Sunny Meadow Sunflower Doorway Curtain Crochet Pattern

This doorway curtain has a cream lace valance with a yellow scalloped edge and ten green stems hanging below it. Each stem carries six flat sunflowers and pairs of small leaves. The flowers are staggered from strand to strand, so the whole panel looks like a field of blooms.

There are four colors: cream for the lace, golden yellow for the petals and edging, chocolate brown for the flower centers, and olive green for the stems and leaves. The style is cottage-farmhouse: bright, but calm.

The pattern uses US crochet terms. The valance is 30 in (76.2 cm) wide and 7.5 in (19.1 cm) deep including the border. The strands hang 64 in (162.6 cm) below the scallop tips, so the curtain is 71.5 in (181.6 cm) long, not counting the tabs.

You’ll work in this order:
1. The valance, flat in rows.
2. The tabs, worked into the valance’s foundation edge.
3. Ten chain-and-slip-stitch strands with the leaves built in.
4. Sixty sunflowers, worked in rounds.
5. Sew the flowers to the strands.
6. Work the scalloped border.
7. Hang one strand from each scallop tip.

Finished Size and Construction

• Finished size: 30 in (76.2 cm) wide × 71.5 in (181.6 cm) long, plus tabs
• Skill level: Intermediate
• Terminology: US
• Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
• Hook: 4.5 mm (US 7)
• Number of pieces: 1 valance (with 10 tabs), 10 strands, 60 sunflowers
• Layout: 10 strands in one row, one per scallop, 3 in (7.6 cm) apart
• Piece size: valance 30 × 7.5 in (76.2 × 19.1 cm); sunflower 4 in (10.2 cm) across; strand 64 in (162.6 cm) long
• Valance size before border: 30 × 6 in (76.2 × 15.2 cm)
• Border depth: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) at the scallop tips

Materials

Use a smooth mercerized or combed cotton in worsted weight, about 85 m per 50 g (1.7 m per gram). Cotton keeps the petals flat and stops the stems from stretching under the weight of the flowers.

• Cream: 80 g / 136 m (valance and tabs)
• Golden yellow: 400 g / 680 m (petals and border)
• Chocolate brown: 100 g / 170 m (flower centers)
• Olive green: 120 g / 204 m (stems and leaves)

These quantities include a margin of about 15% for swatching and weaving in ends.

Tools:
– 4.5 mm (US 7) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– 70 locking stitch markers
– Measuring tape
– Blocking mats and rust-proof pins
– Spray bottle
– Curtain rod up to 1.25 in (3.2 cm) in diameter

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)
• inc – 2 sc in the same st
• MR – magic ring
• PM – place marker

Special stitch – Leaf: Ch 7, sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in each of next 2 ch, hdc in next ch, sc in last ch, then sl st in the stem ch where the leaf started.

Leaf pair: Make one Leaf. Then make a second Leaf from the same stem ch, pointing in the opposite direction.

Gauge and Checkpoints

• Sc: 16 sts × 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm)
• Fan pattern: 12 sts (2 fans) = 3 in (7.6 cm); 8 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm)
• Stem: 20 ch, measured after the sl st return pass = 5 in (12.7 cm)

Make one sunflower first. It’s a quick gauge test, and you’ll be making 60 of them.

Checkpoints:
– Brown center after Round 4: 1.75 in (4.4 cm) across
– Finished sunflower: 4 in (10.2 cm) across
– Valance after Row 4: 1.2 in (3.0 cm) deep
– Valance after Row 12: 5.2 in (13.2 cm) deep
– Valance after Row 15: 6 in (15.2 cm) deep and 30 in (76.2 cm) wide
– First 20 stem ch: 5 in (12.7 cm)

If a piece is too big, use a hook 0.5 mm smaller. If it’s too small, use a hook 0.5 mm larger. Chains often come out tight. If your 20 stem ch measure less than 5 in (12.7 cm), use a hook one size larger for the chains only.

Valance

With cream, ch 122.

Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (121 sc)

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (121 sc)

Row 3 (mesh): Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk next st, dc in next st, ch 1, sk next st, dc in next st across. Turn. (61 dc + 60 ch-1 sps = 121 sts)

Row 4: Ch 1, sc in first dc, sc in next ch-1 sp, sc in next dc 60 times. The last sc goes in the 3rd ch of the turning ch. Turn. (121 sc)

Row 5 (fan row A): Ch 1, sc in first st, sk 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st 20 times. Turn. (20 fans: 21 sc + 100 dc = 121 sts)

Row 6 (fan row B): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in first sc, sc in center dc of next fan, 5 dc in next sc 19 times, sc in center dc of last fan, 3 dc in last sc. Turn. (3 + 20 sc + 95 dc + 3 = 121 sts)

Row 7 (fan row A): Ch 1, sc in first dc, 5 dc in next sc, sc in center dc of next fan 19 times, 5 dc in last sc, sc in top of turning ch. Turn. (21 sc + 100 dc = 121 sts)

Rows 8, 10 and 12: Repeat Row 6. (121 sts each)

Rows 9 and 11: Repeat Row 7. (121 sts each)

Row 13: Ch 1, sc in each st across, including the top of the turning ch. Turn. (121 sc)

Row 14: Repeat Row 3. (121 sts)

Row 15: Repeat Row 4. (121 sc) Fasten off.

Hanging Tabs

Work the tabs into the free loops of the foundation chain along the top edge of the valance. There are 121 loops. Number them from 1 at the right-hand end.

Join cream in loop 5 with the RS facing you.

Row 1: Ch 1, sc in the same loop and in each of the next 4 loops. Turn. (5 sc)

Rows 2–16: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (5 sc)

Fasten off and leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail. The tab should measure 3.5 in (8.9 cm) long. Fold it to the WS and whipstitch Row 16 to the back of valance Row 2, over the same 5 sts.

Make the remaining tabs the same way over loops 17–21, 29–33, 41–45, 53–57, 65–69, 77–81, 89–93, 101–105 and 113–117. That gives 10 tabs, each 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide, with centers 3 in (7.6 cm) apart.

Sunflower (make 60)

Round 1: With brown, MR, 6 sc in ring, sl st to first sc. (6 sts)

Round 2: Ch 1, inc in each st around, sl st to first sc. (12 sts)

Round 3: Ch 1, (sc in next st, inc) 6 times, sl st to first sc. (18 sts)

Round 4: Ch 1, (sc in each of next 2 sts, inc) 6 times, sl st to first sc. Fasten off brown. (24 sts)

Round 5: Join yellow in any st. Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 3, sk next st, sc in next st, ch 3, sk next st 11 times, sl st to first sc. (12 sc + 12 ch-3 sps)

Round 6: Sl st in first ch-3 sp. Work (sc, hdc, 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc, hdc, sc) in each ch-3 sp around, sl st to first sc. (12 petals: 96 sts + 12 ch-2 tips)

Round 7 (outline): Sl st loosely in each st around, working (sl st, ch 1, sl st) in each ch-2 tip. Join to first sl st. Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing. (96 sl sts worked one per existing st + 24 extra sl sts and 12 ch at the tips)

The ch-2 tips make the petals pointed, and Round 7 gives them their raised outline.

Strands (make 10)

Each strand has 256 stem ch, which measures 64 in (162.6 cm). The leaves don’t count as stem ch. All positions are measured from the top of the strand.

Strand A (make 5):
1. With green, leave an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail and ch 16.
2. PM in the last ch. The first flower goes here, at 4 in (10.2 cm).
3. Ch 20, make a Leaf pair, ch 20, PM in the last ch. Repeat from * 5 times.
4. Ch 20, make a Leaf pair, ch 20.

Count: 256 stem ch, 6 leaf pairs and 6 markers.

Strand B (make 5):
1. With green, leave an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail and ch 16.
2. Make a Leaf pair.
3. Ch 20, PM in the last ch, ch 20, make a Leaf pair. Repeat from * 5 times.
4. Ch 20, PM in the last ch, ch 20.

Count: 256 stem ch, 6 leaf pairs and 6 markers.

Return pass (both types): Ch 1 and turn. Sl st in the back bump of each stem ch back up to the top, keeping the leaves out to the sides. (256 sl sts) Fasten off and leave an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail. This pass turns the chain into a firm cord.

Make All Pieces

• Cream: 1 valance with 10 tabs
• Brown and yellow: 60 sunflowers
• Green: 5 Strand A and 5 Strand B (120 leaves in total)

Layout grid: F = flower and L = leaf pair. Depth is measured below the scallop tip.

