This curtain is made of hanging strands of lacy dragonflies. Each dragonfly has a ribbed body, two knobbed antennae, and four oval wings with open mesh centers and a solid outline. Small crocheted discs sit between the dragonflies like beads, and every strand ends in a full tassel.
The palette is navy blue and soft mint green. The colors alternate down each strand and across each row, so the finished curtain shows a gentle checkerboard. It looks lovely in a sunny window, where the light comes through the wing mesh.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain measures 36 in (91.4 cm) wide and 60 in (152.4 cm) long, from the base of the hanging loops to the tassel tips. Each dragonfly is 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across the wings and 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
To build it, you crochet a body and four wings for each dragonfly, plus disc links, leaders, and tassels. Then you sew everything into 8 strands of 8 dragonflies each.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 36 in (91.4 cm) wide x 60 in (152.4 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Sport (#2) mercerized cotton
- Hook: 3.0 mm (C/2 or D/3)
- Number of pieces: 64 dragonflies (each is 1 body + 4 wings), 72 disc links, 8 leaders, 8 tassels
- Layout: 8 strands x 8 dragonflies, colors alternating
- Piece size: dragonfly 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide x 4 in (10.2 cm) tall; disc link 2 in (5.1 cm) long
- Size before border: each strand is 55 in (139.7 cm) from the loop base to the bottom of the last link
- Border depth: hanging loops on top; 5 in (12.7 cm) tassels at the bottom
Materials
Use a smooth mercerized sport-weight cotton. It holds the mesh shape, shows the ribbing clearly, and doesn’t fade much in sunlight. Avoid fuzzy yarns, because they fill in the wing openings.
- Navy (Color N): 200 g / about 600 m (656 yd)
- Mint (Color M): 200 g / about 600 m (656 yd)
The quantities include a margin of about 25% for swatching, sewing tails, and tassel trimming.
Tools:
- 3.0 mm crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch markers
- Cardboard strip, 5 in (12.7 cm) long, for tassels
- Rustproof pins and a blocking mat
- Ruler or tape measure
- Spray starch (optional)
- Curtain rod, up to 1 in (2.5 cm) in diameter
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- BLO – back loop only
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- dc3tog – double crochet 3 together
Special stitch – Knob: Work dc3tog in the indicated ch, ch 3, then sl st in the same ch. This makes a small round knob at the tip of an antenna.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Fabric gauge: 24 sc and 26 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) square.
Cord gauge: 8 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Before you start the batch, make one complete dragonfly and one disc link. Check these measurements:
- Body after Rnd 2: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) from head tip to tail tip
- Upper wing after Rnd 2: 2 in (5.1 cm) long, about 1 in (2.5 cm) wide
- Lower wing after Rnd 2: 1.75 in (4.4 cm) long
- Assembled dragonfly: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wingspan, 4 in (10.2 cm) tall including antennae
- Disc: 1 in (2.5 cm) across; full link 2 in (5.1 cm)
If your pieces come out too big, go down 0.25 mm in hook size. If they’re too small, go up 0.25 mm. Getting the wingspan right matters most, because it sets the strand spacing.
Dragonfly Body (make 1 per dragonfly)
Foundation: Ch 22.
Rnd 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from hook and in the next 12 ch (13 sc, tail). Hdc in the next 5 ch (thorax). Sc in the next 2 ch. Work 5 sc in the last ch (head). Rotate to work along the opposite side of the chain. Sc in the next 2 ch, hdc in the next 5 ch, and sc in the next 12 ch. Work 4 sc in the first ch, which already holds 1 sc (tail tip). Join with sl st to the first sc. (48 sts)
For reference, the sts in Rnd 1 are: 1–13 tail sc, 14–18 thorax hdc, 19–20 sc, 21–25 head, 26–27 sc, 28–32 thorax hdc, 33–44 tail sc, 45–48 tail tip. The center of the head is st 23, and the center of the tail tip is st 47.
Rnd 2: Loosely sl st in the BLO of each st around. Join. (48 sl st) This gives the body its raised, segmented outline.
