Crocheted coral branch ornaments in vibrant red with pale pink frames, styled as hanging garland, framed art, and wallpaper.

Coral Reef Lace Curtain Crochet Pattern

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This curtain is made of elongated pink lace hexagons, each holding a bright orange coral branch. When the panel hangs in a window, the open frames and the diamond-shaped gaps between them let light through, and the coral shapes stand out against it.

The palette has two colors: a vivid orange-red for the coral and a soft blush pink for the lace frames and border. The style is airy and slightly botanical. It works well on a sunny window or as a room divider.

This pattern uses US crochet terms. One finished panel measures 38.6 x 72.8 in (98.0 x 184.9 cm) after the border. For a pair of curtains, make two panels.

Construction overview: crochet each coral branch first. Then work a pink frame around it, anchoring the frame to the branch tips. Join the motifs as you go on the last frame round. Finally, add a border that bridges the notched edges to make a straight-edged rectangle.

Finished Size and Construction

  • Finished size: 38.6 x 72.8 in (98.0 x 184.9 cm) per panel
  • Skill level: Intermediate
  • Terminology: US
  • Yarn weight: DK (#3) cotton
  • Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
  • Number of pieces: 56 motifs per panel
  • Layout: 7 motifs across x 8 motifs down
  • Motif size: 5.4 in wide x 9 in tall (13.7 x 22.9 cm), point to point
  • Size before border: 37.8 x 72 in (96.0 x 182.9 cm)
  • Border depth: 0.4 in (1.0 cm) on each edge

Materials

Use a smooth mercerized or combed DK cotton, about 100 m per 50 g. Cotton keeps the coral firm and blocks crisply. It also holds up well in sunlight.

Quantities for one panel:

  • Orange-red (coral): 250 g / 500 m (5 balls)
  • Blush pink (frames and border): 450 g / 900 m (9 balls)

These quantities include a margin of about 15%. If you are making a pair, double them.

Tools:

  • 3.5 mm (E-4) hook
  • Tapestry needle
  • Stitch markers
  • Rust-proof pins and a large blocking surface
  • 15 curtain clip rings
  • Measuring tape

Abbreviations (US Terms)

  • ch: chain
  • sl st: slip stitch
  • sc: single crochet
  • hdc: half double crochet
  • sk: skip
  • sp: space
  • st(s): stitch(es)
  • rnd: round

Special stitches:

  • Picot: ch 3, sl st in the 3rd ch from the hook.
  • Trefoil: (sc, picot 3 times, sc) in the same space. The middle picot is the corner point.
  • Twig (tw): ch 4, sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 2 ch.
  • Short Branch (SB): ch 7, sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 2 ch, tw, sc in the next 3 ch.
  • Long Branch (LB): ch 10, sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 2 ch, tw, sc in the next 3 ch, tw, sc in the next 3 ch.
  • Joining Picot (JP): ch 1, sl st in the matching picot of the neighboring motif, ch 1, sl st in the first ch.

Gauge and Checkpoints

Gauge: 20 sc x 20 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm), which is 5 sts per in.

Make one complete motif before starting the curtain, and check it at each stage:

  1. Coral: the stem measures 7.8 in (19.8 cm) from the top tip to the trunk base.
  2. After frame Rnd 2: each slanted side measures 4.2 in (10.7 cm), and each vertical side measures 2.6 in (6.6 cm).
  3. After Rnd 4: the motif measures 5.4 x 9 in (13.7 x 22.9 cm) from corner picot to corner picot.

If the motif is too big, go down 0.25 mm in hook size. If it is too small, go up 0.25 mm. A difference of 0.25 in (0.6 cm) per motif adds up to 1.8 in (4.6 cm) across the width and 2 in (5.1 cm) down the length, so get the gauge right before you go on.

Orange crocheted coral branches appliquéd on pale pink chain grid pattern.

Coral Branch (Orange, Make 56)

The stem is worked down one side of the foundation chain. The branches are worked out from the stem and back to it as you go. The trunk is worked on both sides of the chain, which makes it thicker.

Foundation: Ch 40. This gives 39 working chains, numbered from the hook.

Top tip: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 3 ch (chains 1-4).

Upper stem:

  1. Sc in the next 2 ch (chains 5-6).
  2. LB, sc in the next ch (chain 7), LB. This makes the upper branch pair.
  3. Sc in the next 6 ch (chains 8-13).
  4. LB, sc in the next ch (chain 14), LB. This makes the middle branch pair.
  5. Sc in the next 8 ch (chains 15-22).
  6. SB, sc in the next ch (chain 23), SB. This makes the lower branch pair.
  7. Sc in the next 3 ch (chains 24-26).

Stem check: 4 + 2 + 1 + 6 + 1 + 8 + 1 + 3 = 26 sc.

