This little ornament is a single strand of eight fan-shaped motifs stacked from top to bottom. Each fan is slightly smaller than the one above it, so the strand tapers into a slim icicle shape. Radiating double crochet stitches give every fan a scalloped, shell-like outline with clear ridges. The fans are joined through the chain spaces along their edges, so the strand reads as one continuous piece.
The colors fade in an ombré from deep burgundy at the top through coral pink, dusty rose, and pale pink to cream white at the bottom. A small cream loop at the very top lets it hang from a tree branch, a gift tag, or a window hook.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished ornament is about 3 in (7.6 cm) long including the loop. The fan strand alone is 2.5 in (6.4 cm), and the widest fan measures 1 in (2.5 cm) across.
Construction is top-down. You make the burgundy fan first. Each new fan hangs from the center chain space of the fan above it and has its own small ring. The cream hanging loop is added last at the top of the first fan. Everything is worked in turned rows, with no sewing.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 3 in (7.6 cm) long including loop; 1 in (2.5 cm) wide at the top fan, 0.4 in (1.0 cm) wide at the bottom fan
- Skill level: Intermediate (fine thread, small spaces)
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Lace (#0), size 10 crochet thread
- Hook: 1.5 mm (US steel size 8)
- Number of pieces: 1 (a single continuous strand)
- Layout: 8 fan motifs stacked vertically, plus a hanging loop at the top
- Piece size: fan heights taper from 0.4 in (1.0 cm) to 0.24 in (0.6 cm)
- Size before border: fan strand 2.5 in (6.4 cm) long before the hanging loop is added
- Border depth: no separate border; each fan’s built-in chain-arch edge adds about 0.1 in (0.3 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth, tightly twisted mercerized cotton thread in size 10. It shows the dc ridges crisply and takes starch well. Avoid fuzzy or loosely plied thread, because the chain spaces will blur.
Thread (size 10 crochet thread, about 5 m per gram):
- Deep burgundy: 1 g (5 m), for Fan 1
- Coral pink: 1 g (5 m), for Fan 2
- Dusty rose: 1 g (5 m), for Fans 3 and 4
- Pale pink: 1 g (5 m), for Fans 5 and 6
- Cream white: 2 g (10 m), for Fans 7 and 8 and the hanging loop
All quantities include a generous margin for swatching and tails. This is an excellent scrap project.
Tools:
- 1.5 mm (US steel size 8) crochet hook
- Fine tapestry needle or size 26 beading needle
- Small sharp scissors
- Spray starch or a stiffening solution
- Foam blocking board and rustproof pins
- Ruler marked in inches and centimeters
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- dc: double crochet
- sp(s): space(s)
- st(s): stitch(es)
- RS / WS: right side / wrong side
Special terms:
- Fan row: all dc for one fan worked into a single small ring, which makes a radiating half-circle.
- Arch edge: the row after the fan row, written as ch 1, sc in first dc, ch 2, sc in next dc across. This creates the scalloped chain-space edge that the next fan hangs from.
- Center ch-2 sp: the middle chain space of an arch edge. Each arch edge has an odd number of ch-2 spaces, so there is always exactly one center space.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make Fan 1 first and measure it before you go on. In thread work, a small hook or tension difference changes the whole strand.
Base gauge: 16 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm). One dc is about 0.2 in (0.5 cm) tall.
Checkpoints:
- After Fan 1, lightly pressed flat: 1 in (2.5 cm) wide and 0.4 in (1.0 cm) tall
- After Fan 4: strand about 1.4 in (3.6 cm) long
- After Fan 8: strand about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) long
- After the hanging loop: total about 3 in (7.6 cm)
If Fan 1 is too big (over 1.1 in / 2.8 cm wide), go down to a 1.3 mm hook or tighten your yarn-overs.
If Fan 1 is too small (under 0.9 in / 2.3 cm wide), go up to a 1.75 mm hook.
If the fan ruffles, the ring is too tight. Make the ring chains looser rather than changing the dc count.
Pattern
How Each Fan Is Built
Every fan has the same two rows:
- Row 1 (fan row, RS): dc worked into a small ring.
- Row 2 (arch edge, WS): sc and ch-2 spaces worked along the dc.
Row 2 is a conversion row, not a growth row. It places 1 sc on each existing dc and adds 1 ch-2 sp between neighboring dc. Its count is therefore (dc count) sc + (dc count − 1) ch-2 sps.
Fasten off after every fan, leaving a 4 in (10.2 cm) tail. Join the next fan at the center ch-2 sp. This keeps every fan centered and makes color changes clean.