Antennae: Sl st into Rnd 2 st 22. Ch 7, work a Knob in the 4th ch from hook, then sl st in each of the next 3 ch. Sl st into st 22 again. Sl st in st 23 and st 24, then repeat the antenna from st 24. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Checkpoint: the thorax is about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) wide, and the tail is about 0.3 in (0.8 cm) wide.
Upper Wing (make 2 per dragonfly)
Foundation: Ch 10.
Rnd 1 (mesh): Sc in the 2nd ch from hook (this is the wing root). [Ch 2, skip the next ch, dc in the next ch] 4 times; the last dc lands in the last ch, at the wing tip. [Ch 2, dc in the same ch] 2 times. Now work along the opposite side of the chain: [ch 2, skip the next ch, dc in the next ch] 3 times. Ch 2, skip the last ch, and sl st in the first sc. (10 posts, 10 ch-2 sps)
Rnd 2 (outline): Ch 1, sc in the same st. 2 sc in the next ch-2 sp, sc in the next dc. Repeat around, but work 3 sc in each of the 2 tip spaces. Join. (32 sc: 10 over posts + 8 sps x 2 + 2 tip sps x 3)
Fasten off. Leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail for sewing.
Lower Wing (make 2 per dragonfly)
Foundation: Ch 8.
Rnd 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from hook. [Ch 2, skip the next ch, dc in the next ch] 3 times. [Ch 2, dc in the same ch] 2 times. Along the opposite side: [ch 2, skip the next ch, dc in the next ch] 2 times. Ch 2, skip the last ch, and sl st in the first sc. (8 posts, 8 ch-2 sps)
Rnd 2: Work as for the upper wing, with 3 sc in each of the 2 tip spaces. (26 sc: 8 + 6 x 2 + 2 x 3)
Fasten off. Leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail.
Assemble Each Dragonfly
Pin the wings flat with the root sc against the thorax.
- Sew the upper wings to sts 17–18 on one side and sts 28–29 on the other, angled slightly toward the head.
- Sew the lower wings to sts 14–15 and sts 31–32, angled slightly toward the tail.
- Make sure the wingtips line up across the body, then measure. You should get 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
Sew each wing to the body in a single color: navy wings on a navy body, mint wings on a mint body.
Disc Link (make 72)
Disc: Make a magic ring.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in the ring. (6)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st. (12)
Rnd 3: [Sc in the next st, 2 sc in the next st] 6 times. Join. (18)
Upper cord: Ch 5. Sl st in the 2nd ch from hook and in the next 3 ch (4 sl st), then sl st in Rnd 3 st 1. Fasten off.
Lower cord: Join yarn in st 10, directly opposite st 1. Ch 5 and sl st back along the chain as before (4 sl st). Fasten off and leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail.
Checkpoint: each cord is 0.5 in (1.3 cm) long, and the whole link is 2 in (5.1 cm).
Make All Pieces
Navy: 32 dragonflies (32 bodies, 64 upper wings, 64 lower wings), 36 links, 4 leaders, 4 tassels
Mint: 32 dragonflies (32 bodies, 64 upper wings, 64 lower wings), 36 links, 4 leaders, 4 tassels
Each strand has a lead color, used for its leader, its first dragonfly, and its tassel. Strands 1, 3, 5, and 7 lead with navy, and strands 2, 4, 6, and 8 lead with mint. Each link matches the dragonfly directly below it. The bottom link on each strand matches the tassel.
Layout (top to bottom, strands 1–8 left to right):
Row 1: N M N M N M N M
Row 2: M N M N M N M N
Row 3: N M N M N M N M
Row 4: M N M N M N M N
Row 5: N M N M N M N M
Row 6: M N M N M N M N
Row 7: N M N M N M N M
Row 8: M N M N M N M N
That’s 5 links in the lead color and 4 in the other color per strand, for 36 links of each color in total.
Joining
Each strand is sewn top to bottom in this order: leader → link → dragonfly → link → dragonfly … → dragonfly 8 → link → tassel.
Stitch-to-stitch logic:
- Sew the last sl st of the leader to the tip sl st of the link’s upper cord.
- Sew the tip of the link’s lower cord to the dragonfly’s head, at Rnd 2 st 23, between the antennae.
