The Autumn Maple Strand Curtain is a hanging lace curtain made from fourteen vertical strands. Each strand alternates round lace medallions with five-lobed maple leaves, linked by cream pearl beads and finished with a full tassel. Hung in a sunny window, the open lace casts soft leaf shadows and still lets the light through.
The whole curtain is worked in one warm rust (cinnamon) cotton thread. The pearls add a little shine between the motifs, and the tassels add weight so every strand hangs straight. The style is cozy, seasonal and quietly elegant.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain is about 55.5 in (141.0 cm) wide and 62 in (157.5 cm) long, from the top of the rod loops to the tassel tips.
Construction is simple and repetitive. First you make 84 medallions and 84 leaves as separate small motifs. Then you crochet one long chain cord per strand. As you go, you slide pre-strung pearls into the chain and slip stitch the motifs onto it. The cord runs behind each motif, from its top loop to its bottom loop. Each strand has a packed rod loop at the top and a tassel at the bottom.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 55.5 in (141.0 cm) wide x 62 in (157.5 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: #0 Lace (size 3 crochet cotton thread)
- Hook: 2.25 mm (US B-1)
- Number of pieces: 84 medallions, 84 leaves and 14 tassels, joined by 14 chain cords
- Layout: 14 strands, each with 6 medallions and 6 leaves (12 motifs), spaced 4 in (10.2 cm) apart center to center
- Piece size: medallion 2 in (5.1 cm) across, 2.5 in (6.4 cm) loop to loop; leaf 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide x 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall, 4.5 in (11.4 cm) from tip to stem loop
- Size before border: the motif section of each strand is 53 in (134.6 cm) long
- Border depth: top heading 3 in (7.6 cm); bottom pearl link and tassel 6 in (15.2 cm)
Materials
Use a firm, mercerized size 3 cotton thread. It holds lace shapes well, blocks crisply and stretches very little when it hangs.
- Rust (cinnamon): about 550 g, approx. 1,500 m (1,640 yd), based on 137 m (150 yd) per 50 g ball
- Medallions: about 4 m each, 336 m total
- Leaves: about 7 m each, 588 m total
- Cords and rod loops: about 7 m per strand, 98 m total
- Tassels: about 20 m each, 280 m total
These quantities include a margin of about 15% for gauge differences, swatching and tails.
Tools and notions:
- 2.25 mm (US B-1) crochet hook
- 0.75 mm steel hook or big-eye beading needle, for stringing pearls
- 168 cream pearls, 12 mm, with holes at least 2 mm wide (buy about 180 so you have spares)
- Stiff card cut 5 in (12.7 cm) tall, for the tassels
- Tapestry needle, scissors, rustproof pins and a blocking mat
- Light spray starch (optional)
- Curtain rod at least 60 in (152.4 cm) long and up to 1 in (2.5 cm) thick
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- beg – beginning
Special stitches:
- Tip picot: ch 4, sl st in 4th ch from hook.
- Pearl link: ch 3, slide one pre-strung pearl up against the hook, ch 3. This locks the pearl inside the chain. A pearl link counts as 6 ch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make one medallion and one leaf before anything else, and measure them before blocking.
Chain gauge: 10 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm), relaxed.
Medallion checkpoints:
- After Rnd 1: 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across
- After Rnd 2: 1.25 in (3.2 cm)
- After Rnd 3: 1.75 in (4.4 cm)
- After Rnd 4: 2 in (5.1 cm), or 2.5 in (6.4 cm) including the two hanging loops
Leaf checkpoints:
- After Rnd 3: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across
- Finished: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide and tall, 4.5 in (11.4 cm) from tip to stem loop
If your motifs come out too big, go down to a 2.0 mm hook. If they come out too small, go up to a 2.5 mm hook. Small differences add up because each strand repeats the motifs twelve times. An extra 0.25 in (0.6 cm) per motif adds 3 in (7.6 cm) to every strand.
Lace Medallion (make 84)
Rnd 1: Ch 8, sl st in first ch to form a ring. Ch 1, 16 sc in ring, sl st in first sc. (16 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), [dc in next sc, ch 2] 15 times, sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-5. (16 dc, 16 ch-2 sps)
These dc are the spokes around the open center.
Rnd 3: Sl st in first ch-2 sp, ch 1, 3 sc in same sp and in each ch-2 sp around, sl st in first sc. (48 sc)
This round makes the solid ring.