Fan 1 (Deep Burgundy, 12 dc)
Ring: With burgundy, ch 4, sl st in first ch to form a ring.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 11 dc in ring. Turn. (12 dc)
Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, sc in first dc, ch 2, sc in next dc 11 times. (12 sc + 11 ch-2 sps) Fasten off.
The center ch-2 sp is the 6th sp, with 5 sps on each side.
Checkpoint: 1 in (2.5 cm) wide, 0.4 in (1.0 cm) tall. The dc should fan out evenly from the ring, and the arch edge should sit flat.
Fan 2 (Coral Pink, 10 dc)
Join and ring: With RS of Fan 1 facing, join coral pink with sc in the center ch-2 sp (6th sp) of Fan 1. Ch 4, sl st in 4th ch from hook to form a ring.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 9 dc in ring. Turn. (10 dc)
Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, sc in first dc, ch 2, sc in next dc 9 times. (10 sc + 9 ch-2 sps) Fasten off.
Center ch-2 sp = 5th sp.
Checkpoint: about 0.85 in (2.2 cm) wide, 0.35 in (0.9 cm) tall.
Fan 3 (Dusty Rose, 10 dc)
Join and ring: Join dusty rose with sc in the center ch-2 sp (5th sp) of Fan 2. Ch 4, sl st in 4th ch from hook.
Row 1: Ch 3, 9 dc in ring. Turn. (10 dc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first dc, ch 2, sc in next dc 9 times. (10 sc + 9 ch-2 sps) Fasten off.
Center ch-2 sp = 5th sp.
Fan 4 (Dusty Rose, 8 dc)
From this fan on, the ring is 3 ch, which keeps fewer dc from looking loose.
Join and ring: Join dusty rose with sc in the center ch-2 sp (5th sp) of Fan 3. Ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook.
Row 1: Ch 3, 7 dc in ring. Turn. (8 dc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first dc, ch 2, sc in next dc 7 times. (8 sc + 7 ch-2 sps) Fasten off.
Center ch-2 sp = 4th sp.
Checkpoint: about 0.7 in (1.8 cm) wide. The strand from the top of Fan 1 to the bottom of Fan 4 is about 1.4 in (3.6 cm).
Fan 5 (Pale Pink, 8 dc)
Join and ring: Join pale pink with sc in the center ch-2 sp (4th sp) of Fan 4. Ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook.
Row 1: Ch 3, 7 dc in ring. Turn. (8 dc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first dc, ch 2, sc in next dc 7 times. (8 sc + 7 ch-2 sps) Fasten off.
Center ch-2 sp = 4th sp.
Fan 6 (Pale Pink, 6 dc)
Join and ring: Join pale pink with sc in the center ch-2 sp (4th sp) of Fan 5. Ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook.
Row 1: Ch 3, 5 dc in ring. Turn. (6 dc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first dc, ch 2, sc in next dc 5 times. (6 sc + 5 ch-2 sps) Fasten off.
Center ch-2 sp = 3rd sp.
Checkpoint: about 0.55 in (1.4 cm) wide, 0.28 in (0.7 cm) tall.
Fan 7 (Cream White, 6 dc)
Join and ring: Join cream with sc in the center ch-2 sp (3rd sp) of Fan 6. Ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook.
Row 1: Ch 3, 5 dc in ring. Turn. (6 dc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first dc, ch 2, sc in next dc 5 times. (6 sc + 5 ch-2 sps) Fasten off.
Center ch-2 sp = 3rd sp.
Fan 8 (Cream White, 4 dc)
Join and ring: Join cream with sc in the center ch-2 sp (3rd sp) of Fan 7. Ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook.
Row 1: Ch 3, 3 dc in ring. Turn. (4 dc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first dc, ch 2, sc in next dc 3 times. (4 sc + 3 ch-2 sps) Fasten off.
Checkpoint: about 0.4 in (1.0 cm) wide, 0.24 in (0.6 cm) tall. The full strand is about 2.5 in (6.4 cm).
Stitch Count Summary
| Fan | Color | Ring | dc | sc | ch-2 sps | Joins next fan at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burgundy | ch 4 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 6th sp |
| 2 | Coral pink | ch 4 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 5th sp |
| 3 | Dusty rose | ch 4 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 5th sp |
| 4 | Dusty rose | ch 3 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4th sp |
| 5 | Pale pink | ch 3 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4th sp |
| 6 | Pale pink | ch 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3rd sp |
| 7 | Cream | ch 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3rd sp |
| 8 | Cream | ch 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — |
Totals: 64 dc, 64 sc, and 56 ch-2 sps. The space count is 64 − 8 = 56, because each fan has one fewer space than its dc count.
