The Coastal Shell Drop Window Valance is a lacy window topper. A row of pointed mesh pennants hangs from a denim-blue header band, and a beaded strand drops from each pennant tip. Ribbed blue fans and open cream teardrops alternate down every strand. Round crochet beads sit between the motifs, and each strand ends in a blue tassel.
The palette is heathered denim blue and natural cream. In sunlight the teardrops glow like lace and the fans look like little shells, which suits coastal, cottage, and farmhouse rooms.
This pattern uses US terms. The valance is 42 in (106.7 cm) wide and about 33 in (83.8 cm) long, measured from the top of the rod casing to the tassel tips. It fits a rod up to 1 in (2.5 cm) thick and covers windows about 36 to 40 in (91.4 to 101.6 cm) wide.
To make it, you crochet 10 lace pennants, sew them together at their top corners, and then work a header band with a fold-over rod casing across all of them. The fans, teardrops, beads, cords, and tassels are made separately and sewn into 10 strands, one for each pennant tip.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 42 in (106.7 cm) wide x about 33 in (83.8 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: DK (#3) cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 4 mm (G-6)
- Number of pieces: 10 pennants, 20 fans, 20 teardrops, 50 beads, 50 cords, 10 tassels
- Layout: 10 pennants in one row, 1 strand per pennant
- Pennant size: 4.2 in (10.7 cm) wide x 4 in (10.2 cm) tall
- Size before border: 42 in (106.7 cm) x 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Border (header band) depth: 3.3 in (8.4 cm) after folding the casing
- Strand length: about 25.75 in (65.4 cm), including the tassel
Materials
Choose a smooth DK cotton or cotton blend with about 115 m per 50 g. Cotton keeps the stitches crisp and hangs straight. A heathered blue adds depth.
- Color A, denim blue: 300 g (about 690 m), for the pennants, header, fans, blue beads, and tassels
- Color B, natural cream: 150 g (about 345 m), for the teardrops, cream beads, and cords
Tools: 4 mm (G-6) hook, tapestry needle, locking stitch markers, scissors, a card 4 in (10.2 cm) tall for the tassels, blocking mat, rust-proof pins, spray bottle, and measuring tape.
The quantities include a margin of about 15% for swatching and tails.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
ch = chain; sl st = slip stitch; sc = single crochet; dc = double crochet; tr = treble crochet; sc2tog = single crochet 2 together; sk = skip; sp = space; st(s) = stitch(es); MR = magic ring; RS/WS = right side/wrong side.
FPdc (front post double crochet): Yarn over and insert the hook from front to back to front around the post of the stitch. Complete it as a dc. This stitch makes the raised ribs on the fans.
Counting note: A beginning ch-3 counts as 1 dc. In mesh rows, each ch-1 counts as 1 stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 20 dc and 10 dc rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). That works out to 5 sts per inch, and each dc row is 0.4 in (1.0 cm) tall.
Make one pennant first. It works as your gauge swatch. Checkpoints:
- Pennant after Row 10: the top edge (21 sts) is 4.2 in (10.7 cm), and the height is 4 in (10.2 cm).
- Fan: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide x 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall.
- Teardrop: 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide x 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall, not counting the loops.
- Bead: 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
- Cord: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long.
If the pennant is too wide, go down half a hook size. If it is too small, go up half a size. An error of 0.2 in (0.5 cm) on each pennant adds up to 2 in (5.1 cm) across the valance, so fix your gauge now.
Pennant (make 10, Color A)
The pennant is worked from the tip up. It increases 1 st at each edge every row, and solid rows alternate with mesh rows.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 4, 2 dc in 4th ch from hook (the skipped ch-3 counts as 1 dc). Turn. (3 sts)
Row 2 (solid): Ch 3, dc in first st, dc in next st, 2 dc in last st. Turn. (5 sts)
Row 3 (mesh): Ch 3, dc in first st, *ch 1, sk next st, dc in next st; rep from * until 2 sts remain, ch 1, sk next st, 2 dc in last st. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 4 (solid): Ch 3, dc in first st, dc in each st and ch-1 sp across to last st, 2 dc in last st. Turn. (9 sts)
Rows 5–10: Repeat Rows 3 and 4 three times. Stitch counts: Row 5, 11 sts; Row 6, 13 sts; Row 7, 15 sts; Row 8, 17 sts; Row 9, 19 sts; Row 10, 21 sts. Do not fasten off.
Edging: Ch 1, rotate the work, and work 2 sc in each row-end down the first slanted edge (20 sc). Work (sc, ch 3, sc) in the tip. Then work 2 sc in each row-end up the second slanted edge (20 sc). Sl st to the first st of Row 10 and fasten off.
