A crocheted Christmas banner with red hexagons featuring cream flowers, hanging stars, and bell ornaments with tassels.

Cranberry Bell Star Window Valance Crochet Pattern

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This valance hangs a row of five hexagonal star motifs across your window, with little cream bells and red tassels swinging below. Each hexagon has a cream six-petal flower in the middle, framed by an open red lace border with small loops at every point.

The colors are deep cranberry red and soft cream, with natural wooden beads. The look is classic Scandinavian Christmas: crisp, cozy and easy to see from across the room.

The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished valance is 24.5 in (62.2 cm) wide and about 17 in (43.2 cm) long from the rod to the tassel tips.

You make five large motifs and join them in a row. Then you make bells, small star motifs and tassels, crochet a folded rod-pocket header, and link everything together with beaded chains.

Finished Size and Construction

  • Finished size: 24.5 in (62.2 cm) wide × about 17 in (43.2 cm) long
  • Skill level: Intermediate
  • Terminology: US
  • Yarn weight: Sport (#2) cotton
  • Hook: 2.75 mm (C-2)
  • Number of pieces: 5 large motifs, 5 small motifs, 6 bells, 6 tassels, 1 header (23 pieces)
  • Layout: 1 row of 5 large motifs, with 11 hanging strands
  • Large motif size: 4.9 in (12.4 cm) flat side to flat side, 5.6 in (14.2 cm) point to point, 2.8 in (7.1 cm) per side
  • Size before border: joined row 24.5 in × 5.6 in (62.2 cm × 14.2 cm)
  • Border (header) depth: 1.4 in (3.6 cm) after folding

Materials

Use mercerized sport-weight cotton. It shows the stitches crisply, holds its shape after starching and doesn’t fuzz in sunlight. These amounts assume about 3 m per gram (for example, 50 g / 150 m balls).

  • Cranberry red: 70 g (210 m)
  • Cream: 90 g (270 m)

The quantities include a margin of about 20% for swatching and tassel trimming.

Tools:
– 2.75 mm (C-2) crochet hook
– 36 natural wooden beads, 12 mm (0.5 in), with holes of at least 3 mm (32 needed, 4 spare)
– Tapestry needle with an eye small enough to fit through the beads
– Cardboard strip, 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide, for tassels
– Liquid starch or a sugar-water stiffener
– Blocking mat, rust-proof pins, spray bottle
– Small cone or shot glass, 2 in (5.1 cm) across, for shaping the bells
– Curtain rod up to 0.6 in (1.5 cm) in diameter

Abbreviations (US Terms)

  • ch – chain
  • sl st – slip stitch
  • sc – single crochet
  • hdc – half double crochet
  • dc – double crochet
  • sk – skip
  • sp – space
  • st(s) – stitch(es)
  • MR – magic ring
  • BLO – back loop only
  • picot – ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook
  • B (bead lock) – slide one pre-strung bead up against the hook, then ch 1 around it to lock it in place

Gauge and Checkpoints

Gauge: 6 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm), and 4 rows of hdc = 1 in (2.5 cm).

Make one complete large motif before anything else and measure it at each checkpoint:

  • After Round 3 (cream flower): 3.2 in (8.1 cm) from petal tip to petal tip
  • After Round 4: 4.0 in (10.2 cm) from corner to corner
  • After Round 6: 2.8 in (7.1 cm) per side, 4.9 in (12.4 cm) flat to flat, 5.6 in (14.2 cm) point to point

If your motif is too big: go down to a 2.5 mm hook. If it’s too small: go up to a 3.0 mm hook. Small differences of 0.1 in (0.3 cm) can be fixed with blocking, but a difference of 0.2 in (0.5 cm) per motif adds up to 1 in (2.5 cm) across the row.

A red and cream crocheted snowflake ornament with wooden beads hanging from a twisted cord.

Large Star Motif (Make 5)

Round 1 (cream): MR, ch 1, 12 sc in ring, sl st to first sc. (12 sc)

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in next st, ch 3, sk 1; repeat from * 5 more times, sl st to first sc. (6 sc, 6 ch-3 sps)

Round 3 (petals): Work (sc, hdc, 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc, hdc, sc) in each ch-3 sp, sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (6 petals, 48 sts, plus 6 ch-2 tips)

Each ch-2 tip makes the pointed end of a petal. Those tips become the six corners of the hexagon.

Round 4 (red): Join red in any petal-tip ch-2 sp. Ch 1, (sc, ch 3, sc) in tip sp, ch 4, dc in the gap between this petal and the next, ch 4; repeat from * 5 more times, sl st to first sc. (12 sc, 6 dc, 6 ch-3 corner sps, 12 ch-4 sps)

Round 5: Sl st into the first ch-3 corner sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), (dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in the same sp.

