This curtain hangs like a row of tiny lace windows. Pointed navy arches, each framed by a ladder-mesh band, hold a golden half-fan at the base. Seven yellow puff buds sit on navy stems around the fan, and long navy rays reach up toward the tip. Between the arch strands, slim chains carry small yellow diamonds with navy centers.
The palette is just two colors: deep navy and golden yellow. The look is Moorish and Mediterranean. It is open enough to let sunlight through and still screens a doorway or window. All instructions use US crochet terms.
The finished curtain measures 36 in (91.4 cm) wide and 39.5 in (100.3 cm) long, from the top edge of the header to the strand tips.
The curtain is built in pieces. You make 18 arch motifs, each from a ladder frame strip, a fan center and a joining row of rays. Then you chain 13 strands, working the diamonds straight into the chain and linking the motifs as you go. Last, you crochet a six-row header band across the tops of all 13 strands to hold them in place.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 36 in (91.4 cm) wide x 39.5 in (100.3 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Super Fine (1), size 3 mercerized cotton crochet thread
- Hook: 2.25 mm (B-1)
- Number of pieces: 18 arch motifs, 13 strands (with 99 diamonds worked in), 1 header band
- Layout: 13 strands spaced 3 in (7.6 cm) apart; 6 motif strands of 3 motifs each, alternating with 7 diamond strands
- Piece size: motif 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide x 6.5 in (16.5 cm) tall, or 7.25 in (18.4 cm) including both loops; diamond 1 in (2.5 cm) tip to tip
- Size before border: strand field 36 in (91.4 cm) wide x 37.25 in (94.6 cm) long
- Border depth: header band 2.25 in (5.7 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth, mercerized cotton thread. It shows stitches crisply, holds its blocked shape and won’t stretch much under the weight of the motifs. The amounts below assume about 137 m per 50 g.
- Navy (N): 165 g / 450 m
- Golden yellow (Y): 62 g / 170 m
These amounts include about 15% extra for gauge swatches and weaving in ends.
Tools:
– 2.25 mm (B-1) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors
– Rust-proof pins and a blocking mat
– Locking stitch markers
– Measuring tape
– Spray bottle
– Curtain rod and 13 clip rings
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sc3tog – single crochet 3 together
- sp(s) – space(s)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS – right side
- N / Y – navy / yellow
Puff: (Yo, insert hook in st, yo, pull up a loop to dc height) 3 times, yo, pull through all 7 loops on hook.
Diamond (D), worked into a strand: With N, ch 4, sl st in 4th ch from hook to form a ring. Ch 1, 8 sc in ring, sl st in first sc. Sl st in each of next 4 sc to reach the bottom of the ring, then keep chaining.
Add the yellow points later. Join Y with sl st in sc 8, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next sc, sl st in next sc; repeat from * 3 more times. Fasten off. (16 dc, 4 ch-2 tips.) The top and bottom tips line up with the strand.
Gauge and Checkpoints
- 20 sc = 3 in (7.6 cm)
- 3 rows of dc = 1 in (2.5 cm)
- 8 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm)
Make one complete motif first. Pin it out and measure it before you go any further.
Checkpoints:
– Fan after Row 3: straight edge 2.25 in (5.7 cm)
– Puffs after Row 6: 3.6 in (9.1 cm) tip to tip
– Frame strip after Row 3: inner rail 12.75 in (32.4 cm), outer rail 13.5 in (34.3 cm), depth 0.5 in (1.3 cm)
– Finished motif: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) x 6.5 in (16.5 cm)
If your motif is too big, switch to a 2.0 mm hook. If it’s too small, switch to a 2.5 mm hook. The rays and strands depend on chain gauge, so check 8 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm) on its own.
Arch Motif
Part A: Frame Strip (N)
Ch 88.
Row 1 (inner rail): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 41 ch, sc3tog over next 3 ch, sc in last 42 ch. Turn. (85 sts: 42 sc, sc3tog, 42 sc.) Number the sts 1–85 starting from the end you just finished. The sc3tog is st 43; mark it.
Row 2 (ladder rungs): Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), skip next st, dc in next st, [ch 1, skip 1, dc in next st] 19 times, ch 1, skip 1, (dc, ch 3, dc) in sc3tog, ch 1, skip 1, dc in next st, [ch 1, skip 1, dc in next st] 20 times. Turn. (44 dc, 42 ch-1 sps, 1 ch-3 point.)
Row 3 (outer rail): Ch 1, sc in first dc, [sc in ch-1 sp, sc in next dc] to the first point dc, sc in point dc, (2 sc, ch 6, 2 sc) in ch-3 sp, sc in second point dc, [sc in ch-1 sp, sc in next dc] across, ending in 3rd ch of turning ch. Fasten off. (90 sc: 43 + 4 + 43, plus 1 ch-6 top loop.)
