The Evergreen Frost Window Valance is a winter curtain topper. A cream lace band of pointed leaves hangs from a curtain rod, and chain strands fall below it. The strands carry little sage-green trees, cream snowflakes and round bobble beads, so the window looks like snow falling through a pine forest.
The design uses two colors. Warm cream is for the lace, cords and snowflakes. Soft sage green is for the scalloped top edge, rod loops, trees and half of the beads. The style is Scandinavian cottage: calm, light and seasonal.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished valance is 36¼ in (92.1 cm) wide. The longest strands reach 22¾ in (57.8 cm) from the top of the border, not counting the rod loops.
Construction is simple. You crochet one lace band in rows across the full width. Then you add a green scallop border with rod loops along the top. The trees, snowflakes and beads are made separately. Last, you crochet chain cords straight down from the band’s lower edge and join the ornaments in as you go.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 36¼ in (92.1 cm) wide × 22¾ in (57.8 cm) long, plus rod loops
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Category 3 (DK/light worsted) cotton
- Hooks: 4.0 mm (G/6) for the band and border; 3.5 mm (E/4) for the ornaments and cords
- Number of pieces: 1 lace band, 24 trees, 26 snowflakes and 75 beads, all joined on 25 strands
- Layout: 25 strands across. Snowflake strands (B) alternate with tree strands (A), starting and ending with B
- Piece size: band 36¼ × 5 in (92.1 × 12.7 cm) at the leaf tips; tree 2 × 2.8 in (5.1 × 7.1 cm); snowflake 2 in (5.1 cm) across; bead ½ in (1.3 cm)
- Size before border: 36¼ × 5 in (92.1 × 12.7 cm)
- Border depth: ¾ in (1.9 cm), plus rod loops
Materials
Use a smooth mercerized or combed cotton. It shows the leaf lace clearly, keeps the trees crisp and stretches very little while hanging. The amounts below assume balls of 50 g = 115 m.
- Cream: 200 g (460 m) for the lace band, snowflakes, cream beads and all cords
- Sage green: 150 g (345 m) for the border, rod loops, trees and green beads
These amounts include a margin of about 15–20% for your test swatch and normal differences in tension.
Tools:
- 4.0 mm (G/6) and 3.5 mm (E/4) crochet hooks
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch markers
- Scraps of cream and green yarn to stuff the beads
- Tape measure and a rigid ruler
- Rust-proof pins and a blocking mat
- Scissors
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- tr: treble crochet
- sc2tog: single crochet 2 together
- sk: skip
- sp: space
- MR: magic ring
- st(s): stitch(es)
Special stitch: picot-3 (p3). Ch 3, then sl st in the 3rd ch from the hook.
Counting rule for the band: each chain counts as 1 stitch. With this rule, every band row through Row 10 adds up to 145.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Band gauge (4.0 mm hook): 16 dc and 9 dc rows = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Motif gauge (3.5 mm hook): 18 sc and 20 sc rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). For the cords, 5 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Test one piece first. Ch 26 and work Rows 1–11 over 25 sts, which is 2 leaf repeats. Then make one tree and one snowflake.
Checkpoints:
- Swatch: 6¼ in (15.9 cm) wide and 5 in (12.7 cm) tall at the leaf tips.
- After band Row 2: 36¼ in (92.1 cm) wide.
- After band Row 10: 4¼ in (10.8 cm) tall.
- Tree: 2 × 2.8 in (5.1 × 7.1 cm). Snowflake: 2 in (5.1 cm) from tip to tip.
- Cords: 10 ch = 2 in (5.1 cm).
If your pieces come out too big, go down 0.5 mm in hook size. If they’re too small, go up 0.5 mm. Check your chain gauge separately, because loose chains make the strands longer.
Lace Band (Cream, 4.0 mm Hook)
Each leaf repeat is 12 sts wide. Between repeats is a single dc called the divider. On every row you work the divider into the divider below, which builds a vertical line between the leaves.
The turning ch-3 counts as the first divider. Work it as one continuous chain with the first chains of the repeat. For example, in Row 3 you ch 7 (ch 3 + ch 4).