- Sew the dragonfly’s tail tip (Rnd 2 st 47) to the tip of the next link’s upper cord.
At each joint, make 3 firm whipstitch passes through both pieces, then knot the tail and bury it inside the body or disc.
Tension: Pull firmly enough that the joint doesn’t gap, but not so hard that it puckers. Keep the joints aligned on the body’s center line so that the dragonflies hang straight instead of twisting.
Size checkpoint: One repeat (link + dragonfly) measures 6 in (15.2 cm). Eight repeats come to 48 in (121.9 cm). Add the 5 in (12.7 cm) leader and the 2 in (5.1 cm) bottom link, and each strand should measure 55 in (139.7 cm) before the tassel. Lay the strands side by side to compare them, and fix any strand that is off by more than 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
Border: Hanging Loops and Tassels
This curtain has no stitched perimeter. Instead, its border is the row of hanging loops along the top and the row of tassels along the bottom.
Border gauge: 8 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Leader (make 8, in each strand’s lead color): Ch 32 and sl st in the first ch to form a ring. This makes a 4 in (10.2 cm) loop, which fits a rod up to 1 in (2.5 cm) thick. Ch 41. Sl st in the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch back to the ring (40 sl st). Sl st into the ring. Fasten off. The leader drops 5 in (12.7 cm) below the loop.
Tassel (make 8): Wrap yarn 30 times around the 5 in (12.7 cm) card. Tie the top with a 10 in (25.4 cm) strand, then cut the bottom loops. Wrap the neck 0.5 in (1.3 cm) below the top, 6 times, and tie off. Sew the tassel top to the tip of the bottom link’s lower cord, then trim the tassel to 5 in (12.7 cm).
Spacing: Slide the 8 loops onto the rod 4.5 in (11.4 cm) apart, center to center.
Why the math works: 7 gaps x 4.5 in = 31.5 in (80.0 cm) between the outer strand centers. Add half a wingspan, 2.25 in (5.7 cm), at each side: 31.5 + 2.25 + 2.25 = 36 in (91.4 cm). Because the spacing equals the wingspan, wingtips on neighboring strands just meet. For the length, 55 in strands + 5 in tassels = 60 in (152.4 cm).
Final Blocking
- Before assembly, soak all the bodies and wings in cool water for 10 minutes.
- Press out the water in a towel. Don’t wring the pieces.
- Pin each wing flat, opening up every mesh window. Pin each body straight, with the antennae spread in a V.
- Mist lightly with starch if you want crisper wings.
- Let everything dry completely. This takes about 24 hours.
- After joining, hang the curtain for 24 hours, then re-measure the strand lengths.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each dragonfly is 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide and 4 in (10.2 cm) tall
- Every wing mesh window is open and even
- The stitch counts are 48 per body, 32 per upper wing, and 26 per lower wing
- The colors alternate correctly in every row and strand
- All strands are 55 in (139.7 cm) before the tassels
- The loops are spaced 4.5 in (11.4 cm) apart
- Every tail is knotted and buried
Troubleshooting
Wings curl: Your Rnd 2 is too tight. Go up a hook size for the outline round only.
Mesh windows close up: The dc are too short. Pull up a little taller on each dc, and block with pins in every window.
Body twists: You worked the Rnd 2 sl st too tightly. Redo it more loosely.
Strands hang crooked: A joint is off-center. Re-sew it at st 23 or st 47.
One strand is longer: Trim the tassel to match, or re-chain the leader.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Reshape the curtain and dry it flat or hanging, away from direct heat.
Final Notes
The measurements build on each other. A 2 in (5.1 cm) upper wing gives a 4.5 in (11.4 cm) dragonfly. A dragonfly plus a link makes a 6 in (15.2 cm) repeat. Eight repeats with the leader and the bottom link give a 55 in (139.7 cm) strand, and the tassels bring it to 60 in (152.4 cm). On the rod, 8 strands spaced 4.5 in (11.4 cm) apart give a total width of 36 in (91.4 cm). If your first dragonfly measures correctly, the rest of the curtain will too.
Happy crocheting!