Then work ch 2, dc in next ch-4 sp, ch 2, dc in next dc, ch 2, dc in next ch-4 sp, ch 2, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next corner sp; repeat from * 4 more times.

Finish with ch 2, dc in next ch-4 sp, ch 2, dc in next dc, ch 2, dc in next ch-4 sp, ch 2, sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3.

Count: 42 dc (24 in corners + 18 along the sides), 6 ch-3 corner sps, 24 ch-2 sps.

Round 6: Ch 1, sc in the same st and in the next dc. Then:

  • (sc, ch 4, sc) in corner sp
  • sc in next 2 dc
  • [2 sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in next dc] 3 times
  • 2 sc in next ch-2 sp

Then work sc in next 2 dc, (sc, ch 4, sc) in corner sp, sc in next 2 dc, [2 sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in next dc] 3 times, 2 sc in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * 4 more times. Sl st to first sc and fasten off.

Count: 102 sc, plus 6 ch-4 corner loops.

Per side: 1 corner sc + 2 + 9 + 2 + 2 + 1 corner sc = 17 sc. This already includes the side’s two corner sc. Six sides × 17 = 102, which matches the round total.

Small Star Motif (Make 5)

Round 1 (cream): MR, ch 1, 6 sc in ring, sl st to first sc. (6 sc)

Round 2: Work (hdc, dc, hdc) in each sc, sl st to first hdc. Fasten off. (18 sts, 6 petals)

Round 3 (red): Join red with sc in the center dc of any petal. Then ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch (point made), sk 2 hdc, sc in center dc of next petal. Repeat from * 5 times in total, ending with a sl st to the first sc instead of the last sc.

Count: 6 sc, 6 points. The motif measures 2.4 in (6.1 cm) from point to point.

Bell (Make 6)

Use cream for the whole bell.

Round 1: MR, ch 1, 6 sc, sl st to first sc. (6)

Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st, sl st. (12)

Round 3: Ch 1, (sc in next, 2 sc in next) 6 times, sl st. (18)

Round 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each st around, sl st. (18 dc)

Round 5: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 2, 2 dc in next, dc in next 2; repeat from * 4 more times, sl st. (24 dc)

Round 6 (eyelets): Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk 1, dc in next, ch 1, sk 1; repeat from * 10 more times, sl st to 3rd ch of beginning ch-4. (12 dc, 12 ch-1 sps)

Round 7 (flare): Sl st into first ch-1 sp, ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in same sp, 3 dc in each remaining ch-1 sp, sl st. (36 dc)

Round 8: Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, picot; repeat from * 17 more times, sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (36 sc, 18 picots)

The bell is 2.0 in (5.1 cm) tall and 2.0 in (5.1 cm) across the rim.

Tassel (Make 6)

  1. Wrap red yarn 30 times around the 3.5 in (8.9 cm) card.
  2. Slide a 10 in (25.4 cm) red tie under the top loops, knot it tightly and leave the ends long.
  3. Cut the bottom loops.
  4. Wrap a second strand 6 times around the tassel 0.5 in (1.3 cm) below the top, then knot it and bury the ends.
  5. Trim to 3 in (7.6 cm).

Make All Pieces

  • Red only: 6 tassels
  • Cream only: 6 bells, 1 header, all the strand chains
  • Two colors: 5 large motifs (cream flower, red frame) and 5 small motifs (cream center, red points)

Layout (front view, left to right):

HEADER:  ======================= 147 sc =======================
ROW 1:   STAR    STAR    STAR    STAR    STAR
SEAMS:  BELL   BELL    BELL    BELL    BELL   BELL
BELOW:     SMALL   SMALL   SMALL   SMALL   SMALL
ENDS:   TASSEL TASSEL  TASSEL  TASSEL  TASSEL TASSEL

Joining

Turn each large motif so one point is at the top. Its left and right sides are now vertical, and those are the sides you join.

Method: Hold motifs 1 and 2 with wrong sides together. Join red in the top corner sc of the shared side. Sl st through the BLO of both layers, matching stitch to stitch, for all 17 sc. Fasten off.

Each seam is 17 sl st, with 1 sc of motif A to 1 sc of motif B, so nothing is added or lost. The ch-4 corner loops at the top and bottom of each seam stay free and lie side by side.

Join motifs 2 to 3, 3 to 4 and 4 to 5 the same way, for 4 seams in total.

Tension: Keep your slip stitches as loose as your sc. If they’re tight, the seam pulls in and the row puckers.

Size checkpoint: The joined row measures 5 × 4.9 in = 24.5 in (62.2 cm) wide and 5.6 in (14.2 cm) tall.

Border: Rod-Pocket Header

Border gauge: 6 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm); 4 hdc rows = 1 in (2.5 cm).

You make the header separately and sized to the joined row: 24.5 in × 6 sc = 147 sc.