Pin the strip into an arch. The legs run straight for 2 in (5.1 cm), and the inner opening is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide at the base. The sc3tog sits at the inner tip of the arch, 6 in (15.2 cm) above the base.
Part B: Fan Center
Row 1 (Y): Ch 4, sl st in first ch to form ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), 8 dc in ring. Turn. (9 dc, forming a half circle.)
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in first st, 2 dc in each remaining st. Turn. (18 dc.)
Row 3: Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), dc in next dc, [ch 1, dc in next dc] 16 times. Fasten off. (18 dc, 17 ch-1 sps = 35 sts.) The ch-1 gaps form the fan’s ribs.
Checkpoint: straight edge 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
Row 4 (N): Join N in 3rd ch of turning ch-4. Ch 1, 2 sc in same st, sc in each ch-1 sp and dc across to last dc, 2 sc in last dc. Turn. (35 sts worked once + 2 extra = 37 sc.)
Row 5 (stems): Sl st in each of first 4 sc, ch 3 (counts as dc), [ch 4, skip 4 sc, dc in next sc] 6 times. Fasten off. (7 dc stems on sts 4, 9, 14, 19, 24, 29 and 34; 3 sc left free at each end.)
Row 6 (Y): Join Y in top of beginning ch-3. Ch 2 (does not count), puff in same st, [ch 5, puff in next dc] 6 times. Fasten off. (7 puffs, 6 ch-5 sps.)
Checkpoint: 3.6 in (9.1 cm) tip to tip.
Part C: Ray Joining Row (N)
Lay the fan inside the pinned frame. Line its straight edge up with the strip ends, with puff 1 next to inner-rail st 4.
Ray: Ch the number given, sl st in the inner-rail st given, then sl st in each ch back to the puff.
Row 7: Join N with a standing sc in puff 1, then sl st in inner-rail st 4. [5 sc in next ch-5 sp, sc in next puff, work Ray] 5 times. Use these lengths in order:
- Puff 2: ch 4 to st 12
- Puff 3: ch 14 to st 26
- Puff 4: ch 30 to st 43
- Puff 5: ch 14 to st 60
- Puff 6: ch 4 to st 74
Then work 5 sc in last ch-5 sp, sc in puff 7, sl st in inner-rail st 82. Fasten off. (7 puff sc + 30 sp sc = 37 sc, 5 rays.)
The navy sc cover the yellow chains, so only the puffs show yellow. The ray targets are mirror pairs (st k pairs with st 86 – k), which keeps the motif symmetrical.
Part D: Base Row (N)
With RS facing, join N at the outer corner of the strip end next to puff 7.
Work 4 sc across the strip end and ch 5. Work 7 sc across the fan row ends: 1 in Row 4, then 2 each in Rows 3, 2 and 1. Work (sc, ch 6, sc) in the center ring. Work 7 sc across the other half: 2 each in Rows 1, 2 and 3, then 1 in Row 4. Ch 5 and work 4 sc across the other strip end. Fasten off. (24 sc, 2 ch-5 bridges, 1 ch-6 bottom loop.)
Finished motif: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) x 6.5 in (16.5 cm). Before joining, pin each motif out, mist it and let it dry.
Make All Pieces
- Arch motifs: 18. Each one uses Y for Rows 1–3 and 6, and N for everything else.
- Diamonds: 99, worked into the strands: 18 on A strands, 18 on B strands and 63 on D strands. The navy rings go in as you chain. Add the yellow points once a strand is finished.
Layout (strand order, left to right, at header junctions 1–13):
Junction: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Strand: D A D B D A D B D A D B D
Motif positions (inches below header):
A strands: 3–10.25 | 13.25–20.5 | 23.5–30.75
B strands: 7–14.25 | 17.25–24.5 | 27.5–34.75
Joining
Each strand starts with a top loop: ch 6, sl st in first ch. Measure strands from this loop.
Strand A (junctions 2, 6, 10): Top loop, ch 8, D, ch 8, sl st in top ch-6 loop of a motif. Fasten off.
*Join N in that motif’s bottom ch-6 loop, ch 8, D, ch 8, sl st in top loop of next motif, fasten off; repeat from * once more.
For the tail, join N in the bottom loop of the third motif, ch 8, D, ch 8, D, ch 8, D, ch 4. Fasten off.
Length: 3 + 7.25 + 3 + 7.25 + 3 + 7.25 + 6.5 = 37.25 in (94.6 cm).