The edging totals 42 sc plus the ch-3 tip loop. The 21 sts of Row 10 are left unworked; they form the top edge.
Fan (make 20, Color A)
Foundation: Ch 4, sl st to first ch to form a ring.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3, 6 dc in ring. Turn. (7 dc)
Row 2: Ch 3, dc in first st, 2 dc in each st across. Turn. (14 dc)
Row 3: Ch 3, 2 dc in next st, *dc in next st, 2 dc in next st; rep from * across. Turn. (21 dc)
Row 4 (ribs): Ch 3, *FPdc around next st, dc in next st; rep from * across. Turn. (21 sts: 10 FPdc, 11 dc)
Row 5 (scallops): Ch 1, sc in first st, *sk next st, 5 dc in next st, sk next st, sc in next st; rep from * 4 more times. Fasten off. (5 scallops; 31 sts: 6 sc, 25 dc)
The ring is the top hanging point. Mark the center dc of the 3rd scallop; this is the bottom hanging point.
Teardrop (make 20, Color B)
Rnd 1: MR, ch 1, 8 sc in ring, sl st to first sc. (8 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, *sc in next st, ch 3; rep from * around, sl st to first sc. (8 sc, 8 ch-3 sps)
Rnd 3: Sl st into first ch-3 sp, ch 1, sc in same sp, *ch 5, sc in next ch-3 sp; rep from * 6 more times, ch 5, sl st to first sc. (8 ch-5 loops)
Rnd 4 (shaping): Number the loops 1 to 8, with loop 1 at the top. Work the loops in this order, then sl st to the top of the beginning ch:
- Loop 1: Sl st into loop 1, ch 4 (counts as tr), then (tr, ch 5, 2 tr) in the same loop.
- Loop 2: 6 dc.
- Loops 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7: 7 dc in each.
- Loop 8: 6 dc.
Count: 51 sts (4 tr + 47 dc), plus 1 ch-5 tip sp.
The tall tr stitches and the ch-5 push the top out into a point. The 7-dc loops round off the bottom.
Rnd 5 (trim): Ch 1, sc in each st around. In the ch-5 tip sp, work (3 sc, ch 4, 3 sc). In the 4th dc of loop 5 (the bottom center), work (sc, ch 4, sc). Sl st to first sc and fasten off.
Count: 51 sc worked 1 per st + 6 sc in the tip + 1 extra sc at the bottom = 58 sc, plus 2 ch-4 hanging loops.
Bead (make 30 in Color A, 20 in Color B)
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc in ring. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: Sc in each st around. (12 sc)
Rnd 4: Sc2tog 6 times. (6 sts)
Stuff the bead firmly with scraps of the same color. Close the hole and leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.
Cord (make 50, Color B)
Ch 10, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (9 sl sts, 1.5 in / 3.8 cm) Leave 6 in (15.2 cm) tails at both ends.
Tassel (make 10, Color A)
- Wrap yarn 40 times around a 4 in (10.2 cm) card.
- Tie the loops at the top with a 10 in (25.4 cm) strand, and cut the loops at the bottom.
- Wrap the neck 6 times, 0.5 in (1.3 cm) below the tie, and knot.
- Trim the tassel to 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
Make All Pieces
| Piece | Color | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Pennant | A | 10 |
| Fan | A | 20 |
| Teardrop | B | 20 |
| Bead | A | 30 |
| Bead | B | 20 |
| Cord | B | 50 |
| Tassel | A | 10 |
There are two strand types. Make 5 of each:
- Strand A starts with a fan.
- Strand B starts with a teardrop.
Bead colors follow the piece below them: a cream bead goes above each teardrop, and a blue bead goes above each fan and above the tassel.
Layout, pennants P1 to P10 from left to right:
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10
A B A B A B A B A B
Strand A, top to bottom: cord, blue bead, fan, cord, cream bead, teardrop, cord, blue bead, fan, cord, cream bead, teardrop, cord, blue bead, tassel.
Strand B, top to bottom: cord, cream bead, teardrop, cord, blue bead, fan, cord, cream bead, teardrop, cord, blue bead, fan, cord, blue bead, tassel.
Each strand uses 5 cords, 5 beads (3 blue, 2 cream), 2 fans, 2 teardrops, and 1 tassel.
Joining
Pennants: Lay the 10 pennants RS up in a row with their top edges lined up. Neighboring pennants touch only at their top corners.
At each corner, the top 2 edging sc of one pennant (the 2 sc in its Row 10 row-end) meet the top 2 edging sc of the next pennant. Whipstitch them together with Color A, 2 sts to 2 sts, to make a 0.4 in (1.0 cm) seam. Make 9 seams.
