Ginkgo Breeze is a pair of lacy curtain panels made from small fan-shaped ginkgo leaves. Rows of soft blue leaves alternate with rows of cream leaves. Each leaf hangs by its stem from fine chain links, so the panels form an open diamond lattice that lets light through while still giving some privacy.
The palette is a muted cornflower blue and a warm cream, both in mercerized cotton for crisp stitch definition. Each leaf has radiating ribs, two rounded lobes, a small notch at the top center and a short twisted stem. A blue mesh band with six tab loops runs along the top of each panel.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. Each finished panel measures 25.5 in (64.8 cm) wide at the blue rows and 72.25 in (183.5 cm) long from the top of the band to the tips of the lowest stems, not counting the tab loops.
You work the leaves one at a time and join them as you go. Each new leaf links to its neighbor with a short chain bridge and to the row above with a single chain strand. When all 20 leaf rows are done, you work a mesh band along the top edge and add the tabs.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished panel size: 25.5 in (64.8 cm) wide x 72.25 in (183.5 cm) long, plus tab loops
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Sport (#2) mercerized cotton
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 2 panels; each panel has 90 leaf motifs (50 blue, 40 cream)
- Layout per panel: 20 leaf rows. Odd rows have 5 blue leaves and even rows have 4 cream leaves, offset by half a leaf
- Single leaf size: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide x 4 in (10.2 cm) tall including the stem
- Size before border: 25.5 in (64.8 cm) x 70.5 in (179.1 cm)
- Border (top band) depth: 1.75 in (4.4 cm), worked on the top edge only
Materials
Use a smooth, tightly plied mercerized cotton in sport weight, about 155 m per 50 g. Cotton keeps its shape when hung, and the slight sheen makes the ribs stand out. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy yarns, because the panels will lengthen under their own weight.
- Blue: 300 g / 930 m (leaves, top band and tabs)
- Cream: 200 g / 620 m (leaves)
These amounts cover both panels and include a margin of about 20%.
Tools:
- 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 10 locking stitch markers
- Blocking mats and rustproof pins
- Spray bottle
- Measuring tape
- 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
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
- rep – repeat
Special terms:
- Tip: the outer end of a leaf’s top edge. The right tip is the first sc of Row 6 and the left tip is the last sc of Row 6 (with RS facing).
- Junction: a meeting point in a leaf row that a stem from above and a notch strand from below both attach to.
- Stem catch: insert the hook through the end sl st of the stem directly above, then into the stitch or junction you are told to use, yarn over and pull through everything on the hook.
- Notch strand: sl st in the center st (st 22), ch 6, sl st into the junction directly above, sl st in each of the 6 ch back down, then sl st again in the center st. The strand does not count as a stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make one test leaf before you start a panel. The leaf is your gauge.
- After Row 2: the fan is 2.25 in (5.7 cm) wide.
- After Row 4: the fan is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wide and 2 in (5.1 cm) tall.
- After Row 6: the fan is 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide and 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall.
- With stem: the leaf is 4 in (10.2 cm) tall. The stem alone is 1.25 in (3.2 cm).
Band gauge: 11 sc and 12 sc rows = 2 in (5.1 cm).
If your leaf is wider than 4.5 in (11.4 cm), go down half a hook size. If it is narrower, go up half a size. A difference of 0.25 in (0.6 cm) per leaf adds up to 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across a blue row, so match the gauge closely.
Leaf Motif
Make each leaf in the color for its row. With RS facing, work the rows from right to left. Row 1 is a WS row, so Row 6 ends up on the RS.
Ch 5, then sl st in the first ch to form a ring.
Row 1 (WS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 8 dc in ring, turn. (9 dc)
Row 2 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st, ch 1, 2 dc in next dc; rep from * 7 more times, turn. (18 dc in 9 pairs, 8 ch-1 sps)
Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next dc, ch 2, skip ch-1 sp, dc in each of next 2 dc; rep from * 7 more times, turn. (18 dc, 8 ch-2 sps)
Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st, dc in next dc, ch 2, skip ch-2 sp, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc; rep from * 7 more times, turn. (27 dc in 9 ribs of 3, 8 ch-2 sps)
The open ch-2 gaps between the 3-dc groups create the radiating ribs of the leaf.