Trunk:

  1. Hdc in the next 12 ch (chains 27-38).
  2. Work 5 hdc in the last ch (chain 39) to flare the base.
  3. Rotate the work and hdc in the free loops of chains 38 back to 27 (12 hdc).
  4. Sl st in the base of chain 26.

Trunk check: 12 + 5 + 12 = 29 hdc.

Fasten off and weave in the ends. Each coral has 4 Long Branches with 2 twigs each, plus 2 Short Branches with 1 twig each. The twigs fall to alternating sides naturally. Shape the branches so that they angle upward and outward.

Pink Frame (Make 56)

Rnds 1-3 are the same for every motif. Rnd 4 is where you join the motifs, so read the Joining section before working Rnd 4 on your second motif.

Rnd 1 (anchoring round): Join pink with a sl st in the first sc of the top tip, then ch 1. Work as follows:

  • Sc in the same st (top corner)
  • Ch 9, sc in the tip of the right upper LB
  • Ch 9, sc in the tip of the right middle LB (upper-right corner)
  • Ch 11, sc in the tip of the right SB (lower-right corner)
  • Ch 19, sc in the center hdc of the trunk flare (bottom corner)
  • Ch 19, sc in the tip of the left SB (lower-left corner)
  • Ch 11, sc in the tip of the left middle LB (upper-left corner)
  • Ch 9, sc in the tip of the left upper LB
  • Ch 9, sl st in the first sc

Count: 8 sc + 96 ch = 104 sts.

Rnd 2 (hexagon round): Ch 1. Work (sc, ch 3, sc) in each of the 6 corner sc. Work 1 sc in each other st, including each ch and each mid-side anchor sc.

Count: 4 slanted sides of 21 sc each, plus 2 vertical sides of 13 sc each, for 110 sc total. This is a conversion round: 104 sts worked one per st, plus 6 extra corner sc = 110. Each side count includes the corner sc on both ends of that side.

Rnd 3 (lace loops): Sl st to the first sc after the top corner ch-3 sp, then ch 1.

  1. Sc in the same st.
  2. On each slanted side: (ch 4, sk 3 sc, sc in the next sc) 5 times.
  3. On each vertical side: (ch 4, sk 3 sc, sc in the next sc) 3 times.
  4. At each corner: ch 1, (sc, ch 3, sc) in the corner ch-3 sp, ch 1, sc in the first sc of the next side.
  5. At the top corner, finish with a sl st in the first sc.

Check: 4 slanted sides x 5 loops + 2 vertical sides x 3 loops = 26 ch-4 loops. There are also 6 corner ch-3 sps and 12 ch-1 sps. The math works because 1 + (5 x 4) = 21 and 1 + (3 x 4) = 13.

Rnd 4 (picot edge): Sl st into the top corner ch-3 sp. Work around:

  • In each corner ch-3 sp: 1 trefoil
  • In each ch-1 sp: 1 sc
  • In each ch-4 loop: (2 sc, picot, 2 sc)

Join with a sl st in the first sc and fasten off.

Count: 128 sc, 26 side picots, and 6 trefoils. Each vertical side has 3 side picots between its two corner trefoils.

Make All Pieces

Make 56 coral branches in orange and 56 frames in pink. The first motif is made in full. Join every other motif on Rnd 4.

Layout grid (M = motif, joined side to side and point to point):

Row 1: M M M M M M M
Row 2: M M M M M M M
Row 3: M M M M M M M
Row 4: M M M M M M M
Row 5: M M M M M M M
Row 6: M M M M M M M
Row 7: M M M M M M M
Row 8: M M M M M M M

Total: 7 x 8 = 56 motifs.

Joining

Use the join-as-you-go method on Rnd 4. Work left to right along each row, and from the top row down.

Side joins: On a motif with a neighbor to its left, replace these picots with JPs, joining each one to the matching picot on the neighbor’s right side:

  • The middle picot of the upper-left trefoil
  • The 3 picots on the left vertical side
  • The middle picot of the lower-left trefoil

That makes 5 joins per shared vertical side, matched picot to picot.

Point joins: On every motif below Row 1, replace the middle picot of the top trefoil with a JP. Join it to the middle picot of the bottom trefoil of the motif directly above.

The slanted sides stay free. Where four motifs meet, they leave a diamond opening 5.4 in wide x 6.4 in tall (13.7 x 16.3 cm).

Tension: keep the JP chains the same size as a normal picot. Tight joins make the panel pucker; loose joins make the vertical sides gap.

Size checkpoint: the joined panel measures 7 x 5.4 = 37.8 in (96.0 cm) wide and 8 x 9 = 72 in (182.9 cm) tall.

Border

Border gauge: 5 sts per in (the same as the motifs). Rnd 1 uses chain bridges to fill the edge notches so the panel becomes a true rectangle.