No stitches are added at the seams, so the top edge stays at 10 x 21 = 210 sts.
Keep the whipstitch snug but flat. If it is too tight, the corners pucker. If it is too loose, a gap opens under the header.
Size checkpoint: The joined top edge measures 42 in (106.7 cm).
Strands: Assemble the strands after the header band is finished.
- Sew the top of the first cord to a pennant’s ch-3 tip loop.
- Sew each part to the next in order, using the tails:
- Beads join at their top and bottom.
- Fans join at the ring and at the marked scallop dc.
- Teardrops join at their two ch-4 loops.
- Knot the tassel’s top tie around the last bead.
- Weave each tail back through its own piece so the joins don’t show.
Border: Header Band (Color A)
The border is worked in rows across the top edge only, at the same gauge as the pennants: 5 sts per inch. The math works because 210 sts x 0.2 in = 42 in (106.7 cm), which is exactly the width of the joined pennants. The header therefore lies flat without ruffling or pulling in.
Row 1 (RS): With RS facing, join Color A in the first st of Row 10 on the right-hand pennant. Ch 1, sc in each st across all 10 pennants. Turn. (210 sc: 21 per pennant)
Row 2: Ch 3, dc in each st across. Turn. (210 dc)
Row 3 (mesh): Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), sk next st, *dc in next st, ch 1, sk next st; rep from * until 2 sts remain, dc in each of last 2 sts. Turn. (210 sts: 106 dc, 104 ch-1 sps)
Row 4: Ch 3, dc in each dc and ch-1 sp across. Turn. (210 dc)
Row 5: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (210 sc)
Checkpoint: Rows 1–5 measure 1.7 in (4.3 cm).
Rows 6–13 (casing): Ch 3, dc in each st across. Turn. (210 dc in each row) These 8 rows measure 3.2 in (8.1 cm). Do not fasten off after Row 13.
Close the casing: Fold Rows 6–13 toward the WS so that Row 13 lies against Row 5. Whipstitch them together, 210 sts to 210 sts, leaving both ends of the tube open.
The folded casing is 1.6 in (4.1 cm) tall and 3.2 in (8.1 cm) around. A 1 in (2.5 cm) rod is about 3.14 in around, so it slides through. The finished header is 1.7 in + 1.6 in = 3.3 in (8.4 cm) deep.
Final Blocking
- Before assembly, pin each fan to 3.5 x 2.25 in (8.9 x 5.7 cm) and each teardrop to 2.5 x 3.25 in (6.4 x 8.3 cm). Mist them and let them dry.
- Pin the joined pennants and header RS up to 42 in (106.7 cm) wide.
- Pin each pennant tip straight down so the pennant is 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
- Mist until damp and pat flat.
- Let everything dry completely before unpinning.
- Assemble the strands and hang the valance on the rod.
- Mist the strands lightly while the valance hangs, and straighten the tassels by hand.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each pennant top has 21 sts and measures 4.2 in (10.7 cm).
- There are 9 corner seams, with no added stitches.
- Every header row has 210 sts, and the header measures 42 in (106.7 cm).
- The casing slides over your rod freely.
- Each fan has 5 scallops.
- Each teardrop has 58 sc plus 2 ch-4 loops.
- The strands alternate A, B, A, B across the valance.
- All 10 strands hang at about 25.75 in (65.4 cm).
- All tails are woven in, and no knots show from the front.
Troubleshooting
- Pennants curl at the edges: The edging is too tight. Redo it with a larger hook, keeping 2 sc per row-end.
- Header ruffles or pulls in: The stitch count has drifted from 210, or your gauge changed. Recount Row 1.
- Fans cup: Work the Row 5 scallops loosely and block the fans flat.
- Teardrop is round instead of pointed: Check that loop 1 uses tr, not dc.
- Strands twist: Mist them and clip a small weight to each tassel overnight.
- Rod won’t fit: Add 2 casing rows (0.8 in / 2.0 cm total) before folding.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with a mild detergent. Roll the valance in a towel to remove water, dry it flat, and re-block if needed. Do not tumble dry.
Final Notes
Every size in this pattern builds on the gauge. At 5 sts per inch, each 21-st pennant top is 4.2 in (10.7 cm), and 10 pennants give 210 sts, or 42 in (106.7 cm) across.
For the length, the header adds 3.3 in (8.4 cm), the pennants add 4 in (10.2 cm), and each strand adds about 25.75 in (65.4 cm). Together that makes about 33 in (83.8 cm). If your first pennant matches the gauge, every later measurement will come out right.
Happy crocheting!