Foundation: Ch 146.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (145 sc)
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each st across, turn. (145 dc)
Row 3 (leaf tops): Ch 3, ch 4, sk next 4 dc, dc in next 3 dc, ch 4, sk next 4 dc, dc in next dc (divider); repeat from * 12 times in total, turn. Each repeat is 4 + 3 + 4 + 1 = 12. (13 dividers, 145 sts)
Row 4: Ch 3, ch 3, dc in ch-4 sp, dc in next dc, ch 1, sk next dc, dc in next dc, dc in ch-4 sp, ch 3, dc in divider; repeat 12 times, turn. Each leaf is now 5 sts wide, with a ch-1 center vein. (145)
Row 5: Ch 3, ch 2, dc in ch-3 sp, dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, dc in next 2 dc, dc in ch-3 sp, ch 2, dc in divider; repeat 12 times, turn. Each leaf is 7 wide. (145)
Row 6 (widest): Ch 3, ch 1, dc in ch-2 sp, dc in next 3 dc, ch 1, dc in next 3 dc, dc in ch-2 sp, ch 1, dc in divider; repeat 12 times, turn. Each leaf is 9 wide. (145)
Row 7: Ch 3, ch 2, sk ch-1 sp and next dc, dc in next 3 dc, ch 1, dc in next 3 dc, ch 2, sk next dc and ch-1 sp, dc in divider; repeat 12 times, turn. Each leaf is 7 wide. (145)
Row 8: Ch 3, ch 3, sk ch-2 sp and next dc, dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, dc in next 2 dc, ch 3, sk next dc and ch-2 sp, dc in divider; repeat 12 times, turn. Each leaf is 5 wide. (145)
Row 9: Ch 3, ch 4, sk ch-3 sp and next dc, dc in next dc, dc in ch-1 sp, dc in next dc, ch 4, sk next dc and ch-3 sp, dc in divider; repeat 12 times, turn. The vein closes, and each leaf is 3 wide. (145)
Row 10: Ch 3, ch 5, sk ch-4 sp and next dc, dc in center dc, ch 5, sk next dc and ch-4 sp, dc in divider; repeat 12 times, turn. Each repeat is 5 + 1 + 5 + 1 = 12. (145)
Checkpoint: 36¼ × 4¼ in (92.1 × 10.8 cm).
Row 11 (pointed trim, conversion row): Ch 1, sc in first divider, in ch-5 sp work 2 hdc, 2 dc, 1 tr; in center dc work (tr, ch 2, tr); in next ch-5 sp work 1 tr, 2 dc, 2 hdc; sc in divider; repeat 12 times. Fasten off.
Count: 145 sts worked 1 per existing stitch, plus 12 extra (the second tr in each center dc), gives 157 sts and 12 ch-2 tips. The tallest stitches fall under each leaf center, so the edge drops to a point below every leaf and rises back to a short sc at each divider.
The band now measures 36¼ in (92.1 cm) wide and 5 in (12.7 cm) tall at the tips.
Trees (Green, 3.5 mm Hook)
Each tree is worked from the top down. Every tier starts narrower than the one above it ends, which creates the notched pine shape. Ch 1 and turn at the start of each row. The ch 1 doesn’t count as a stitch.
Tier 1
– Row 1: Ch 2, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (3)
– Row 2: 2 sc in first st, sc in next st, 2 sc in last st. (5)
– Row 3: Sc in each st. (5)
Tier 2
– Row 4: Sk first st, sc in next 3 sts, leave last st unworked. (3)
– Row 5: 2 sc in first st, sc in next st, 2 sc in last st. (5)
– Row 6: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in last st. (7)
– Row 7: Sc in each st. (7)
Tier 3
– Row 8: Sk first st, sc in next 5 sts, leave last st unworked. (5)
– Row 9: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in last st. (7)
– Row 10: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in last st. (9)
– Row 11: Sc in each st. (9)
Trunk
– Row 12: Turn without the ch 1. Sl st in first 3 sts, ch 1, sc in next 3 sts, and leave the last 3 sts unworked. (3)
– Rows 13–14: Sc in each st. (3)
Fasten off. The tree is 9 sts = 2 in (5.1 cm) wide and 14 rows = 2.8 in (7.1 cm) tall.
Snowflakes (Cream, 3.5 mm Hook)
Round 1: MR, ch 1, 12 sc in ring, join with sl st to first sc. (12 sc)
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in first st, ch 5, sk next st, sc in next st; repeat from * 5 more times. On the last repeat, replace “sc in next st” with a sl st to the first sc. (6 sc, 6 ch-5 loops)
Round 3: In the next ch-5 loop work (2 sc, p3, sc, ch 2, p3, ch 2, sc, p3, 2 sc), then sl st in the next sc; repeat from * around. Fasten off.
Each arm has 6 sc, 2 side picots and a pointed picot tip, for 18 picots in all. The snowflake measures 2 in (5.1 cm) from tip to tip.
Beads (Cream and Green, 3.5 mm Hook)
Round 1: MR, 6 sc in ring. (6)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st. (12)
Round 3: Sc2tog 6 times. (6)
Stuff with yarn scraps of the same color, close the opening and fasten off. Each bead is about ½ in (1.3 cm) across.
Make All Pieces
- Lace band: 1 (cream)
- Trees: 24 (green), 2 per strand on the 12 A strands
- Snowflakes: 26 (cream), 2 per strand on the 13 B strands
- Green beads: 37 (24 on the A strands + 13 on the B strands)
- Cream beads: 38 (12 on the A strands + 26 on the B strands)
Layout grid, from left to right (25 strands):
STRAND: B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B
ANCHOR: D T D T D T D T D T D T D T D T D T D T D T D T D
D = divider sc (13 in total). T = leaf-tip ch-2 sp (12 in total).
