is 3½ in (8.9 cm) deep, the strands drop 72 in (182.9 cm), and the total length is about 75½ in (191.8 cm).
You first work a two-row valance base and add 12 rod tabs, then work a fan edging along the bottom (the Border). Bells, leaves, berries and beaded strands are made separately, assembled, and tied to the valance.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 48¼ in (122.6 cm) wide x about 75½ in (191.8 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hook: 4.5 mm (US 7)
- Number of pieces: 1 valance, 12 tabs, 13 strands, 33 bells, 66 holly leaves, 99 berries
- Layout: 13 strands spaced 4 in (10.2 cm) apart; odd-numbered strands have 3 bells and even-numbered strands have 2
- Bell size: 3 in (7.6 cm) tall, 3½ in (8.9 cm) across the rim laid flat
- Valance size before border: 48¼ in (122.6 cm) x 1 in (2.5 cm)
- Border depth: 2½ in (6.4 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth worsted cotton or cotton blend so the stitches stay crisp and the bells keep their shape. The amounts below assume 100 g = 200 yd (183 m).
- Burgundy: 500 g, about 1,000 yd (914 m), for the valance, tabs, strands, bells and berries
- Dark green: 100 g, about 200 yd (183 m), for the leaves
The quantities include a margin of about 15%.
Tools:
- 4.5 mm (US 7) crochet hook
- 234 ivory pearl beads, 10 mm, with holes of at least 3 mm
- 33 ivory pearl beads, 12 mm, for the clappers
- Big-eye beading needle or floss threader
- Tapestry needle, scissors, stitch markers
- Tape measure, rustproof pins, spray bottle
- A small handful of polyester fiberfill
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- tr: treble crochet
- sk: skip
- sp: space
- st(s): stitch(es)
- rep: repeat
Special stitches:
- Fan: In the same st, work (tr, ch 2) 6 times, then 1 more tr. That makes 7 tr and 6 ch-2 sps.
- Picot: Ch 3, then sl st in the 3rd ch from the hook.
- Bead lock: Slide a pre-strung bead up to the hook and ch 1.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 dc x 8 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). For sc, 16 sts x 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). For chains, 9 ch = 2 in (5.1 cm).
Test one piece first. Make one bell before anything else. It uses the main stitches and shows whether your tension is right.
Checkpoints:
- After bell Rnd 1: the circle is 1¼ in (3.2 cm) across.
- After bell Rnd 7: the bell is 3 in (7.6 cm) tall and 3½ in (8.9 cm) across the rim.
- Valance Row 1: the first 16 dc measure 4 in (10.2 cm).
- One strand segment (18 ch) measures 4 in (10.2 cm).
If your work is too big, use a hook 0.5 mm smaller. If it is too small, use a hook 0.5 mm larger. Chains often come out tight, so you may need a larger hook for the strands only.
Valance Base
Use burgundy.
Foundation: Ch 195.
Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (193 sts; the skipped ch-3 counts as 1 dc)
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each st across, turn. (193 sts)
Checkpoint: The valance base measures 48¼ in (122.6 cm) x 1 in (2.5 cm). Fasten off.
Mark sts 1, 17, 33, 49, 65, 81, 97, 113, 129, 145, 161, 177 and 193 of Row 2. These are the 13 junctions, spaced every 16 sts.
Rod Tabs (make 12)
Work the tabs along the foundation-chain edge of Row 1. Each tab is centered over a fan (st 9, 25, 41 and so on).
Row 1: Join burgundy in st 7, ch 1, sc in sts 7–11, turn. (5 sc)
Rows 2–18: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn. (5 sc)
Each tab measures 1¼ in (3.2 cm) x 4 in (10.2 cm). Fasten off and leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail.
Make the other tabs the same way, starting at sts 23, 39, 55 and so on, every 16 sts. The last tab starts at st 183.
Fold each tab to the front and sew its last row to the front of Row 2. Each loop fits a rod up to 1⅜ in (3.5 cm) thick.
