This curtain is made of 14 hanging strands. Each strand is a twisting yellow ribbon with cream-edged buttercup flowers spaced down its length. Light passes through the open spirals and the lacy petals, so the curtain glows in a sunny window without blocking the view.
The palette has two colors. Butter yellow forms the spiral body, the flower centers and the petal lattice. Cream gives a crisp outline to every petal and runs along the outer edge of each spiral. The style is airy and romantic, and it works for a window, a doorway or a reading nook.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain is about 55.5 in (141.0 cm) wide and 80 in (203.2 cm) long, measured from the top of the rod loops to the bottom tip.
You crochet each spiral in one long piece from a foundation chain. Increases in the first row make the strip twist. You then make 12 flowers per strand, tack them onto the spiral, and finish each strand with a chain loop for the rod.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished curtain: 55.5 in (141.0 cm) wide x 80 in (203.2 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK / light worsted (#3), mercerized cotton
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 14 spiral strands + 168 flowers (12 per strand)
- Layout: 14 strands hung side by side, 4 in (10.2 cm) apart center to center
- Piece size: flower 3.5 in (8.9 cm) across; spiral body 78 in (198.1 cm) long when relaxed, about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across the twist
- Size before border: each strand is 78 in (198.1 cm) long before you add the hanging loop
- Border depth: the hanging loop adds about 2 in (5.1 cm) at the top
Materials
Choose a smooth mercerized cotton or cotton blend in DK weight, about 120 m per 50 g. Mercerized cotton shows the open petals clearly, and the spirals keep their twist without sagging. Avoid fuzzy yarns, because they blur the lace.
Yarn:
– Color A – Butter Yellow: 950 g (2,280 m), nineteen 50 g balls
– Color B – Cream: 550 g (1,320 m), eleven 50 g balls
These quantities include a margin of about 10% for swatching, joins and weaving in ends.
Tools:
– 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Stitch markers (at least 12)
– Measuring tape, 120 in (304.8 cm) or longer
– Rust-proof pins and a spray bottle
– Curtain rod, at least 60 in (152.4 cm) long and up to 1.25 in (3.2 cm) in diameter
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sk – skip
- MR – magic ring
Special stitch – Petal group: this is worked across 2 sts. Work (dc, ch 1, tr, ch 1, tr) in the next st, ch 1, then work (tr, ch 1, tr, ch 1, dc) in the next st. One petal group has 6 sts and 5 ch-1 sps.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make one flower and one test spiral before you start the full curtain. Hang the test spiral and leave it for a few minutes before measuring, because cotton relaxes.
Chain gauge: 4.5 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm), measured unstretched.
Flower checkpoints (diameter):
– After Rnd 1: 0.6 in (1.5 cm)
– After Rnd 2: 1.25 in (3.2 cm)
– After Rnd 3: 3.25 in (8.3 cm)
– After Rnd 4: 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
Test spiral: Ch 42 and work Rows 1–2 of the spiral, adjusting the counts to this length (40 base chains). You should get 60 dc and 60 sc.
– Flat foundation chain: about 8.9 in (22.6 cm)
– Hanging and relaxed: 6 in (15.2 cm) long
– Flat ribbon width: 0.75 in (1.9 cm)
If your pieces are too large: go down to a 3.25 mm hook, or work tighter on the chains.
If your pieces are too small: go up to a 3.75 mm hook.
If only the spiral length is off: change the foundation chain instead of the hook. Every 40 base chains gives 6 in (15.2 cm) of relaxed spiral. Keep the number of base chains even.
Flower (Make 168)
Each flower uses Color B for the center and edge and Color A for the middle rounds.
Rnd 1 (Color B): Make a MR. Ch 1, work 10 sc in the ring. Join with a sl st to the first sc. Pull the ring tight. Fasten off. (10 sc)
Rnd 2 (Color A): Join Color A in any st. Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the same st, then 2 dc in each st around. Join with a sl st to the top of the ch-3. (20 dc)
Check: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.
Rnd 3 (Color A, petals): Repeat the following 5 times: sl st in the next st, work a petal group over the next 2 sts, sk the next st. Join with a sl st to the first sl st. Fasten off.
(5 petals: 30 sts, 25 ch-1 sps, 5 sl sts)
Each repeat uses exactly 4 sts of Rnd 2: 1 sl st + 2 petal sts + 1 skipped st. Five repeats use all 20 sts. The skipped st and the sl st form the dip between petals, which gives the flower its separated, rounded petals.
Check: 3.25 in (8.3 cm) across.
Rnd 4 (Color B, petal edge): Join Color B with a sl st in any sl st between petals. Work the following around each petal:
– sc in the dc, 2 sc in the next ch-1 sp, sc in the tr, 2 sc in the next ch-1 sp, sc in the tr
– 3 sc in the center ch-1 sp
– sc in the tr, 2 sc in the next ch-1 sp, sc in the tr, 2 sc in the next ch-1 sp, sc in the dc
– sl st in the sl st between petals
Join and fasten off. Leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail on every fifth flower to use for tacking. Use separate lengths of Color B for the others.
(17 sc per petal: 6 worked 1 per st + 11 in sps; 85 sc and 5 sl sts in total)
The 3 sc in the center space round off the petal tip, which gives the soft buttercup shape.
Check: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) across.
Spiral Strand (Make 14)
Foundation (Color A): Ch 522. This gives 520 base chains plus 2 turning chains.
Row 1 (Color A): Dc in the 3rd ch from the hook. The skipped ch-2 does not count as a stitch. Work 2 dc in the next ch. Then repeat (dc in the next ch, 2 dc in the next ch) across. Fasten off.
