The Peacock Teardrop Strand Curtain is a bead-style hanging curtain made entirely from small crochet pieces. Every vertical strand repeats one sequence: an openwork teal teardrop with a coral fan center, a coral ball, a coral flower with a teal center, and a teal ball. A full teal-and-coral tassel finishes the bottom of each strand.
The palette has just two colors, deep teal and warm coral, so the curtain looks bold and graphic in sunlight. The style sits between boho and mandala. Light shines through the open spokes of each teardrop, and the stuffed balls add weight so the strands hang straight.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain is about 47.75 in (121.3 cm) wide and 95.3 in (242.1 cm) long, measured from the top of the rod tabs to the tassel tips. It has 12 strands hung on 4 in (10.2 cm) centers.
The construction is modular. You crochet four small pieces, make a tassel and a rod tab, and then connect everything from top to bottom with short chain links. All strands are identical, so once one strand is right, the rest is repetition.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished curtain: 47.75 in (121.3 cm) wide x 95.3 in (242.1 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK (light #3) cotton
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 408 (96 teardrops, 96 flowers, 96 teal balls, 96 coral balls, 12 tassels, 12 rod tabs)
- Layout: 12 strands side by side; each strand is 1 rod tab + 8 repeats + 1 tassel
- Piece sizes: teardrop 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wide x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall; flower 2.25 in (5.7 cm); ball 1.1 in (2.8 cm); tassel 4.5 in (11.4 cm)
- Rod tab before border: 1.6 in (4.1 cm) x 5 in (12.7 cm)
- Border depth: 0.2 in (0.5 cm) on each edge of the rod tab, for 2 in (5.1 cm) x 5.4 in (13.7 cm)
Materials
Choose a smooth, mercerized DK cotton of about 50 g / 120 m (131 yd). Cotton holds the teardrop shape after blocking and does not stretch much when the strands hang. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy yarns. They blur the openwork and let long strands grow.
- Teal: 820 g (about 1,968 m), 17 balls
- Coral: 600 g (about 1,440 m), 12 balls
These quantities include a margin of about 10% over the calculated need (744 g teal, 540 g coral). The margin covers gauge differences, tails, and a test piece.
Tools:
- 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
- Polyester fiberfill, about 150 g, for 192 balls
- Stitch marker
- Tapestry needle and scissors
- Stiff card 5 in (12.7 cm) tall for the tassels
- Rustproof pins, a blocking board, and a spray bottle
- Measuring tape
- Curtain rod up to 1.5 in (3.8 cm) in diameter and at least 48 in (121.9 cm) long
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- dtr – double treble crochet
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- dec – sc2tog (invisible decrease recommended)
- MR – magic ring
- sp(s) – space(s)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- beg – beginning
Special stitch – Spoke: One standing stitch worked into an sc of Round 4 of the teardrop. Spokes are worked at different heights (hdc, dc, tr, or dtr), and this stretches the circle into a teardrop.
Special stitch – Link: Sl st into the join point of the upper piece, ch 3, sl st into the join point of the lower piece, and fasten off. One link is about 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 20 sc and 24 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc rows. Gauge matters most for the rod tab, but it also predicts the size of every piece.
Make one complete teardrop and measure it before you start the curtain. The teardrop is the largest piece, so it is the best gauge test.
Teardrop checkpoints:
- After Round 1: 1 in (2.5 cm) across
- After Round 3: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across
- After Round 4: 2.75 in (7.0 cm) across
- After Round 6 and blocking: 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wide x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall
Other pieces: The flower should be 2.25 in (5.7 cm) from petal tip to petal tip, and a stuffed ball should be 1.1 in (2.8 cm) across.
If your teardrop is more than 0.25 in (0.6 cm) too big, change to a 3.25 mm hook. If it is more than 0.25 in (0.6 cm) too small, change to a 3.75 mm hook. Small errors add up over 8 repeats and can change a strand’s length by several inches.
Teardrop Motif (make 96)
The teardrop starts as a circle. In Round 5, spokes of graduated height pull one side into a point. This also pushes the coral center toward the rounded base, so it reads as a fan.
Round 1 (teal): MR, ch 3 (counts as dc), 11 dc in ring, sl st to top of beg ch-3. Pull the ring closed. (12 dc) Fasten off teal.
Round 2 (coral): Join coral in any st. Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around, sl st to top of beg ch-3. (24 dc)
Round 3 (coral): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in next st, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st; repeat from * around, sl st to top of beg ch-3. (36 dc)* Fasten off coral.