Border (Built-In Arch Edge and Hanging Loop)
This ornament has no added border round. Its finished edge is the arch edge (Row 2) of each fan, and the only finishing addition is the cream hanging loop. Adding a separate edging would hide the scalloped outline.
Border gauge: the arch edge is worked at the same tension as the fans, with 1 sc per dc and ch 2 between. It adds about 0.1 in (0.3 cm) to each fan’s radius.
Arch edge counts per fan: see the table above. Each edge has as many sc as the fan has dc, plus one fewer ch-2 sp.
Why the math works: every fan has an even dc count (12, 10, 8, 6, or 4). That means every arch edge has an odd number of ch-2 spaces (11, 9, 7, 5, or 3). An odd count always has one true center space, with an equal number of spaces on each side: 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1. Joining the next fan there keeps the strand straight and symmetrical all the way down.
Dropping by 2 dc every one or two fans gives the gradual taper. The width steps down from 1 in (2.5 cm) to 0.4 in (1.0 cm) without any sudden jumps.
Hanging Loop (Cream White)
Find the top of the burgundy ring on Fan 1. This is the small uncovered section between the beginning ch-3 and the last dc.
- Join cream with sl st around the ring at that spot.
- Ch 16 (about 1 in / 2.5 cm of chain).
- Sl st around the ring in the same spot to close the loop.
- Work 18 sc into the loop to cover the chain.
- Sl st into the first sc and fasten off.
Checkpoint: the loop stands about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) tall, bringing the total to about 3 in (7.6 cm).
Weaving In Ends
Weave each tail into the dc of its own color only. This keeps the color bands sharp, with no burgundy showing in the coral fan and so on. Run each tail through at least 1 in (2.5 cm) of stitches, reverse direction once, and trim close.
Final Blocking
- Soak the ornament briefly in cool water and gently press it in a towel.
- Lay it RS up on the blocking board.
- Pin through the top of the hanging loop, then pin the tip of Fan 8 so the strand measures 2.5 in (6.4 cm) from the top of Fan 1 to the bottom of Fan 8.
- Open each fan into an even half-circle. Pin the two outer sc of each arch edge so Fan 1 measures 1 in (2.5 cm) across and Fan 8 measures 0.4 in (1.0 cm).
- Use a pin tip to straighten the dc ridges so they radiate evenly from each ring.
- Spray with starch, or brush on stiffener, until damp but not dripping.
- Let it dry completely, at least 6 hours, before unpinning.
- Hang it up and check that it falls straight. Re-pin and re-starch any fan that twists.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 8 fans with dc counts of 12, 10, 10, 8, 8, 6, 6, 4
- Every arch edge has the correct sc and ch-2 sp count
- Each fan joins at the exact center ch-2 sp of the fan above
- Colors run from burgundy to coral pink, dusty rose, pale pink, and cream
- Strand measures 2.5 in (6.4 cm); total with loop about 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Top fan 1 in (2.5 cm) wide; bottom fan 0.4 in (1.0 cm) wide
- Cream loop is centered on top and about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) tall
- All ends are woven into same-color stitches
- Ornament hangs straight without twisting
Troubleshooting
Fans cup or curl. The ring is too tight for the dc count. Work the ring chains looser or use a slightly larger hook just for the ring.
Fans ruffle. Your dc are too loose. Tighten your tension or drop to a 1.3 mm hook.
Strand leans to one side. The next fan was joined off-center. Count the ch-2 sps again; the center has an equal number on each side.
Arch edge pulls the fan narrow. Your ch-2 sps are too tight. Loosen the chains slightly.
Color shows through at a join. The tail was woven into the wrong band. Pick it out and reweave it into its own color.
Ornament is too long. Check Fan 1 against its gauge. If it is oversized, the extra carries through all eight fans.
Ornament twists when hanging. Re-block with more starch and pin each fan flat until fully dry.
Care
Spot clean with cool water and mild soap, then reshape and re-starch. Store flat in a box so the fans keep their shape between seasons.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple. Fan 1 is 1 in (2.5 cm) wide and 0.4 in (1.0 cm) tall. After Fan 4, the strand is about 1.4 in (3.6 cm). After Fan 8, it reaches 2.5 in (6.4 cm), with the bottom fan 0.4 in (1.0 cm) wide. The cream loop adds 0.5 in (1.3 cm) for a total of about 3 in (7.6 cm).
If Fan 1 matches its checkpoint, the rest will follow, because every later fan uses the same tension with 2 fewer dc. Optional: make several in different gradients to fill a small tree.
Happy crocheting!