(780 dc: 520 base chains x 1.5)
The extra dc in every second chain makes the top edge longer than the chain edge, so the strip twists. A 1.5 ratio gives the loose, open corkscrew in the photo. A 2-to-1 ratio would give a tight, ruffled coil instead.
Row 2 (Color B, edge): Do not turn. Join Color B with a sc in the first dc of Row 1. Sc in each dc across. Fasten off.
(780 sc: 1 per dc, no extras)
Checkpoint: hang the strand and let it relax. It should measure 78 in (198.1 cm), which is 13 test lengths of 6 in (15.2 cm).
Make All Pieces
Totals:
– 14 spirals: Color A 780 dc each, Color B 780 sc each
– 168 flowers: Color B on Rnds 1 and 4, Color A on Rnds 2 and 3
Work in batches. For example, make 12 flowers, then 1 spiral, and repeat 14 times. This keeps your tension even across the whole project.
Layout grid (front view, S = strand, F = flower):
Rod =======================================================
S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14
F1 F F F F F F F F F F F F F F 3 in
F2 F F F F F F F F F F F F F F 9.5 in
F3 F F F F F F F F F F F F F F 16 in
... (continue every 6.5 in)
F12 F F F F F F F F F F F F F F 74.5 in
Measure positions from the top of the spiral, just below the loop, down to each flower center. The positions are 3 in (7.6 cm), then every 6.5 in (16.5 cm) after that, ending at 74.5 in (189.2 cm). The last flower’s lower edge sits at 76.25 in (193.7 cm), which leaves a 1.75 in (4.4 cm) spiral tip below it.
Joining
The strands are never joined to each other. “Joining” here means tacking flowers onto spirals.
- Lay the spiral along your measuring tape and let it twist naturally. Don’t stretch it.
- Place a stitch marker at each of the 12 flower positions.
- At each marker, find the Row 1 dc that faces forward. Center a flower’s Rnd 2 over it.
- With Color B, sew through Rnd 1 and Rnd 2 of the flower and into 2 neighboring dc of the spiral. Work 4 small stitches, crossing in an X.
- Tack the lowest 2 petal dips lightly to the spiral, 1 stitch each, so the flower doesn’t flip.
Stitch logic: tack into the dc only, never into the cream sc edge. This leaves the edge free to roll, so the twist continues behind each flower.
Tension: pull the stitches snug but not tight. If you pull too hard, the spiral bunches and shortens.
Size checkpoint: after all 12 flowers are on, the hanging strand should still measure 78 in (198.1 cm). Flowers placed too close together will show up in this measurement.
Border (Hanging Loops)
This curtain has no stitched border around the whole panel. Each strand already has its cream sc edge from Row 2, so the only border work is the hanging loop at the top of each strand.
Border gauge: 4.5 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Loop (Color A), per strand: Join Color A in the first foundation ch at the top end of the spiral. Ch 24, then sl st in the same foundation ch. Sl st into the next 2 foundation chains to lock the loop. Fasten off and weave in the end.
(24 ch + 3 sl sts per strand; 14 loops in total)
Why the math works: 24 ch ÷ 4.5 = about 5.3 in (13.5 cm) around the loop. A rod 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across is about 3.9 in (9.9 cm) around, so the loop has about 1.4 in (3.6 cm) of ease and slides easily. Laid flat, the loop is about 2.6 in (6.6 cm). Part of that wraps over the rod, so it adds about 2 in (5.1 cm) to the drop. That brings the total length to 80 in (203.2 cm).
Width: 14 strands spaced 4 in (10.2 cm) apart give 13 gaps x 4 in = 52 in. Add half a flower width on each side (3.5 in in total) for a curtain width of 55.5 in (141.0 cm). Neighboring flowers have 0.5 in (1.3 cm) of air between them.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends before blocking.
- Pin each flower flat to 3.5 in (8.9 cm). Open each petal’s ch-1 spaces evenly.
- Mist the flowers with water until damp. Let them dry completely.
- Do not pin the spirals flat. Hang each strand from its loop, mist the whole length, and let it dry hanging.
- Once dry, check the length again: 78 in (198.1 cm) of spiral plus the loop.
- Thread all loops onto the rod in order, S1 to S14, and space them 4 in (10.2 cm) apart.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each flower has 20 dc in Rnd 2, 5 petals in Rnd 3, and 85 sc in Rnd 4
- Each flower measures 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
- Each spiral has 780 dc and 780 sc
- Each spiral twists evenly with no flat sections
- Each strand has 12 flowers at the correct positions
- Every hanging loop is 24 ch
- All strands are the same length to within 0.5 in (1.3 cm)
- All ends are woven in securely
Troubleshooting
- Spiral is a tight coil: you added too many dc. Recount the Row 1 repeat (dc, 2 dc).
- Spiral barely twists: your tension is too loose on the dc. Try a hook 0.25 mm smaller for Row 1 only.
- Petals cup: Rnd 4 is too tight. Go up 0.25 mm for the edge round.
- Petals ruffle: use 2 sc instead of 3 in the center space.
- Strands are uneven lengths: re-hang them for 24 hours and re-measure. Add or remove sl sts at the bottom tip to even them out.
- Flowers flip: add one more tack at a petal dip.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with a mild detergent. Roll the strands in a towel to remove water, then hang them to dry so the spirals keep their twist.
Final Notes
The measurements build on each other in this order:
– 4.5 ch = 1 in.
– One flower is 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
– Every 40 base chains gives 6 in (15.2 cm) of spiral, so 520 base chains give 78 in (198.1 cm).
– Flowers sit every 6.5 in (16.5 cm).
– The 24-ch loop brings each strand to 80 in (203.2 cm).
– 14 strands spaced 4 in (10.2 cm) apart give 55.5 in (141.0 cm) of width.
If you check each of these as you go, the finished curtain will hang evenly. Happy crocheting!