Strand B (junctions 4, 8, 12): Top loop, ch 8, D, ch 8, D, ch 8, D, ch 8, sl st in top loop of a motif. Fasten off. Add 2 connectors as for Strand A, then the tail: ch 8, D, ch 4.
Length: 7 + (3 x 7.25) + (2 x 3) + 2.5 = 37.25 in (94.6 cm).
Strand D (junctions 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13): Top loop, [ch 24, D] 9 times, ch 10. Fasten off.
Length: (9 x 4) + 1.25 = 37.25 in (94.6 cm).
Work each sl st through the center of the motif’s ch-6 loop, so every link is one stitch into one loop. Keep your chain tension even. A chain worked too tightly makes one strand hang shorter than the others.
Checkpoint: hang every strand, tug it gently and let it settle. All 13 should measure 37.25 in (94.6 cm), within 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
Border (Header Band)
Border gauge: 20 sc = 3 in (7.6 cm). Work in rows from the top edge down. The strands join in Row 6.
Row 1 (N): Ch 242, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (241 sc.)
Row 2 (Y): Ch 1, sc in each sc across. Fasten off. (241 sc.)
Row 3 (N): Join N in first sc. Ch 1, sc in first sc, [ch 9, skip 9, sc in next sc] 24 times. Turn. (25 sc + 24 ch-9 sps = 241 st-widths.)
Row 4 (Y): Ch 1, sc in first sc, *4 sc in ch-9 sp, 11 dc in next sc (fan), 4 sc in next ch-9 sp, sc in next sc; repeat from * 11 more times. Fasten off. (241 sts: 109 sc + 132 dc; 20 per repeat.)
Row 5 (N): Join N in first sc. Ch 1, sc in first sc, *ch 6, skip 6 sts, sc in next 7 sts (fan center), ch 6, skip 6 sts, sc in next sc; repeat from * 11 more times. Turn. (97 sc + 24 ch-6 sps = 241 st-widths.)
Row 6 (N, arches and strand join): Hold the junction 1 top loop behind the work and ch 4 (counts as tr), catching the loop in the chain. *6 dc in ch-6 sp, hdc in next 3 sc, sc in next sc, hdc in next 3 sc, 6 dc in next ch-6 sp, then work a tr through the next strand’s top loop and the next sc together; repeat from * 11 more times. Fasten off. (241 sts: 13 tr, 144 dc, 72 hdc, 12 sc.)
Why the math works: The header has 12 arch repeats of 20 sts plus 1 closing st: 12 x 20 + 1 = 241. Every row keeps 241 st-widths, so the band lies flat. The 13 junction tr fall on sts 1, 21, 41 and so on up to 241. That puts them exactly 20 sts, or 3 in (7.6 cm), apart, for a total of 12 x 3 = 36 in (91.4 cm). Each strand joins with exactly one tr, so the joins add no stitches.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along the rails and chains.
- Mist the header and pin it flat to 36 in (91.4 cm) x 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
- If a motif has lost its point, pin it back to 4.5 in (11.4 cm) x 6.5 in (16.5 cm).
- Let everything dry completely.
- Hang the curtain, mist the strands and leave it overnight so the weight straightens them.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 13 strands, in the order D-A-D-B-D-A-D-B-D-A-D-B-D
- 18 motifs, all pointing up, with ray rows facing the same way
- 99 diamonds, each with 4 yellow tips
- Header 36 in (91.4 cm) wide, with junctions 3 in (7.6 cm) apart
- All strands 37.25 in (94.6 cm); total length 39.5 in (100.3 cm)
- No loose ends or missed ray joins
Troubleshooting
- Fan cups: The Row 3 chains are too tight. Work the ch-1s more loosely.
- Frame won’t form a point: Make sure the sc3tog is in Row 1 and the (dc, ch 3, dc) is in Row 2.
- Rays sag: The chains are too long. Remove 1–2 ch per ray.
- Motif puckers at the rays: The chains are too short. Add 1–2 ch.
- Header ruffles: Make sure Row 4 has 241 sts and each fan has exactly 11 dc.
- Strands hang unevenly: Recount the chains, then steam-block.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, then roll in a towel to remove water. Lay flat or rehang to dry, misting and reshaping as needed.
Final Notes
The measurements build in order: fan 2.25 in (5.7 cm), puffs 3.6 in (9.1 cm), frame opening 3.5 in (8.9 cm), finished motif 4.5 in (11.4 cm) x 6.5 in (16.5 cm). The strands are 37.25 in (94.6 cm) long and 3 in (7.6 cm) apart. Add the 2.25 in (5.7 cm) header and the curtain comes to 36 in (91.4 cm) x 39.5 in (100.3 cm). Check each stage before you move on and the arches will line up.
Happy crocheting!