This curtain is made of rows of small openwork fans that hang like a lattice in front of a window. Seven narrow strands hang from a wooden rod, and each one carries five fan motifs and a full tassel at the bottom. Light passes through the gaps between the spokes, so the curtain softens a view without blocking it.
The palette is warm coral and deep teal, alternating strand by strand and starting and ending with coral. The style is a mix of boho macramé and classic shell lace: simple to read, bright, and quick to work up.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain measures 24.5 in (62.2 cm) wide and 37.75 in (95.9 cm) long from the top of the rod to the tassel ends.
Each strand is worked in one continuous piece from the bottom up: a chain stem, a ring, three short fan rows, a connecting chain, and so on up to a hanging loop. Once all seven strands are made, you tack the fans together at their top corners, add the tassels, and block.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 24.5 in (62.2 cm) wide × 37.75 in (95.9 cm) long, including tassels
- Skill level: Easy / advanced beginner
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: US H-8 (5.0 mm)
- Number of pieces: 7 strands (4 coral, 3 teal), 7 tassels
- Layout: 7 strands across × 5 fans down (35 fans in total)
- Fan size: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide × 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall
- Strand length without tassel: 31.75 in (80.6 cm), measured from the top of the rod
- Size before finishing: 24.5 in (62.2 cm) wide; the width stays the same after finishing
- Finishing depth: 3 in (7.6 cm) hanging loops at the top; 6 in (15.2 cm) tassels at the bottom
Materials
Yarn: Use smooth worsted-weight cotton. It shows the spokes clearly, holds the fan shape after blocking, and hangs straight. Acrylic also works, but it stretches more over time.
- Coral: 100 g, approx. 153 m (167 yd)
- Teal: 75 g, approx. 115 m (126 yd)
These quantities include a margin of about 20% for swatching, tails, and fuller tassels.
Tools:
- US H-8 (5.0 mm) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Stiff card 6.5 in (16.5 cm) tall, for the tassels
- Wooden curtain rod, 1 in (2.5 cm) diameter, at least 28 in (71.1 cm) long
- Rust-proof pins and a blocking mat or folded towel
- Spray bottle
- Measuring tape
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sp – space
- BL – back loop only
- st(s) – stitch(es)
Special technique – travel slip stitch: Turn the work. Then sl st in the BL of the stated number of stitches to move the hook to the center of the arc without cutting the yarn. These slip stitches sit on the back of the arc, which is the wrong side.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Before you make any full strands, make one fan as a test piece.
Chain gauge: 8 ch = 2 in (5.1 cm) when the chain is relaxed.
Fan checkpoints:
- After Row 1, the spoke tips span 3 in (7.6 cm) and stand 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall from the ring.
- After Row 3, the fan is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide and 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall.
Strand checkpoint: The center-to-center distance from one fan to the next is 4.5 in (11.4 cm). That is one fan of 2.25 in (5.7 cm) plus one 9-ch connector of 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
If your fan is too big: Go down one hook size, to US 7 (4.5 mm). Also check whether you are pulling up loose loops on the trebles.
If your fan is too small: Go up one hook size, to US I-9 (5.5 mm).
Width is the measurement that matters most. Seven fans at 3.5 in (8.9 cm) give the 24.5 in (62.2 cm) width. If a fan comes out 0.25 in (0.6 cm) too wide, the curtain gains 1.75 in (4.4 cm).
Strand Pattern (Make 7)
Each strand is worked from the bottom up. Leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail at the start for attaching the tassel later.
Bottom Stem and Fan 1 Ring
Ch 16. Sl st in the 5th ch from the hook to form a ring.
The ring is made of 4 ch. The 11 ch below it form the bottom stem, which measures 2.75 in (7.0 cm).
Fan (Work 5 Times)
Row 1: Ch 4 (counts as tr). Then work (ch 1, tr) 6 times into the ring. Turn.
(7 tr, 6 ch-1 sps)
The spokes fan upward from the ring, which forms the point at the bottom of the fan.
Row 2: Ch 1. Sc in the first tr. Then work (2 sc in the next ch-1 sp, sc in the next tr) 6 times; the last sc goes into the top of the turning ch-4. Turn.
(1 + 18 = 19 sc)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each sc across. Do not fasten off.
(19 sc)
Rows 2 and 3 together make the smooth, solid arc at the top of the fan. The 10th stitch is the center of the arc.
Travel: Turn. Sl st in the BL of the first 10 sts. Your hook is now at the center stitch.
(10 travel sl st)
Connector (After Fans 1–4 Only)
Ch 14. Sl st in the 5th ch from the hook to form the ring for the next fan.
The new ring is 4 ch. The 9 ch below it form the connector, which measures 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
Work the next fan’s Rows 1–3 and the travel into this new ring. Repeat until you have 5 fans.
Top Stem and Hanging Loop (After Fan 5)
After the travel on Fan 5, ch 48. Sl st in the 25th ch from the hook.
The first 24 ch form the hanging loop, which is 6 in (15.2 cm) around and hangs 3 in (7.6 cm) deep on the rod. The remaining 23 ch form the top stem, which is 5.75 in (14.6 cm) long.
Fasten off. Weave the end back into the top stem so that it doubles and strengthens the stem.