Row 5 (trim row): Ch 1, sc in each of first 3 dc, 2 sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in each of next 3 dc; rep from * 7 more times, turn. (27 sc over dc + 16 sc in spaces = 43 sc)
St 22 is the middle st of the center rib.
Row 6 (lobes and notch): Ch 1, sc in each of next 2 sts, hdc in each of next 3 sts, dc in each of next 11 sts, hdc in each of next 3 sts, sc in each of next 2 sts (21 sts, first lobe). Sl st in st 22 for the center notch (or work a notch strand here, see Joining). Sc in each of next 2 sts, hdc in each of next 3 sts, dc in each of next 11 sts, hdc in each of next 3 sts, sc in last 2 sts (21 sts, second lobe). (43 sts total = 21 + 1 + 21)
The tall dc in the middle of each half makes the two rounded lobes. The sc stitches at each end keep the tips low, and the sl st at st 22 pulls in the notch.
Edging and stem: Do not turn. Ch 1 and work down the left side: 1 sc in the end of Row 5, then 2 sc in the end of each of Rows 4, 3, 2 and 1 (9 sc). Ch 10, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 8 ch (9 sl st stem). Sl st into the ring. Work up the right side: 2 sc in the end of each of Rows 1, 2, 3 and 4, then 1 sc in the end of Row 5 (9 sc). Sl st in first sc of Row 6.
Fasten off on a single test leaf. On panel leaves, follow the joining steps below before you fasten off.
Make All Pieces
Per panel: 50 blue leaves and 40 cream leaves. For two panels: 100 blue and 80 cream. Each leaf is joined as soon as it is finished, so you will build the panel row by row instead of making all the leaves first.
Number the leaves in each row from right to left, with RS facing. Layout of the top four rows (B = blue, C = cream, x = junction):
Row 1: B5 -x- B4 -x- B3 -x- B2 -x- B1
Row 2: C4 -x- C3 -x- C2 -x- C1
Row 3: B5 -x- B4 -x- B3 -x- B2 -x- B1
Row 4: C4 -x- C3 -x- C2 -x- C1
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until you have 20 rows: 10 blue rows and 10 cream rows, ending with a cream row.
Joining
All joins are made with the leaf’s own working yarn while it is still on the hook.
Row 1 (blue): Finish B1 as written and fasten off. For B2 to B5: after the final sl st into the first sc of Row 6, ch 2, ch 1 more and mark this ch as the junction, ch 2, sl st in the left tip of the previous leaf, then fasten off. (4 bridges of 5 ch)
Cream rows:
- In Row 6 of each cream leaf, work a notch strand into the blue junction directly above: C1 to the B1/B2 junction, C2 to the B2/B3 junction, and so on.
- C1: before the final sl st into the first sc of Row 6, work a stem catch of B1’s stem into that sc, then fasten off.
- C2 to C4: sl st in first sc of Row 6, ch 2, stem catch the stem of the blue leaf above (C2 catches B2, C3 catches B3, C4 catches B4), ch 2, sl st in left tip of the previous leaf, fasten off.
- C4 only: after the last sc of Row 6, work a stem catch of B5’s stem into that sc before you continue the edging.
Blue rows from Row 3 on:
- Work a notch strand from each blue leaf into the junction above it. B1 goes to C1’s right tip, B2 to the C1/C2 junction, B3 to C2/C3, B4 to C3/C4, and B5 to C4’s left tip.
- B1: finish as written.
- B2 to B5: sl st in first sc of Row 6, ch 2, stem catch the stem of the cream leaf above (B2 catches C1, B3 catches C2, B4 catches C3, B5 catches C4), ch 2, sl st in left tip of the previous leaf, fasten off.
Every bridge has 5 sts (2 ch, the junction, 2 ch) and measures 0.75 in (1.9 cm). That makes the distance from one leaf center to the next 4.5 + 0.75 = 5.25 in (13.3 cm).
Tension: Keep the bridge chains and notch strands at the same tension as your leaf stitches. If the chains are tight, the lattice puckers. If they are loose, the leaves twist and droop.
Size checkpoint: A blue row is 5 x 4.5 in + 4 x 0.75 in = 25.5 in (64.8 cm). A cream row is 4 x 4.5 in + 3 x 0.75 in = 20.25 in (51.4 cm), centered under it. Row 1 is 4 in (10.2 cm) tall, and each later row adds 3.5 in (8.9 cm). After 20 rows the panel measures 4 + 19 x 3.5 = 70.5 in (179.1 cm). Check this after Row 4: the panel should be 4 + 3 x 3.5 = 14.5 in (36.8 cm) long when lightly stretched.