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in first sc, ch 5 (top loop), skip 2 sc, [sc in next sc, ch 3, skip 2 sc] 7 times, sc in next sc, ch 5 (bottom loop), skip 2 sc, [sc in next sc, ch 3, skip 2 sc] 7 times, sl st in first sc. Fasten off. (16 sc, 14 ch-3 loops, 2 ch-5 loops)
Check: 16 repeats of (sc + skip 2) use exactly 48 sts. The two ch-5 loops are 8 loops apart, directly opposite each other, so the medallion hangs straight.
Maple Leaf (make 84)
Rnd 1: Ch 6, sl st in first ch to form a ring. Ch 1, 16 sc in ring, sl st in first sc. (16 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), [dc in next sc, ch 1] 15 times, sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (16 dc, 16 ch-1 sps)
These spokes become the lace veins.
Rnd 3: Sl st in first ch-1 sp, ch 1, 2 sc in same sp and in each ch-1 sp around, sl st in first sc. (32 sc)
Number the sc 1 to 32, starting with the joined sc. Sts 1–2 are the stem notch. The five lobes use 6 sc each:
- Lobe A: sts 3–8
- Lobe B: sts 9–14
- Lobe C: sts 15–20 (the top lobe)
- Lobe D: sts 21–26
- Lobe E: sts 27–32
Check: 2 + (5 x 6) = 32.
Rnd 4 (lobes): Sl st in next 2 sc, so your hook is now in st 3. Work each lobe in 3 short rows:
Row 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same sc, dc in next 4 sc, 2 dc in next sc, turn. (8 dc)
For Lobes A and E, work Row 1 in hdc (ch 2 counts as hdc) to make the lower lobes smaller. For Lobe C, work Row 1 in tr (ch 4 counts as tr) to make the top lobe taller. The count stays at 8 sts either way.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next st, ch 1, skip next st, dc in next 2 sts, ch 1, skip next st, dc in next st, dc in top of turning ch, turn. (6 dc, 2 ch-1 sps)
Row 3 (point): Ch 1, sc in first dc, hdc in next dc, dc in ch-1 sp, tr in next dc, tip picot, tr in next dc, dc in ch-1 sp, hdc in next dc, sc in top of turning ch. (2 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, 2 tr, 1 picot)
Do not turn. Sl st 3 times evenly down the side of the lobe, then sl st in the next sc of Rnd 3. That sc is the first st of the next lobe.
Repeat Rows 1–3 for Lobes B, C, D and E. When Lobe E is done, you are at st 32.
Stem: Sl st in st 1, ch 12, sl st in 5th ch from hook (bottom loop), sl st in next 7 ch, sl st in st 2. Fasten off.
The tip picot of Lobe C is the leaf’s top hanging loop. It sits 16 sts from the stem, directly opposite it, so the leaf hangs straight.
Tassels (make 14)
- Wrap thread 80 times around the 5 in (12.7 cm) card.
- Slide a 10 in (25.4 cm) strand under the wraps at the top and tie it tightly. Leave the ends for attaching.
- Cut the wraps along the bottom edge.
- Wrap another strand 6 times around the tassel, 0.5 in (1.3 cm) below the top. Knot it and bury the ends inside.
- Trim the tassel to 5 in (12.7 cm).
Make All Pieces
All pieces are in one color, Rust:
- 84 medallions (6 per strand)
- 84 leaves (6 per strand)
- 14 tassels (1 per strand)
- 168 pearls (12 per strand)
One strand, top to bottom (M = medallion, L = leaf, o = pearl link):
Rod loop - ch 10 - M o L o M o L o M o L o M o L o M o L o M o L o Tassel
Curtain layout (14 strands across, rows read top to bottom):
Strand: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Row 1: M M M M M M M M M M M M M M
Row 2: L L L L L L L L L L L L L L
(work Rows 1-2 six times in total, then add tassels)
All strands are identical, so the leaves line up in horizontal rows across the window.
Joining: Assembling Each Strand
Each strand is joined with one continuous chain cord that runs behind every motif.
Prepare: With the beading needle or steel hook, thread 12 pearls onto the ball end of the thread. Push them down the thread, out of the way.
Rod loop: Ch 40, sl st in first ch to form a ring. Ch 1, 50 sc in ring, sl st in first sc. Do not fasten off.
Drop: Ch 10.
Medallion: With the right side facing you, sl st into the top ch-5 loop of a medallion. Ch 25 behind the medallion, then sl st into the bottom ch-5 loop.
Link: Work 1 pearl link.
Leaf: Sl st into the tip picot of Lobe C. Ch 45 behind the leaf, then sl st into the stem’s bottom loop.