Joining
The strands are crocheted straight from the band, so there’s no sewing. Use cream yarn and the 3.5 mm hook.
To thread a bead: take the working loop off the hook. Push the hook through the center of the bead, catch the loop, pull it through and keep chaining.
To join a motif: sl st into the motif’s top point. Chain up the back of the motif for its full height, sl st into its bottom point and keep chaining the cord.
- Tree: top point is Row 1, bottom point is the trunk center, ch 14 behind.
- Snowflake: top and bottom points are opposite tip picots, ch 10 behind.
Strand A (tree strand, make 12): Join with sl st in a ch-2 tip. Ch 10, green bead, ch 10, tree (ch 14 behind), ch 15, cream bead, ch 10, tree (ch 14 behind), ch 5, green bead. Knot the tail below the bead and weave it back up inside the bead. The strand hangs about 17 in (43.2 cm) below the tip.
Strand B (snowflake strand, make 13): Join with sl st in a divider sc. Ch 15, cream bead, ch 10, snowflake (ch 10 behind), ch 10, green bead, ch 10, snowflake (ch 10 behind), ch 5, cream bead. Finish the same way. The strand is 15½ in (39.4 cm) long.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: each anchor point gets one strand, so 12 tips + 13 dividers = 25 strands. The anchors are 6 band stitches apart, which is 1½ in (3.8 cm).
Tension: keep your chains even and relaxed. Measure every strand against a ruler as you work it.
Size checkpoint: the A strands end 22¾ in (57.8 cm) below the top of the border. The B strands end 20¾ in (52.7 cm) below it.
Border (Green, 4.0 mm Hook)
Border gauge: 4 sts per inch (2.5 cm), the same as the band. Hold the band with its top edge facing up and work into the free loops of the foundation chain.
Border Row 1: Join green in the first free loop. Ch 1, sc in each free loop across, turn. (145 sc)
Border Row 2 (scallops): Ch 1, sc in first st, sk 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st; repeat from * 24 times, turn. The count is 25 sc + (24 × 5 dc) = 145 sts. (24 scallops)
Border Row 3 (rod loops): Make a loop on every other sc, starting with the first one. These 13 sc sit right above the dividers. Sl st in the first sc, ch 14, sl st in the same sc. Sl st across the next scallop to the next sc, sl st across the following scallop to the sc after it, ch 14, sl st in the same sc; repeat from * until you have 13 loops. Fasten off.
Why the math works: 145 = (6 × 24) + 1, so the scallop repeat fits exactly. One leaf repeat (12 sts) equals 2 scallops, so every divider sits under an sc. That gives 13 rod loops, spaced 3 in (7.6 cm) apart. Each loop fits a rod up to ¾ in (1.9 cm) thick.
The border adds ¾ in (1.9 cm), so the band is 5¾ in (14.6 cm) tall at the leaf tips.
Final Blocking
- Lay the valance face down on the blocking mat and straighten the strands.
- Pin the band to 36¼ in (92.1 cm) wide. Pin out each scallop and each leaf point.
- Mist the valance evenly until it’s damp.
- Pin each tree flat. Open out each snowflake arm and pin its tip.
- Let it dry completely.
- Hang it on the rod for a day so the strands settle.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Band is 36¼ in (92.1 cm) wide, with 12 leaves and 13 dividers
- Rows 1–10 each count 145. Row 11 has 157 sts and 12 ch-2 tips
- Border has 24 scallops and 13 rod loops
- 25 strands alternate B A B A, starting and ending with B
- 24 trees, 26 snowflakes, 37 green beads and 38 cream beads are attached
- A strands are 17 in (43.2 cm) long and B strands are 15½ in (39.4 cm) long
- All ends are woven in
Troubleshooting
- Band too wide: your dc are loose. Go down 0.5 mm and swatch again.
- Leaves lopsided: recount to 145 and check that every row starts and ends on a divider.
- Bottom points flat: work the (tr, ch 2, tr) into the center dc, not into a chain space.
- Strands uneven: rework any strand that is more than ½ in (1.3 cm) off.
- Trees twisting: tack the back chain to the middle of the tree with one stitch.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Press out the water gently, then dry flat and re-pin the points if needed.
Final Notes
At a gauge of 16 dc = 4 in (10.2 cm), 145 sts make a band 36¼ in (92.1 cm) wide. Ten rows bring it to 4¼ in (10.8 cm) tall, and the pointed trim takes it to 5 in (12.7 cm). The border adds ¾ in (1.9 cm), and the 17 in (43.2 cm) tree strands finish the valance at 22¾ in (57.8 cm). If you check each of these measurements as you go, the valance will hang straight and even.
Happy crocheting!