Border: Top Band and Tabs
The band is worked in blue along the top of Row 1 only. The sides and lower edge are left open so the cream leaves hang freely.
Band gauge: 11 sc = 2 in (5.1 cm), or 5.5 sc per inch.
With RS facing, find these five anchor points along the top of each Row 1 leaf: sts 1, 11, 22, 33 and 43 of Row 6. These are the two tips, the two lobe peaks and the notch.
Band Row 1 (link row): Join blue with sc in st 1 of B5. For each leaf, (ch 5, sc in next anchor point) 4 times, so you get 5 sc and 20 ch per leaf. Between leaves, ch 4 and then sc in st 1 of the next leaf. Turn. (5 leaves x 25 sts + 4 gaps x 4 ch = 141 sts)
Band Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc and in each ch across. Turn. (141 sc)
Band Row 3 (mesh): Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), skip next st, dc in next st, ch 1, skip next st, dc in next st; rep from * to end. Turn. (69 dc and 68 ch-1 sps = 141 sts)
Band Row 4: Ch 1, sc in each dc and in each ch-1 sp across. Turn. (141 sc)
Band Row 5: Rep Row 3. (141 sts)
Band Row 6: Rep Row 4. Do not fasten off. (141 sc)
Why the math works: 141 sc divided by 5.5 sc per inch is 25.6 in (65.0 cm). That is within 0.1 in (0.3 cm) of the 25.5 in (64.8 cm) blue row, so the band lies flat without ruffling or pulling in. Since 141 is odd, each mesh row starts and ends with a dc.
Tabs (make 6): Each tab is 6 sts wide, with 21 sts between tabs: sts 1–6, 28–33, 55–60, 82–87, 109–114 and 136–141. Check: 6 x 6 + 5 x 21 = 141.
- Row 1: Join blue in the first st of a tab, sc in each of the 6 sts. Turn. (6 sc)
- Rows 2–28: Ch 1, sc in each sc. Turn. (6 sc)
Each tab is 1.1 in (2.8 cm) wide and 4.7 in (11.9 cm) long. Fold each tab to the WS and whipstitch Row 28 to the WS of Band Row 2.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along stems and bridges, never through the open ribs.
- Lay the panel flat on blocking mats, with RS up.
- Pin each blue row to 25.5 in (64.8 cm) wide and each cream row to 20.25 in (51.4 cm), centered.
- Pin the total length to 70.5 in (179.1 cm) below the band.
- Open each fan so it is 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide, then pin the two lobes and the notch.
- Spray until damp but not soaked.
- Let it dry completely, then hang it for 24 hours before you adjust the rod height.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 50 blue and 40 cream leaves per panel.
- Every leaf has 43 sts in Row 6 and a clear center notch.
- Every junction below Row 1 has one stem caught from above, and every junction above the last row has one notch strand from below.
- Blue rows measure 25.5 in (64.8 cm) wide.
- The band has 141 sts in every row.
- Six tabs, evenly spaced, each sewn securely.
- The panel measures 72.25 in (183.5 cm) long including the band.
Troubleshooting
- Fan cups or curls: Row 4 is too tight. Go up half a hook size for Rows 4–6 only.
- Fan ruffles: Row 5 has too many sc. Recount for 43.
- No visible notch: You worked an sc instead of a sl st at st 22.
- Leaves hang crooked: A stem was caught off center. Undo the bridge and catch the stem through its end sl st.
- Band ripples: Your band gauge is too loose. Rework it with a hook one size smaller.
- Panel grows long when hung: This is normal for cotton. Block it again while hanging and work the notch strands a little more firmly.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and press out the water in a towel. Dry flat or re-hang while damp to restore the leaf shape.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple: a 4.5 in (11.4 cm) leaf plus a 0.75 in (1.9 cm) bridge gives a 5.25 in (13.3 cm) pitch. Five blue leaves make a 25.5 in (64.8 cm) row. Twenty rows give 70.5 in (179.1 cm), and the 1.75 in (4.4 cm) band brings each panel to 72.25 in (183.5 cm). If the first leaf matches the gauge, every later measurement will follow.
Happy crocheting!