The Harvest Window curtain is a light, airy fall decoration. Eight strands hang from a curtain rod, and each one alternates plump ribbed pumpkins with flat golden maple leaves. With sunlight behind it, the colors glow without blocking the view.
The palette is classic autumn. The pumpkins are rust orange and cream with olive-green stems, and the leaves are mustard gold with cinnamon-brown veins. The cords match the orange pumpkins, so they almost disappear between motifs.
This pattern uses US crochet terms throughout. The finished curtain is about 31 in (78.7 cm) wide and hangs about 30 in (76.2 cm) from the rod.
Construction is modular. You make each pumpkin as a small ribbed strip, then seam it, gather it, stuff it and add segment lines. Each leaf is a single round motif with picot-tipped lobes. Then you make eight cords, sew the motifs to them by chain count and finish each cord with a reinforced hanging loop.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 31 in (78.7 cm) wide × 30 in (76.2 cm) long
- Skill level: Easy+ (basic stitches, working in rows and rounds, simple sewing)
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: worsted (medium #4)
- Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
- Number of pieces: 24 pumpkins, 24 stems, 24 leaves and 8 cords
- Layout: 8 strands × 6 motifs each, spaced 4 in (10.2 cm) apart on the rod
- Piece size: pumpkin body 2.25 in (5.7 cm) wide × 2 in (5.1 cm) tall; leaf body 3.25 in (8.3 cm) wide × 3 in (7.6 cm) tall, plus a 1 in (2.5 cm) stem
- Size before border: each cord is 28.5 in (72.4 cm) long before the hanging loop is finished
- Border depth: each hanging loop adds about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) of drop below the rod
Materials
Use a smooth worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend. Cotton keeps the pumpkin ribs crisp and stops the leaves from curling. Acrylic also works, but block the leaves well if you use it.
- Rust orange: 160 g / 320 m (16 pumpkins, segment wraps and all 8 cords)
- Cream: 70 g / 140 m (8 pumpkins and their segment wraps)
- Mustard gold: 75 g / 150 m (24 leaves)
- Olive green: 25 g / 50 m (24 stems)
- Cinnamon brown: 15 g / 30 m (leaf veins)
These quantities include a margin of about 15% for gauge differences and sewing tails.
Tools:
- 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hook
- Polyester fiberfill, about 80 g (about 3 g per pumpkin)
- Tapestry needle
- 10 locking stitch markers
- Rust-proof pins and a blocking mat
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- tr: treble crochet
- BLO: back loop only
- MR: magic ring
- st(s): stitch(es)
- rnd: round
- FO: fasten off
Special stitch – picot: ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 9 sc and 11 rows of BLO sc = 2 in (5.1 cm).
Cord gauge: 8 chains = 2 in (5.1 cm), measured after the slip-stitch row.
Make one pumpkin strip and one leaf before you start the rest.
- Pumpkin strip: 14 sts × 36 rows should measure 3.1 in × 6.5 in (7.9 × 16.5 cm).
- Finished pumpkin: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) wide.
- Leaf after Rnd 2: a flat circle 1.75 in (4.4 cm) across.
- Finished leaf: 3.25 in (8.3 cm) from side tip to side tip.
If your pieces come out too big, go down half a hook size. If they come out too small, go up half a size. For the pumpkins, row gauge matters more than stitch gauge. Too few rows per inch gives you a loose pumpkin that won’t hold its ribs.
Pumpkin (Make 24: 16 Rust Orange, 8 Cream)
You work the pumpkin flat in BLO rows. Each row leaves a raised ridge, and once the strip is seamed into a tube, those ridges run from top to bottom like pumpkin ribs.
Foundation: Ch 15.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (14 sc)
Rows 2–36: Ch 1, sc BLO in each st across, turn. (14 sc per row)
Checkpoint: the strip measures 3.1 in × 6.5 in (7.9 × 16.5 cm).
Seam: Fold the strip so Row 36 lies against the foundation chain. Sl st through each st of Row 36 together with the matching foundation chain. (14 sl st) Leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail and FO. You now have a tube with 36 row-ends along each open edge.
Gather the top: Thread the tail onto a needle. Weave it in and out through all 36 row-ends of one open edge, then pull tight and knot.
Stuff: Add about 3 g of fiberfill. Pack it firmly but don’t stretch the stitches.
Gather the bottom: Join a new 12 in (30.5 cm) strand at the other edge. Weave it through all 36 row-ends, pull tight and knot.
Segments: Thread 36 in (91.4 cm) of matching yarn.
- Bring the needle up from the bottom center through the top center.
- Take the yarn down the outside and back into the bottom center.
- Pull it snug so it sinks into the ribs.
- Repeat 6 times, spacing the wraps every 6 rows around (36 ÷ 6 = 6).
