The Coin Leaf Trail Doorway Curtain has a soft cream tab-top header and twelve trailing vines. Each vine is covered in round “coin” leaves and small bud sprigs. It hangs like a pilea or string-of-coins plant, and light still comes through the doorway.
The palette is calm and botanical. The header and tabs are cream. The stems, bud sprigs, and header vine are moss green. The flat leaves come in sage green and dusty blue-green, and the two shades alternate along each strand.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain is 36.5 in (92.7 cm) wide. It measures about 67 in (170.2 cm) from the top of the header to the tip of the longest leaf, not counting the tab loops.
Construction is simple and modular. You crochet one rectangular header, edge it with a single border round, and work twelve tabs onto its top edge. Next you make all the leaf discs. Each strand is then chained directly from the header’s lower edge, and the discs and buds are joined in as you slip stitch back up the stem. Last, you sew a small leafy vine across the front of the header.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 36.5 in (92.7 cm) wide × about 67 in (170.2 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 1 header (tabs worked on), 1 vine appliqué, 192 leaf discs, and 12 strands built onto the header
- Layout: 12 strands hanging in one row, spaced 3 in (7.6 cm) apart
- Header size before border: 36 × 4 in (91.4 × 10.2 cm)
- Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm) per side; the bordered header is 36.5 × 4.5 in (92.7 × 11.4 cm)
- Strand length: 62.5 in (158.8 cm) from the header edge to the tip of the bottom leaf
Materials
Use a smooth worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend. The amounts below assume a yarn with about 190 m per 100 g. Cotton keeps the discs flat and resists stretching under the weight of the strands.
- Cream (header, tabs, border): 100 g / 190 m
- Moss green (stems, buds, vine): 200 g / 380 m
- Sage green (discs): 150 g / 285 m
- Dusty blue-green (discs): 150 g / 285 m
All quantities include a margin of about 20–25% for gauge swatches and small differences in tension.
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch markers (at least 12)
- Rust-proof pins and a blocking surface
- Measuring tape
- A curtain rod 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
- MR – magic ring
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
Special stitches:
- Bobble: Yarn over, insert hook in the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops; repeat from * to * 2 more times in the same stitch, then yarn over and pull through all 4 loops on the hook.
- Bud: Ch 3, work 1 Bobble in the 3rd ch from the hook, then sl st in the same ch.
- Back-bump sl st: Sl st worked into the bump on the back of a chain. It makes a firm, round stem.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make a test of each element before you commit to the full curtain.
- Header gauge: 16 sc and 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm).
- Stem gauge: 16 sts of finished stem (chain plus back-bump sl st) = 4 in (10.2 cm).
- Large disc: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across.
- Medium disc: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across.
Make one large disc and one medium disc first, and measure them before you make the other 190. If your discs come out too big, go down 0.5 mm in hook size. If they come out too small, go up 0.5 mm.
For the header, check the width after Row 1 and the height after Row 9. A small error grows across 144 stitches, so fix it early.
Part 1: Header
With cream, ch 145.
Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (144 sc)
Checkpoint: The row should measure 36 in (91.4 cm) when laid flat without stretching.
Rows 2–18: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (144 sc)
Checkpoint after Row 9: 2 in (5.1 cm) tall.
Checkpoint after Row 18: 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
Do not fasten off. Continue straight into the Border section.
Part 2: Leaf Discs
Every disc is worked in the round with RS facing. Do not turn. Keep the small center hole open, because it gives the leaf its natural look.
Large Disc
Rnd 1: Ch 2 (does not count as a st), 12 dc in MR, sl st to first dc. (12 dc)
Checkpoint: 1 in (2.5 cm).
Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st around, sl st to first dc. (24 dc)
Checkpoint: 1.75 in (4.4 cm).
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * to * around, sl st to first sc. (30 sc)
Checkpoint: 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
Fasten off and weave in the ends on the WS.
Medium Disc
Rnd 1: Ch 2 (does not count as a st), 12 dc in MR, sl st to first dc. (12 dc)
Checkpoint: 1 in (2.5 cm).
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * to * around, sl st to first sc. (18 sc)
Checkpoint: 1.5 in (3.8 cm).
Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Part 3: Header Vine Appliqué
With moss green, ch 131.
Row 1: Back-bump sl st in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each of the next 4 ch. (5 sl sts)
Then work Leaf, back-bump sl st in next 5 ch; repeat from * to * 24 more times. (130 sl sts, 25 leaves)
Leaf: Ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, dc in next ch, sl st in last ch. You will be back on the main vine.
Fasten off and leave a 36 in (91.4 cm) tail for sewing. The straight vine measures 32.5 in (82.6 cm).
Make All Pieces
- Header: 1, in cream
- Vine appliqué: 1, in moss green
- Large discs: 48 in sage and 48 in dusty blue-green
- Medium discs: 48 in sage and 48 in dusty blue-green
Each strand carries 16 discs: 8 large and 8 medium.
- Strand A: large discs in sage, medium discs in dusty blue-green
- Strand B: large discs in dusty blue-green, medium discs in sage
Layout grid (front view, T = tab, A/B = strand):
T T T T T T T T T T T T
[============== CREAM HEADER + VINE ==============]
A B A B A B A B A B A B
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Sort the discs into four labeled bags so you never have to hunt for the right size and color partway through a strand.
Joining
Order of work: Border round, then tabs, then strands, then vine. The tabs and strands are anchored in the border stitches, so complete the Border section first.
Tabs
On the top edge, count only the 144 border sc and skip the corner spaces. Place a marker on st 4, then on every 12th st after it (16, 28, and so on) through st 136.
With RS facing, join cream in a marked st.