Depth              S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10
4 in (10.2 cm)     F  L  F  L  F  L  F  L  F  L
9 in (22.9 cm)     L  F  L  F  L  F  L  F  L  F
...the two rows alternate every 5 in (12.7 cm)...
54 in (137.2 cm)   F  L  F  L  F  L  F  L  F  L
59 in (149.9 cm)   L  F  L  F  L  F  L  F  L  F
64 in (162.6 cm)   all strands end

Joining

Joining happens in two stages. Sew the flowers to the stems now. Attach the strands to the valance after you’ve worked the border.

Flowers to stems: Lay a strand flat and center a sunflower RS up over each marker. With the yellow tail, whipstitch the back loops of Round 2 to the stem at 4 points: top, bottom and both sides. At each point, go through one sl st and the chain under it. The petals stay free.

Tension: Keep the stitches snug but don’t pull. If you pull, the brown center cups and the stem puckers.

Size checkpoint: A finished strand should still measure 64 in (162.6 cm) when it hangs. If it has shrunk by more than 0.5 in (1.3 cm), your sewing is too tight.

Border

The border goes along the bottom edge of the valance only, into the 121 sts of Row 15. The strands don’t add any stitches.

Border gauge: Each scallop sits over 12 sts of Row 15, which is 3 in (7.6 cm). It is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) deep at the tip.

Border Row 1: Join cream in the first st of Row 15. Ch 1, sc in first st, sk 5 sts, 13 tr in next st, sk 5 sts, sc in next st 10 times. Fasten off cream. (11 sc + 130 tr = 141 sts)

Border Row 2: Join yellow in the first sc. Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in each of next 13 tr, sc in next sc 10 times. Turn. (1 + 10 × 14 = 141 sc)

Border Row 3: Ch 1, sc in first sc, sc in each of next 3 sts, hdc in each of next 2 sts, 2 hdc in each of next 3 sts, hdc in each of next 2 sts, sc in each of next 3 sts, sl st in next sc 10 times. Fasten off. (13 sts worked one per st + 3 extra hdc = 16 per scallop; 1 + 10 × 17 = 171 sts)

Why the math works: 121 = 10 × 12 + 1. That gives exactly ten 12-st scallop repeats plus one closing sc. The scallop centers fall on sts 7, 19, 31 and so on, directly under the tabs. The 3 extra hdc in Row 3 lengthen the outer curve so it lies flat.

Attach strands: Each scallop tip is between the 8th and 9th sts of its 16-st group in Border Row 3. Place the top 2 sts of a stem behind that point. Using both green tails, sew them through Border Rows 2 and 3 on the WS. With the RS facing, count scallops from the left. Hang a Strand A at scallops 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, and a Strand B at scallops 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10.

Final Blocking

1. Weave in all ends.
2. Pin the valance to 30 × 7.5 in (76.2 × 19.1 cm), pinning each scallop tip and each valley.
3. Gently open up the fan and mesh holes.
4. Mist evenly until damp.
5. Lay each strand straight and pin out the petal and leaf tips.
6. Leave everything to dry completely, which takes about 24 hours.
7. Hang the curtain for a day so the stems settle.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

• Every valance row has 121 sts
• 10 tabs, each centered over a scallop
• Border Row 3 has 171 sts and 10 even scallops
• 60 sunflowers, each 4 in (10.2 cm) across with 12 pointed petals
• 10 strands, each with 256 stem ch and 6 leaf pairs
• Flower heights alternate between neighboring strands
• Every strand hangs 64 in (162.6 cm) below its scallop tip

Troubleshooting

• Valance is narrower than 30 in (76.2 cm): Go up a hook size for Rows 5–12.
• Fans drift out of line: Mark the center dc of each fan.
• Scallops ruffle: Go down a hook size for Border Row 1.
• Sunflower cups: Loosen your sewing and block it again.
• Petals curl: Work Round 7 more loosely.
• Strands are different lengths: Count the chains again and check the return pass for missed sts.

Care

Hand wash in cool water and dry flat, then block again if needed. Don’t tumble dry, because the stems may stretch.

Final Notes

Each size depends on the one before it:
– A 4 in (10.2 cm) sunflower confirms your gauge.
– 121 valance sts give 30 in (76.2 cm) of width.
– That width holds ten 3 in (7.6 cm) scallops.
– Each scallop holds one tab above and one 64 in (162.6 cm) strand below.

The total length is 71.5 in (181.6 cm). Check each measurement as you reach it.

Happy crocheting!