Strand Stitch Summary
- Per fan: 7 tr, 6 ch-1 sps, 38 sc, and 10 travel sl st
- Per strand: 5 fans, plus 16 + (4 × 14) + 48 = 120 ch of stems, rings, and loop
Strand length check:
| Part | Length |
|---|---|
| Loop drop | 3 in (7.6 cm) |
| Top stem | 5.75 in (14.6 cm) |
| 5 fans | 11.25 in (28.6 cm) |
| 4 connectors | 9 in (22.9 cm) |
| Bottom stem | 2.75 in (7.0 cm) |
| Total | 31.75 in (80.6 cm) |
Make All Pieces
- Coral: 4 strands (20 fans) and 4 tassels
- Teal: 3 strands (15 fans) and 3 tassels
Layout grid (C = coral fan, T = teal fan; rows are counted from the rod down):
Row 1: C T C T C T C
Row 2: C T C T C T C
Row 3: C T C T C T C
Row 4: C T C T C T C
Row 5: C T C T C T C
| | | | | | |
Tassel: C T C T C T C
Before joining, lay all seven strands flat with their hanging loops lined up in a straight row. Every fan row should line up horizontally.
Joining
Method: Tack adjacent fans together at the top corners of their arcs, using a tapestry needle and a 12 in (30.5 cm) length of yarn.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: Join the last sc of Row 3 on one fan to the first sc of Row 3 on the fan beside it. These are the end stitches of the arc, at its widest point.
Pass the needle through both stitches twice, tie a square knot on the wrong side, and weave the ends into the arc. Use the coral yarn on each seam, since coral sits on both sides of every teal strand.
Count:
- 6 seams across × 5 fan rows = 30 tacks in total
- No stitches are added anywhere. The width is made only of fans: 7 × 3.5 in (8.9 cm) = 24.5 in (62.2 cm).
Tension advice: The fans should just touch, with no gap between them and no overlap. If you pull the tack tight, the arcs bunch up and the curtain narrows. If you leave it loose, the tack shows as a loop.
Size checkpoint: After joining, the curtain should be 24.5 in (62.2 cm) wide at every fan row. If any row is more than 0.25 in (0.6 cm) off, redo the tacks on that row.
Border: Hanging Loops and Tassels
A strand curtain does not have a stitched border around its edge. Instead, the finishing “border” is the row of hanging loops along the top and the row of tassels along the bottom.
Top edge:
- 7 loops of 24 ch each, one per strand
- The loops are spaced 3.5 in (8.9 cm) apart, center to center, which matches the fan width.
- The top edge has the same total width as the fan rows: 7 × 3.5 in (8.9 cm) = 24.5 in (62.2 cm). Nothing is added along this edge, so the strands hang straight down without fanning out or pulling in.
Bottom edge: tassels (make 7, in the strand colors):
- Wrap the yarn 30 times around the 6.5 in (16.5 cm) card.
- Slide a 10 in (25.4 cm) length of yarn under the wraps at the top and tie it tightly.
- Cut the wraps open along the bottom edge.
- Wrap a second length of yarn 6 times around the bundle, 0.75 in (1.9 cm) below the top, to form the tassel head. Knot it and bury the ends inside the tassel.
- Trim the bottom evenly to 6 in (15.2 cm).
Attaching the tassels: Thread the tassel’s top tie onto the tapestry needle. Pass it through the last 2 ch of the bottom stem and knot it securely. Weave the strand’s starting tail down into the tassel head.
Why the math works: The width is set only by the fans, at 7 fans × 3.5 in (8.9 cm). The length is set by chain gauge and fan height, which add up to 31.75 in (80.6 cm) for the strand plus 6 in (15.2 cm) for the tassel. Together that gives 37.75 in (95.9 cm).
Final Blocking
- Mist the whole curtain with water until it is damp but not dripping.
- Lay it flat on the blocking surface, right side up.
- Pin each hanging loop in a straight line, 3.5 in (8.9 cm) apart.
- Open each fan to 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide. Pin the two arc corners, then pin the center top.
- Separate the spokes evenly so that the ch-1 gaps look the same size.
- Straighten each connector and stem so they run in a straight vertical line.
- Comb the tassels straight and lay them flat.
- Leave everything pinned until it is completely dry.
- Hang the curtain on the rod. Trim any tassel ends that are uneven.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 7 strands, alternating C-T-C-T-C-T-C
- 5 fans on each strand, with each fan row level across the whole curtain
- Each fan has 7 spokes, a 19-sc arc, and its travel slip stitches hidden on the back
- Fan rows at 4.5 in (11.4 cm) spacing from center to center
- 30 tacks, all at the arc corners
- Width of 24.5 in (62.2 cm) at every fan row
- All 7 hanging loops the same size
- All tassels 6 in (15.2 cm) long and firmly tied
- All ends woven in
Troubleshooting
- The fan curls into a cup: The arc has too many stitches for your tension. Work Row 3 with a hook one size smaller.
- The fan ruffles: Your trebles are short. Pull up the first loop of each tr a little taller.
- The fan rows don’t line up across strands: One strand’s chains are tighter than the others. Redo that strand’s connectors, or block that strand longer.
- The travel stitches show on the front: Make sure you work into the BL after turning, so the slip stitches stay on the back.
- Tassel threads slip out: Tie the top tie tighter and wrap the head more firmly.
- The strands twist on the rod: Steam-block the stems. Make sure every loop is sl st into the 25th ch.
Care
Hand wash in cool water. Then reshape the curtain and dry it flat. Shake the tassels out and comb them gently, rather than brushing.
Final Notes
The measurements build on each other:
- A gauge of 8 ch = 2 in (5.1 cm) gives a fan of 3.5 in (8.9 cm) × 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
- Five fans with four 2.25 in (5.7 cm) connectors, plus the stems and loop, give a strand of 31.75 in (80.6 cm).
- Seven strands tacked at their corners, with no stitches added, give a width of 24.5 in (62.2 cm).
- A 6 in (15.2 cm) tassel brings the total length to 37.75 in (95.9 cm).
Check each of these numbers as you reach it, and the curtain will hang straight.
Happy crocheting!