Rows 1–18: Ch 1, sc in the first st and the next 5 sts, turn. (6 sc)
Fasten off and leave a long tail. Each tab is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide and 4 in (10.2 cm) long. Fold the tab to the WS and whipstitch its last row to the back of the header, just under the border. Repeat for all 12 tabs.
Spacing check: 3 + (12 tabs × 6 sts) + (11 gaps × 6 sts) + 3 = 144 sts, so the tabs fit the top edge exactly.
Strands
On the bottom edge, count the 144 border sc. Mark st 6, then every 12th st after it (18, 30, and so on) through st 138. That gives 12 marked stitches, 3 in (7.6 cm) apart, and the outer strands sit 33 in (83.8 cm) apart.
With moss green, join with a sl st in the first marked st. Ch 244. The first 240 ch form the stem, and the last 4 ch form the stalk for the tip leaf.
Tip: Sl st in any st of Rnd 2 of a medium disc (RS facing), then back-bump sl st in each of the 4 stalk ch.
Stem sequence: Repeat the following 15 times, working up the stem toward the header:
- Back-bump sl st in the next 4 ch.
- Bud sprig: Ch 6, Bud, sl st in next 2 ch of the sprig, Bud, sl st in next 2 ch, Bud, sl st in last 2 ch. (3 buds)
- Back-bump sl st in the next 8 ch.
- Disc branch: Ch 4, sl st in any st of the disc’s last round (RS facing), then back-bump sl st in the 4 ch.
- Back-bump sl st in the next 4 ch.
Use large discs on the odd repeats (1, 3, and so on through 15), which makes 8 large discs. Use medium discs on the even repeats (2 through 14), which makes 7 medium discs, plus the medium tip disc.
Count check: 15 repeats × 16 stem sts = 240 sts. Each strand has 15 sprigs (45 buds) and 16 discs.
Sl st into the starting header st and fasten off. Alternate Strand A and Strand B across the header.
Tension: Keep the back-bump sl sts loose enough that your hook slides easily into each bump. If they are too tight, the stem shortens and twists.
Size checkpoint: The stem is 60 in (152.4 cm). The tip stalk adds 1 in (2.5 cm) and the tip disc adds 1.5 in (3.8 cm), for a 62.5 in (158.8 cm) strand.
Vine
Pin the vine in a gentle wave across the center of the header. The waves shorten its span to about 30 in (76.2 cm), which leaves 3.25 in (8.3 cm) of plain header at each end. Sew it down along the stem and leave the leaves free.
Border
Border gauge: 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm), the same as the header. The header has 18 rows and 16 sts in every 4 in (10.2 cm), so each side edge gets 16 sc across its 18 row ends.
At the end of Row 18, ch 1 and turn so the RS faces you.
Border Rnd:
- Top edge: Sc in each of the 144 sts. (144 sc)
- Corner: Ch 2.
- Side edge: Sc in next 8 row ends, skip 1 row end; repeat from * to * once more. (16 sc)
- Corner: Ch 2.
- Bottom edge: Sc in each of the 144 free loops of the foundation ch. (144 sc)
- Corner: Ch 2.
- Side edge: Work as for the first side edge. (16 sc)
- Corner: Ch 2, then sl st to the first sc.
Total: 320 sc plus 4 ch-2 corner spaces. In this pattern, each side’s count does not include the corners, because the corners are separate ch-2 spaces.
Why the math works: 144 sc at 16 sc per 4 in = 36 in (91.4 cm), and 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). The edges match the header exactly, so they won’t ruffle or pull in, and the ch-2 corners let the round turn flat. The round adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm) per side, for a 36.5 × 4.5 in (92.7 × 11.4 cm) header.
Final Blocking
- Before assembly, mist the discs and pin them flat to 2.25 in (5.7 cm) and 1.5 in (3.8 cm). Let them dry completely.
- Wet the bordered header, then pin it to 36.5 × 4.5 in (92.7 × 11.4 cm) with straight edges.
- After assembly, hang the curtain on its rod.
- Lightly steam each strand from top to bottom, holding the iron above the yarn, and let gravity straighten the stems.
- Smooth any twisted disc stalks so the discs face forward.
- Let the curtain hang for 24 hours before trimming any final tails.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Header measures 36.5 × 4.5 in (92.7 × 11.4 cm).
- 12 tabs, each 6 sts wide, evenly spaced and securely sewn.
- 12 strands at 12-st intervals, alternating A and B.
- Each strand has 16 discs and 15 bud sprigs.
- Strands measure 62.5 in (158.8 cm) and hang within 0.5 in (1.3 cm) of each other.
- All discs face RS forward.
- Vine centered, with 3.25 in (8.3 cm) margins.
- All ends woven in securely.
Troubleshooting
- Discs cup: Rnd 3 is too tight. Loosen your tension or go up a hook size for that round only.
- Discs ruffle: Your stitches are too loose. Go down 0.5 mm in hook size.
- Strands differ in length: Your sl st tension is changing. Measure each stem at 16-st intervals as you work.
- Header sags between tabs: Re-block the header, and check that the tabs are evenly spaced.
- Stems twist: Hang the curtain and steam it again, and work your next strands more loosely.
- Strands tangle while you work: Clip the finished strands into loose bundles.
Care
Hand wash in cool water, press out the water in a towel, and dry the curtain flat or hanging. Reshape the discs while they are damp.
Final Notes
The measurements build on each other in this order:
- Gauge of 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm).
- A 144-st header that is 36 in (91.4 cm) wide.
- A border round that makes the header 36.5 in (92.7 cm) wide.
- 12 tabs and 12 strands set exactly 12 sts apart.
- 240-st stems that are 60 in (152.4 cm) long.
- Strands that finish at 62.5 in (158.8 cm), for a curtain about 67 in (170.2 cm) long.
Check each link in that chain, and the curtain will hang evenly and look full. Happy crocheting!