Foundation: Cream, ch 148.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (147 sc)

Rows 2–9: Ch 2 (does not count as a st), turn, hdc in each st. (147 hdc per row)

Row 10: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st. (147 sc)

The flat header is now 2.3 in (5.8 cm) deep. Fold it in half lengthwise so Row 10 lies on top of the foundation chain.

Row 11 (closing + picot edge): Working through both layers, ch 1, sc in next 3 sts, picot; repeat from * 48 more times. Fasten off. (147 sc, 49 picots)

Counts per side:
– Long edges: 147 sts each
– Short ends: 10 rows, left open for the rod

Why the math works:
– 147 ÷ 3 = 49 exact picot repeats, with nothing left over.
– 147 sc ÷ 6 = 24.5 in, exactly the width of the joined row.
– Folded depth is 1.2 in (3.0 cm), plus about 0.2 in (0.5 cm) of picot, for a 1.4 in (3.6 cm) border.

Strands

Before each strand, cut a cream length and pre-string the beads it needs.

Header to motif (5 strands, 2 beads each):
1. Join at sc 15, 44, 74, 104 and 133 of Row 11.
2. Ch 6, B, ch 6, B, ch 6.
3. Sl st into the top ch-4 loop of the motif below.

The motifs’ centers fall every 29.4 sc. These positions are rounded symmetrically, with stitch 74 at the exact center. Each strand should measure 4 in (10.2 cm); add or remove chains to match.

Bell strands (6 strands, 2 beads each):
1. Join at a seam’s two bottom corner loops held together, or at the outer lower side corner loop of motif 1 or motif 5.
2. Ch 6, B, ch 3. Fasten off, leaving an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail.
3. Thread the tail down through the center of the bell’s Round 1 and knot it under the ring.
4. String the second bead, slide it to 2.2 in (5.6 cm) below the knot so it hangs just under the rim, and knot below it.
5. Tie on a tassel 0.3 in (0.8 cm) lower.

Small motif strands (5 strands, 2 beads each):
1. Join at the large motif’s bottom ch-4 loop.
2. Ch 4, B, ch 2, sl st into the top point of a small motif.
3. Join again at the small motif’s bottom point, ch 2, B, fasten off and knot under the bead.

Final Blocking

  1. Mix the stiffener, then soak the bells and the joined motif row.
  2. Squeeze out the excess. Don’t wring.
  3. Pin the motif row flat to 24.5 in × 5.6 in (62.2 × 14.2 cm), with a pin in every ch-4 corner loop.
  4. Open each red chain space with a fingertip so the lace reads clearly.
  5. Slip each bell over the cone and pull the picot rim evenly downward.
  6. Lightly mist the small motifs and pin their points sharply.
  7. Let everything dry completely, for 12–24 hours.
  8. Steam the header lightly (don’t press it) and slide it onto the rod.
  9. Comb the tassels with damp fingers and trim them evenly to 3 in (7.6 cm).

Final Quality-Control Checklist

  • Each large motif has 102 sc and 17 sc per side.
  • All 4 seams are 17 sl st and lie flat.
  • The joined row is 24.5 in (62.2 cm) wide.
  • The header has 147 sc and 49 picots.
  • There are 11 strands: 5 to the motifs, 6 bell strands.
  • Each bell has 36 sc and 18 picots, and all bells hang at the same level.
  • The beads are locked and don’t slide.
  • All 6 tassels are 3 in (7.6 cm) long.
  • All ends are woven in and trimmed.

Troubleshooting

  • Petals cup: Your Round 2 ch-3 is too tight. Try ch 4, or loosen up.
  • The red frame ruffles: Your Round 5 chains are too loose. Go down a hook size for that round only.
  • The row curves upward: The seams are too tight. Redo them with a larger hook.
  • The bells flop: Re-starch them, dry them on the form and leave them overnight.
  • Motifs hang crooked: Check that each strand is joined at its listed stitch.
  • The beads won’t fit: Use beads with 4 mm holes, or thread them with a needle.

Care

Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, roll it in a towel and dry it flat. Re-starch the bells and re-block the row after each wash.

A crocheted window curtain valance featuring red and cream flowers, bells, and tassels hanging in a snowy winter window.

Final Notes

Here is the measurement chain:

  • 6 sc per inch gives 17 sc per side, which is 2.8 in (7.1 cm).
  • That makes each motif 4.9 in (12.4 cm) wide.
  • Five motifs make a 24.5 in (62.2 cm) row.
  • 24.5 in matches the 147-sc header, folded to a 1.4 in (3.6 cm) border.
  • Add 4 in (10.2 cm) strands and the bells and tassels, and the valance is about 17 in (43.2 cm) long.

Check your gauge at the first motif and everything after it will line up.

Happy crocheting!

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