Round 4 (teal): Join teal in any st. Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 4, skip 2 sts, sc in next st, ch 4, skip 2 sts; repeat from * around, sl st to first sc. (12 sc, 12 ch-4 sps)*
Round 5 (teal, spoke round): You are now on the first sc. This sc is Spoke 1, the bottom center. Number the 12 sc as Spokes 1 to 12 going around. Work each spoke into its sc and ch 3 after each one:
- Spoke 1: ch 2 (counts as hdc), ch 3
- Spokes 2, 3, 4: hdc, ch 3 after each
- Spoke 5: dc, ch 3
- Spoke 6: tr, ch 3
- Spoke 7 (tip): dtr, ch 3
- Spoke 8: tr, ch 3
- Spoke 9: dc, ch 3
- Spokes 10, 11, 12: hdc, ch 3 after each
Sl st to top of beg ch-2. (12 spokes: 7 hdc, 2 dc, 2 tr, 1 dtr; 12 ch-3 sps)
The spokes are symmetric around the tip. The 7 hdc spokes form the rounded base, and the stitches then rise through dc, tr, dtr, tr, dc to the point.
Round 6 (teal, edge): Ch 1. In top of Spoke 1 work (sc, ch 3, sc) to make the bottom loop. 4 sc in next ch-3 sp, sc in next spoke; repeat from * up to Spoke 7. In Spoke 7 work (sc, ch 3, sc) to make the tip loop. Then repeat 4 sc in next ch-3 sp, sc in next spoke until one sp remains. Work 4 sc in the last sp and sl st to first sc. (62 sc and 2 ch-3 loops)*
Count check: 12 sps x 4 sc = 48, plus 10 regular spokes x 1 sc = 10, plus 2 loop spokes x 2 sc = 4. 48 + 10 + 4 = 62.
Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Flower (make 96)
Round 1 (teal): MR, ch 3 (counts as dc), 11 dc in ring, sl st to top of beg ch-3. (12 dc) Fasten off teal.
Round 2 (coral): Join coral in any st. Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 3, skip 1 st, sc in next st, ch 3, skip 1 st; repeat from * around, sl st to first sc. (6 sc, 6 ch-3 sps)*
Round 3 (coral): In each ch-3 sp work (sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc), then sl st to first sc. (6 petals, 42 sts)
Fasten off. The center dc of Petal 1 is the top join point. The center dc of Petal 4, directly opposite, is the bottom join point.
Ball (make 96 teal and 96 coral)
Work in continuous spirals, using a stitch marker to track the start of each round.
- Round 1: 6 sc in MR. (6)
- Round 2: inc in each st. (12)
- Round 3: sc, inc; repeat from * 6 times. (18)*
- Rounds 4–5: sc in each st. (18)
- Round 6: sc, dec; repeat from * 6 times. (12)*
- Stuff firmly.
- Round 7: dec 6 times. (6)
Fasten off, close the hole, and weave in the end. The magic ring is the top join point, and the closed Round 7 is the bottom join point.
Tassel (make 12)
Wrap teal 40 times and coral 8 times around the 5 in (12.7 cm) card, spreading the coral evenly. Thread an 8 in (20.3 cm) teal strand under the wraps at the top and tie it tightly, leaving the ends to form a hanging loop. Slide the bundle off the card. Wrap teal 8 times around the bundle 0.75 in (1.9 cm) below the top and tie it off. Cut the bottom loops and trim the tassel to 4.5 in (11.4 cm) total length.
Rod Tab (make 12)
Foundation: With teal, ch 9.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (8 sc)
Rows 2–30: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (8 sc)
The tab should now measure 1.6 in (4.1 cm) x 5 in (12.7 cm). Do not fasten off; go straight on to the border.
Make All Pieces
Each strand needs 8 teardrops, 8 flowers, 8 teal balls, 8 coral balls, 1 tassel, and 1 rod tab, for 34 pieces.
For the full curtain (12 strands):
- 96 teardrops (teal with coral centers)
- 96 flowers (coral with teal centers)
- 96 teal balls
- 96 coral balls
- 12 tassels (teal with coral)
- 12 rod tabs (teal)
Layout grid (one strand, top to bottom; all 12 strands are identical):
[Rod tab]
|
[Teardrop] | [Coral ball] | [Flower] | [Teal ball] x 8 repeats
|
[Tassel]
Curtain: S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12
(strands on 4 in / 10.2 cm centers)
Joining
Join each strand with teal links. A link is a sl st into the upper piece, ch 3, and a sl st into the lower piece, then fasten off.
Join points:
- Teardrop: the tip ch-3 loop at the top and the bottom ch-3 loop at the base
- Balls: the magic ring at the top and the closed Round 7 at the bottom (insert the hook under 2 sts)
- Flower: the center dc of Petal 1 at the top and the center dc of Petal 4 at the bottom
- Tassel: the tied hanging loop
Order for one strand: Start with the rod tab and one link. Then work 8 repeats of [teardrop, link, coral ball, link, flower, link, teal ball, link], and finish with the tassel. That is 1 + (8 x 4) = 33 links per strand.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: Always join a single point to a single point. Never join a flower or teardrop through a side stitch, or it will hang crooked. Teardrops always hang tip up.