The border counts come from two numbers per motif:

  • Top and bottom: 27 sts per motif. That is 13 ch + 1 sc + 13 ch, and 27 sts at 5 sts per in = 5.4 in.
  • Each side: 45 sts per motif. That is 16 ch + 13 sts + 16 ch, which equals 3.2 in + 2.6 in + 3.2 in = 9 in (8.1 + 6.6 + 8.1 cm).

Rnd 1 (bridges):

  1. Top edge: Join pink with a sl st in the top middle picot of the top-left motif, ch 1, sc in the same picot, ch 13. Then work (ch 13, sc in the top middle picot of the next motif, ch 13) 6 times. Ch 1 for the corner.
  2. Right side: For each of the 8 motifs, work: ch 16, sc in the middle picot of the upper-right trefoil, (ch 2, sc in the next side picot) 3 times, ch 2, sc in the middle picot of the lower-right trefoil, ch 16. Ch 1 for the corner.
  3. Bottom edge: For each of the 7 motifs, work: ch 13, sc in the bottom middle picot, ch 13. Ch 1 for the corner.
  4. Left side: Work the same sequence as the right side, going upward, 8 times. Ch 1 for the corner.
  5. Ch 13 and sl st in the first sc.

Counts:

  • Top: 1 + 13 + (6 x 27) + 13 = 189 = 7 x 27
  • Bottom: 7 x 27 = 189
  • Each side: 8 x 45 = 360
  • Corners: 4 ch

Total: 1,102 sts.

Rnd 2: Ch 1. Sc in each ch and each sc. Work 3 sc in each corner ch.

Count: 189 / 360 / 189 / 360 sc between corner groups, plus 4 corners x 3 sc = 1,110 sts.

Rnd 3: Ch 1. Sc in each sc, working 3 sc in the center sc of each corner.

Count between corner centers: 191 on the top and bottom, 362 on each side. Total: 1,110 + 8 = 1,118 sts. Fasten off.

Why the math works: a border stitch count of 189 matches 37.8 in at 5 sts per in, and 360 matches 72 in. The bridges do not add any width or length, and Rnds 2-3 add 0.4 in (1.0 cm) on each edge. That gives 38.6 x 72.8 in (98.0 x 184.9 cm).

Hanging: Attach 15 clip rings along the top edge, spaced 2.7 in (6.9 cm) apart. Put one ring at each corner, one above each of the 7 motif points, and one at the center of each of the 6 bridges.

Final Blocking

  1. Wet the panel in cool water, then roll it in towels to remove the excess.
  2. Lay it flat and pin it to 38.6 x 72.8 in (98.0 x 184.9 cm).
  3. Pin each motif’s corner trefoils so that the hexagon sides are straight.
  4. Lift each coral branch into a symmetrical, upward-angled shape and pin the twig tips.
  5. Pin the chain bridges straight along the edges.
  6. Let the panel dry completely before unpinning it.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

  • Each motif measures 5.4 x 9 in (13.7 x 22.9 cm).
  • All 56 corals are anchored at their 8 points.
  • Each shared vertical side has 5 joins, and each point join is secure.
  • Border Rnd 1 counts are 189 / 360 / 189 / 360.
  • The corners are square and the edges are straight.
  • All ends are woven in on the back of the trunks or along the frame chains.
  • The clip rings are evenly spaced.

Troubleshooting

  • Coral curls: loosen the foundation chain, or chain with a hook one size larger.
  • The frame pulls the branches out of shape: your Rnd 1 chains are too tight. Rework them more loosely.
  • The hexagon is lopsided: recount the Rnd 2 sides (21 sc on slanted sides, 13 sc on vertical sides).
  • The panel puckers at the joins: your JPs are too tight. Add a slightly looser ch 1.
  • The edges wave after the border: the bridges are too loose. Recheck your chain gauge.
  • The bridges sag: pin them firmly during blocking.

Care

Hand wash in cool water with a mild detergent and dry flat, re-pinning if needed. Avoid hanging the panel wet, because the weight will stretch it.

Sheer curtains featuring a red coral tree pattern hang from a gold rod above a sunlit living room window.

Final Notes

The measurement chain is simple:

  • A 5 sts per in gauge gives a 7.8 in (19.8 cm) coral.
  • The coral sits in a motif of 5.4 x 9 in (13.7 x 22.9 cm).
  • 56 joined motifs make a 37.8 x 72 in (96.0 x 182.9 cm) panel.
  • Bridge counts of 189 and 360 keep that size exactly, and two sc rounds bring it to 38.6 x 72.8 in (98.0 x 184.9 cm).

Check your gauge once, count at each checkpoint, and the panel will hang straight. Happy crocheting!

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