Link: Work 1 pearl link.
Repeat Medallion, Link, Leaf, Link until 6 medallions and 6 leaves are joined. The last link after Leaf 6 is part of the bottom border (see below).
Stitch-to-stitch logic: At 10 ch per inch, the chain behind each motif matches that motif’s loop-to-loop length. That is 25 ch for 2.5 in (6.4 cm) and 45 ch for 4.5 in (11.4 cm). The cord carries the weight, so the motifs lie flat and don’t stretch.
Tension: Keep the chains even and relaxed. If a motif buckles, the cord behind it is too short, so add 2 ch. If the cord sags away from the back, remove 2 ch. Whatever you change, change it on every strand.
Size checkpoint: Lay the strand flat without stretching it. From the top loop of Medallion 1 to the stem loop of Leaf 6, it should measure 53 in (134.6 cm). That is 15 in (38.1 cm) of medallions, 27 in (68.6 cm) of leaves, and 11 links of about 1 in (2.5 cm) each.
Border: Top Heading and Tassel Finish
On this curtain, the “border” is the finish at the top and bottom of each strand.
Border gauge: 10 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm). Each pearl link (6 ch plus one 12 mm pearl) measures about 1 in (2.5 cm).
Top heading (per strand): This is the ch-40 ring packed with 50 sc, plus the ch-10 drop. The loop folds over the rod and hangs 2 in (5.1 cm) below it. The drop adds 1 in (2.5 cm), for 3 in (7.6 cm) in total. Fifty sc on 40 ch keep the ring firm and smooth without ruffling, and the ring still fits a 1 in (2.5 cm) rod.
Bottom finish (per strand): After Leaf 6, work 1 pearl link. Then sl st through the tie at the top of a tassel and fasten off. Knot the tail around the tie and bury it inside the tassel. The link adds 1 in (2.5 cm) and the tassel 5 in (12.7 cm), for 6 in (15.2 cm) in total.
Why the math works: 3 in (7.6 cm) heading + 53 in (134.6 cm) motifs + 6 in (15.2 cm) bottom = 62 in (157.5 cm). For the width, 14 strands at 4 in (10.2 cm) centers span 13 x 4 in = 52 in (132.1 cm). Adding one leaf width of 3.5 in (8.9 cm) gives 55.5 in (141.0 cm). The 0.5 in (1.3 cm) gap between neighboring leaves keeps the lobes from catching on each other.
Final Blocking
- Block the motifs before assembly. Soak them in cool water and roll them in a towel.
- Pin each medallion to a 2 in (5.1 cm) circle, pulling the two ch-5 loops straight out.
- Pin each leaf to a 3.5 in (8.9 cm) square. Put a pin at every lobe tip and point Lobe C straight up.
- Mist with light starch if you like, and let the motifs dry completely.
- After assembly, hang the curtain and lightly steam the cords from a distance. Do not press the pearls.
- Leave the curtain hanging for 24 hours so the tassels can straighten the strands.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Every strand has 6 medallions, 6 leaves, 12 pearls and 1 tassel.
- Every medallion is 2 in (5.1 cm) across and every leaf is 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
- Each strand measures 62 in (157.5 cm), and all strands are within 0.5 in (1.3 cm) of each other.
- The leaves line up in horizontal rows across all 14 strands.
- No motif is buckled or twisted on its cord.
- All tails are woven in, and the tassels are trimmed level.
Troubleshooting
- Strand too long: Your chain is looser than gauge. Rework the cord with a smaller hook.
- Leaf lobes curl: Your Row 3 tension is tight. Block firmly, or go up one hook size for Rnd 4.
- Medallion ruffles: Rnd 3 is too loose. Work Rnd 3 with a hook one size smaller, and keep the count at 48 sc.
- Pearls won’t slide: The holes are too small for the thread. Use pearls with holes of 2 mm or larger.
- Strands twist: Let the curtain hang for a day with the tassels attached, then steam lightly.
Care
Dust the curtain gently, or hand wash it in cool water with mild soap. Lay it flat, reshape the motifs and re-hang it while it is slightly damp.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple. You start with 2 in (5.1 cm) medallions and 3.5 in (8.9 cm) leaves on cords worked at 10 ch per inch, which gives 53 in (134.6 cm) motif sections. Adding the heading and tassels gives 62 in (157.5 cm) strands. Fourteen strands at 4 in (10.2 cm) spacing make a curtain 55.5 in (141.0 cm) wide. Check your gauge early, and every strand will match.
Happy crocheting!