Bell (make 33)
Use burgundy. Work in joined rounds and do not turn.
Rnd 1: In a magic ring, ch 3 (counts as dc), work 11 dc, then join with a sl st to the top of the ch-3. (12 dc)
Rnd 2: Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), *dc in next dc, ch 1; rep from * around, join. (12 dc, 12 ch-1 sps)
Rnd 3: Sl st in first sp, ch 4, *dc in next sp, ch 1; rep from * around, join. (12 dc, 12 ch-1 sps)
Rnd 4: Sl st in first sp, ch 4, dc in same sp, ch 1, *dc in next sp, ch 1, (dc, ch 1) twice in next sp; rep from * to last sp, dc in last sp, ch 1, join. (18 dc, 18 ch-1 sps)
Rnd 5: Repeat Rnd 3. (18 dc, 18 ch-1 sps)
Rnd 6: Sl st in first sp, ch 4, dc in same sp, ch 1, *(dc, ch 1) in each of next 2 sps, (dc, ch 1) twice in next sp; rep from * to last 2 sps, (dc, ch 1) in each of last 2 sps, join. (24 dc, 24 ch-1 sps)
Rnd 7 (scalloped rim): Sl st in first sp, ch 1, sc in same sp, *5 dc in next sp, sc in next sp; rep from * to last sp, 5 dc in last sp, join. (12 sc + 12 shells of 5 dc = 72 sts)
Clapper: Thread a 12 mm pearl onto a 6 in (15.2 cm) strand of burgundy and knot it below the pearl. Pull both ends up through the center of Rnd 1 so the pearl hangs at rim level, then knot them on top.
Holly Leaf (make 66)
Use green. Ch 11.
Side 1: Sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, picot, dc in next 2 ch, picot, dc in next 2 ch, picot, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch, then work (sc, picot, sc) in the last ch for the tip.
Side 2: Work along the other side of the foundation chain: sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, picot, dc in next 2 ch, picot, dc in next 2 ch, picot, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch, sl st in last ch.
The leaf has 3 points on each side and measures 2½ in (6.4 cm) long. Fasten off and leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.
Berry (make 99)
Use burgundy.
Rnd 1: Work 6 sc in a magic ring. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: Sc in each st around. (6 sc)
Stuff lightly, weave the tail through the front loops and cinch closed. The berry is ⅝ in (1.6 cm) across.
Bead Strand (make 13)
Use burgundy. String 18 beads (10 mm) onto the yarn before you start.
Leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail and ch 1 as an anchor. *Ch 17, bead lock; rep from * 17 more times. (18 segments of 18 ch = 324 ch, 18 beads)
The last bead finishes the bottom end. Fasten off and weave the end back through the last 3 ch.
Checkpoint: The strand measures 72 in (182.9 cm) with a bead every 4 in (10.2 cm).
Make All Pieces
Burgundy: 1 valance, 12 tabs, 13 strands, 33 bells, 99 berries
Green: 66 holly leaves
Layout grid: Strands 1–13 run left to right. B = bell, . = no bell at that height. Heights are measured down from the valance.
10 in: B.B.B.B.B.B.B
22 in: .B.B.B.B.B.B.
34 in: B.B.B.B.B.B.B
46 in: .B.B.B.B.B.B.
58 in: B.B.B.B.B.B.B
The odd-numbered strands have bells at 10, 34 and 58 in (25.4, 86.4 and 147.3 cm), for 7 x 3 = 21 bells. The even-numbered strands have bells at 22 and 46 in (55.9 and 116.8 cm), for 6 x 2 = 12 bells. That makes 33 bells in total.
Joining
Bell clusters: Sew 2 leaves to the top of Rnd 1 in a V shape. Sew 3 berries in a triangle where the leaves meet. Knot all tails inside the bell.