- Knot the yarn at the bottom and bury the tail.
Checkpoint: the pumpkin body is 2.25 in (5.7 cm) wide × 2 in (5.1 cm) tall.
Stem (Make 24, Olive Green)
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc in ring. (6 sc)
Rnds 2–4: Sc in each st around. (6 sc)
FO, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail. The stem is about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) tall.
Sew the stem to the gathered top center, sinking about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) into the dip. That leaves about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) showing.
Maple Leaf (Make 24, Mustard Gold)
Rnd 1: MR, ch 1, 12 sc in ring, sl st to first sc. (12 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, sl st to first sc. (24 sc)
Checkpoint: a flat circle 1.75 in (4.4 cm) across.
Rnd 3 (stem and lobes): Number the Rnd 2 stitches 1–24, starting with the stitch you joined into.
- Stem (sts 1–3): Sl st in st 1. In st 2, work (sc, ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next 3 ch, sc). Sl st in st 3.
- Small lobe (sts 4–6): (Sc, hdc) in st 4; (dc, picot, dc) in st 5; (hdc, sc) in st 6.
- Large side lobe (sts 7–11): Sc in st 7; (hdc, dc) in st 8; (tr, picot, tr) in st 9; (dc, hdc) in st 10; sc in st 11.
- Large top lobe (sts 12–16): Repeat the large-lobe sequence.
- Large side lobe (sts 17–21): Repeat the large-lobe sequence.
- Small lobe (sts 22–24): Repeat the small-lobe sequence.
Sl st to the first sl st and FO.
Rnd 3 count: 46 edge sts, 5 picots and 1 stem.
- Stem section: 2 sl st + 2 sc = 4 sts
- Small lobes: 6 sts each × 2 = 12 sts
- Large lobes: 10 sts each × 3 = 30 sts
- 4 + 12 + 30 = 46 sts
The stem is centered on st 2 and the top lobe on st 14. They are 12 sts apart, exactly half of 24, so the leaf hangs straight and symmetrical.
Veins: Backstitch with cinnamon brown on the right side.
- Stitch one line from the center to each of the 5 picot tips.
- Stitch one midrib line from the center down to the base of the stem.
Use short stitches about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) long and keep them relaxed so the leaf doesn’t pucker.
Make All Pieces
Totals:
- 16 rust orange pumpkins
- 8 cream pumpkins
- 24 olive stems
- 24 mustard leaves
- 8 rust orange cords
Layout: The grid runs from the top of the curtain down. L = leaf, O = orange pumpkin, C = cream pumpkin.
Position S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8
1 L O L C L O L O
2 O L C L O L O L
3 L O L O L C L O
4 C L O L O L C L
5 L C L O L O L C
6 O L O L C L O L
- Odd strands start with a leaf and even strands start with a pumpkin.
- Every strand carries 3 leaves and 3 pumpkins, and exactly 1 of those pumpkins is cream.
- Check the totals: 8 strands × 3 = 24 pumpkins (16 O + 8 C) and 24 leaves.
Joining
The motifs are sewn to the back of each cord. The cord stays visible only in the 1 in (2.5 cm) gaps between motifs.
Make the cord (8 total, rust orange):
- Ch 16 and sl st in the first ch to form the hanging loop.
- Ch 115.
- Working back toward the loop, sl st in the back bump of the 2nd ch from hook and of each ch. (114 sl st)
- Leave the yarn attached for the border.
Checkpoint: the cord is 28.5 in (72.4 cm) from the loop to the tip (114 ÷ 4 sts per in = 28.5 in).
Mark the zones: Number the cord chains 1–114, starting just below the loop. Each pumpkin zone is 10 chains: 2 for the visible stem plus 8 for the 2 in (5.1 cm) body. Each leaf zone is 16 chains: 4 for the stem plus 12 for the 3 in (7.6 cm) body. Every gap between motifs is 4 chains.
Odd strands:
| Section | Chains |
|---|---|
| Lead | 1–16 |
| Leaf | 17–32 |
| Gap | 33–36 |
| Pumpkin | 37–46 |
| Gap | 47–50 |
| Leaf | 51–66 |
| Gap | 67–70 |
| Pumpkin | 71–80 |
| Gap | 81–84 |
| Leaf | 85–100 |
| Gap | 101–104 |
| Pumpkin | 105–114 |
Even strands:
| Section | Chains |
|---|---|
| Lead | 1–16 |
| Pumpkin | 17–26 |
| Gap | 27–30 |
| Leaf | 31–46 |
| Gap | 47–50 |
| Pumpkin | 51–60 |
| Gap | 61–64 |
| Leaf | 65–80 |
| Gap | 81–84 |
| Pumpkin | 85–94 |
| Gap | 95–98 |
| Leaf | 99–114 |
Both layouts add up the same way: 16 + (3 × 16) + (3 × 10) + (5 × 4) = 114 chains.