Tension: Keep the 3 link chains the same size as your normal chains. Tight links shorten the strand, and loose links let the pieces spin.
Strand length checkpoint: One repeat is 4.5 + 1.1 + 2.25 + 1.1 in of pieces plus 4 links of 0.5 in, for 10.95 in (27.8 cm). Eight repeats make 87.6 in (222.5 cm). Add the folded tab at 2.7 in (6.9 cm), the top link at 0.5 in (1.3 cm), and the tassel at 4.5 in (11.4 cm): 2.7 + 0.5 + 87.6 + 4.5 = 95.3 in (242.1 cm). Each hanging strand should be within 1 in (2.5 cm) of this length.
Border (Rod Tab Edging)
The curtain has no outer border, because the strands hang free. The only bordered piece is the rod tab. It gets one round of sc to firm its edges so it slides easily on the rod.
Border gauge: Work sc at the same gauge of 20 sc and 24 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). On stitch edges, work 1 sc per st. On row edges, work 1 sc per row end.
Border Round: At the end of Row 30, ch 1 and turn. Work (sc, ch 1, sc) in the first st, sc in each of the next 6 sts, and (sc, ch 1, sc) in the last st. Work 1 sc in each of the 30 row ends. Work (sc, ch 1, sc) in the first foundation ch, sc in each of the next 6 ch, and (sc, ch 1, sc) in the last ch. Work 1 sc in each of the 30 row ends, then sl st to first sc.
Counts per side:
- Short sides: 1 corner sc + 6 sc + 1 corner sc = 8 sc each
- Long sides: 1 corner sc + 30 sc + 1 corner sc = 32 sc each
- Total: (2 x 8) + (2 x 32) = 80 sc plus 4 ch-1 corner sps
Check: 4 corners x 2 sc = 8, plus 2 x 6 short-side sc = 12, plus 2 x 30 row-end sc = 60. 8 + 12 + 60 = 80.
Why the math works: Each corner (sc, ch 1, sc) gives exactly one sc to each side it touches, so no corner stitch is counted twice. The short sides keep their original 8 sts. The long sides get 1 sc per row, and because sc rows are close to the width of an sc stitch, the edge lies flat without ruffling.
After the border, the tab measures 2 in (5.1 cm) x 5.4 in (13.7 cm). Fold it in half over the rod so the short ends meet, then sew them together through both layers. The folded loop is 2.7 in (6.9 cm) deep and fits a rod up to 1.5 in (3.8 cm) in diameter. Work the first link of the strand through the center of this seam.
Final Blocking
- Block the teardrops and flowers before joining, while they are still easy to pin flat.
- Mist each teardrop until it is damp but not dripping.
- Pin the tip loop and the bottom loop first, 4.5 in (11.4 cm) apart.
- Pin the widest point to 3.75 in (9.5 cm), then pin each ch-3 space outward so the spokes sit straight.
- Pin each flower to 2.25 in (5.7 cm) from petal tip to petal tip.
- Let everything dry completely.
- After joining, hang each strand for 24 hours so the links and pieces settle, then check the length again.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Every teardrop has 62 sc in Round 6 plus 2 ch-3 loops.
- Every teardrop tip points up and sits centered over its bottom loop.
- Every flower has 6 even petals and hangs from opposite petals.
- All balls are firmly stuffed and closed, with no fiberfill showing.
- Each strand has 33 links of equal size.
- Each strand measures 95.3 in (242.1 cm), within 1 in (2.5 cm).
- All 12 rod tabs have 80 border sc and lie flat.
- All tassels are trimmed to 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
- All ends are woven in securely.
Troubleshooting
The teardrop looks round, not pointed: Check Round 5. Spoke 7 must be a dtr with a tr on each side. Pin the tip firmly during blocking.
The teardrop is lopsided: The spokes were miscounted. Count 6 spokes from Spoke 1 on each side to find the tip.
Round 6 ruffles or cups: Your chains are tighter or looser than your stitches. Change the hook size for Round 6 only.
The flower cups: The Round 2 chains are too short. Use ch 4 instead of ch 3.
The strands twist: Either the links are too loose or the join points are off center. Rework those links with tighter chains on the center points.
The strands are different lengths: Measure the links and compare the pieces. Replace any oversized piece instead of stretching the others.
The balls look lumpy: Add stuffing in small pieces and use invisible decreases.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press the water out in a towel, and dry flat before rehanging. Re-pin any teardrops that lose their points.
Final Notes
The measurements build on each other in a simple chain. Gauge sets the teardrop at 3.75 in (9.5 cm) x 4.5 in (11.4 cm). One repeat of four pieces and four links is 10.95 in (27.8 cm). Eight repeats plus the tab, top link, and tassel make a 95.3 in (242.1 cm) strand. Twelve strands on 4 in (10.2 cm) centers cover 47.75 in (121.3 cm). Check each step of that chain and the curtain will hang evenly.
Happy crocheting!