Bells to strands: Each bell sits at the midpoint of a segment. For example, the 10 in (25.4 cm) position is the 9th ch of segment 3, between the beads at 8 in (20.3 cm) and 12 in (30.5 cm). Run the strand down the back of the bell. Stitch through Rnd 1 and the chain 3 times, then tack Rnd 3 to the chain once.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: Sew only into the chain at the marked position. Each segment stays at 18 ch, so the beads stay 4 in (10.2 cm) apart.
Tension: Keep the stitches snug but don’t pucker the chain. Stitches that are too tight shorten the strand and make the bells tilt.
Checkpoint: Each strand still measures 72 in (182.9 cm).
Border (Valance Fan Edging)
Work along the Row 2 edge with burgundy, right side facing.
Border gauge: One fan repeat covers 16 base sts, which is 4 in (10.2 cm) wide and 2 in (5.1 cm) deep. Row 4 adds ½ in (1.3 cm).
Row 3 (fans): Join at st 1, ch 1, sc in st 1, *sk 7 sts, fan in next st, sk 7 sts, sc in next st; rep from * across, turn. (12 fans + 13 sc)
Row 4 (trim): Ch 1, sc in first sc, *sc in next tr, (3 sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in next tr) 6 times, sc in next sc; rep from * across. Fasten off. (12 x 26 + 1 = 313 sc)
Counts per side: The border is worked on the bottom edge only. It starts with 193 sts and ends with 313 sc. The tabs finish the top edge, and the short sides are left plain.
Why the math works: 193 = 12 x 16 + 1. Each repeat uses 1 sc + 7 skipped sts + 1 fan st + 7 skipped sts = 16 sts, and the extra st holds the last sc. In Row 4, each fan gives 7 sc over the tr plus 18 sc in the ch-2 sps, for 25 sts. Adding the junction sc makes 26 sts per repeat.
Attach strands: The junction sc are sts 1, 27, 53 and so on, every 26 sts, up to st 313. Each one sits below a Row 2 marker. Thread a strand tail through each junction sc and its marked st, knot securely, and weave in the end.
Final Blocking
- Pin the valance face down with the top edge at 48¼ in (122.6 cm).
- Pin each fan into an even arc 2½ in (6.4 cm) deep.
- Mist and let it dry completely.
- Stuff each bell with plastic wrap, shape the scallops, mist, and let it dry.
- Pin each leaf flat at every point and mist.
- Hang the strands so gravity straightens them. Steam lightly from a distance if needed.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Valance measures 48¼ in (122.6 cm) x 3½ in (8.9 cm)
- 12 fans, 313 sc in Row 4, and 13 strands attached
- 12 tabs, each centered over a fan
- Each strand measures 72 in (182.9 cm) and has 18 beads
- 33 bells, each with a clapper, 2 leaves and 3 berries
- Bells match the layout grid
- All ends woven in and knots secure
Troubleshooting
- Fans ruffle: Use a smaller hook for Row 3.
- Fans cup: Use a larger hook for Row 3.
- Bell flares too early: Rnd 4 should have 18 dc, not 24.
- Beads stick on the yarn: Use a floss threader or beads with 3.5 mm holes.
- Strands twist: Hang a clothespin from each strand end overnight.
- Leaves curl: Wet-block them pinned at every picot.
Care
Hand wash in cool water, roll in a towel to remove water, and dry flat with the bells reshaped. Store the curtain rolled, not folded, so the strands don’t tangle.
Final Notes
All the measurements come from one gauge. At 16 dc = 4 in (10.2 cm), 193 sts make 48¼ in (122.6 cm) and 12 fans of 4 in (10.2 cm) each. Row 4 has 313 sc and 13 junctions 4 in (10.2 cm) apart. Each strand is 18 segments of 4 in (10.2 cm), for a 72 in (182.9 cm) drop. The 33 bell clusters sit on the grid between 10 and 58 in (25.4 and 147.3 cm). Check each stage as you go and the curtain will hang evenly.
Happy crocheting!