Stitch-to-stitch logic:
- Leaves: Whipstitch the stem’s slip-stitch spine to the first 4 chains of the zone. Then tack the midrib to the cord at the 4th, 8th and 12th body chains of the zone. The top-lobe picot sits on the last chain.
- Pumpkins: Tack the stem top to the first chain of the zone. Then tack the back of the pumpkin to the zone’s 6th chain and the bottom gather to its 10th chain.
Tension: Pull each tack just snug. If it’s too tight, the cord shortens and puckers. If it’s too loose, the motif tilts forward. Hang the strand after every two motifs to check.
Size checkpoint: Each finished strand measures 28.5 in (72.4 cm) from the base of the loop to the bottom tip, within 0.5 in (1.3 cm). All 8 strands should match.
Border: Hanging Loop Edging
This curtain has no outer border. Each strand gets a reinforced top loop instead, and that loop is the finishing edge.
Border gauge: 20 sc worked over the 16-chain loop.
Edging round: With the yarn still attached at the loop base, work 20 sc over the loop (into the ring, not into individual chains). Sl st to the first sc and FO.
That gives 10 sc on each half of the loop, the half that sits in front of the rod and the half that sits behind it.
Why the math works:
- The 16-chain loop is 4 in (10.2 cm) around (16 ÷ 4 per in).
- Twenty sc packed over that length is 5 per inch, a little denser than the 4.5-per-inch body gauge. That firms up the loop without ruffling it.
- The opening that’s left is about 3.5 in (8.9 cm) around, so it slides easily over a rod up to 1 in (2.5 cm) in diameter (3.14 in / 8.0 cm around).
- The loop drops about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) below the rod, so the total drop is 28.5 + 1.5 = 30 in (76.2 cm).
- Spacing 8 strands 4 in (10.2 cm) apart puts 28 in (71.1 cm) between the outer cords. Add half a leaf beyond each outer cord and the curtain is about 31 in (78.7 cm) wide.
Final Blocking
- Before you sew anything, spray or wet-block each leaf. Pin it flat with one pin through every picot point.
- Let the leaves dry completely, about 12 hours.
- Don’t wet-block the pumpkins. Roll each one between your palms to even out the stuffing, then deepen the segment wraps if needed.
- After joining, hang every strand from a rod.
- Hover a steamer or iron about 1 in (2.5 cm) from the cords, without touching them, to relax any twist.
- Let everything hang overnight before you measure.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 8 strands, each 28.5 in (72.4 cm) from the loop base to the tip
- 24 pumpkins, each 2.25 in (5.7 cm) wide with 6 even segments
- 24 leaves, each 3.25 in (8.3 cm) wide with 5 picot points and 6 vein lines
- The layout grid matches, with 1 cream pumpkin per strand
- Every 4-chain gap measures 1 in (2.5 cm)
- All loops have 20 sc and slide freely on the rod
- All tails are buried inside pumpkins or under leaf veins
Troubleshooting
- Pumpkin ribs are faint: You probably worked through both loops by mistake. Check that every row is worked in BLO.
- Pumpkin is lumpy: Pull some stuffing out, roll the pumpkin and re-tighten the segment wraps evenly.
- Leaf cups or ruffles: A loose Rnd 2 can cup, and an over-packed Rnd 3 can ruffle. Re-block the leaf, or go down a hook size for the leaves only.
- Leaf lobes are uneven: Recount the Rnd 2 stitches. There must be exactly 24 before you start the lobes.
- Strands twist on the rod: Steam them, then add a hidden tack between the loop and chain 1.
- Strands come out different lengths: Measure each cord before sewing. Remake any cord that’s more than 0.5 in (1.3 cm) off, since cords are quick.
Care
Spot-clean with mild soap and cool water, then press out the moisture with a towel. Hang the curtain to dry, and keep it out of the dryer so the pumpkins don’t lose their shape.
Final Notes
Each measurement in this pattern sets up the next one:
- Gauge of 9 sc and 11 rows per 2 in (5.1 cm) gives a 3.1 × 6.5 in (7.9 × 16.5 cm) strip.
- That strip becomes a 2.25 in (5.7 cm) pumpkin.
- A 24-stitch leaf center grows into a 3.25 in (8.3 cm) leaf.
- Chain zones of 10 and 16 with 4-chain gaps fill a 114-chain, 28.5 in (72.4 cm) cord.
- A 1.5 in (3.8 cm) loop brings the curtain to 30 in (76.2 cm) long and 31 in (78.7 cm) wide.
If you check each stage, the curtain hangs evenly in your window.
Happy crocheting!