Ornate cream and brown shell-motif wallpaper or trim with repeating vertical patterns on a beige background.

Deco Shell Fan Curtain Crochet Pattern

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This curtain has a 1920s look. A cream lace valance ends in a row of shallow points edged in deep chocolate brown. Brown chain strands hang from it, dotted with small cream flowers, and layered shell fans are spaced down the strands so they appear to float in front of the window.

Only two colors are used: soft cream and dark brown. The cream gives the stitch texture and the brown traces the outlines. The fans sit at staggered heights, so the curtain reads as a diamond lattice from across the room.

The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain is 36 in (91.4 cm) wide and 48 in (121.9 cm) long, from the top of the valance to the bottom of the strands.

Construction is modular. You crochet one valance, then the fan motifs and flower beads. Next you edge the valance in brown, and last you chain each strand down from the valance, adding flowers and fans as you go.

Finished Size and Construction

  • Finished size: 36 in (91.4 cm) wide × 48 in (121.9 cm) long
  • Skill level: Intermediate
  • Terminology: US
  • Yarn weight: DK (#3) cotton
  • Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
  • Number of pieces: 1 valance, 23 fan motifs, 196 flower beads, 17 chain strands
  • Layout: 9 point strands (alternating A and B) and 8 valley strands
  • Fan motif size: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide × 4.75 in (12.1 cm) tall including the drop
  • Valance depth before border: 4.75 in (12.1 cm) at the points
  • Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm) at the top and 0.25 in (0.6 cm) at the zigzag

Materials

Choose a smooth, mercerized DK cotton of about 120 m per 50 g. Cotton holds the fan shapes crisply and stretches less than acrylic, which matters because the strands hang.

  • Color A, cream: 250 g / 600 m (valance, fans, flowers)
  • Color B, dark brown: 100 g / 240 m (fan arches, valance edging, strands)

Tools:
– 3.5 mm (E-4) hook
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors
– Stitch markers
– Rustproof pins and a blocking mat
– Spray bottle
– Tape measure
– Curtain rod with 10 clip rings, or a rod that fits through 1-in (2.5-cm) loops

The quantities include about a 20% margin for your gauge test and for weaving in ends.

Abbreviations (US Terms)

  • ch: chain
  • sl st: slip stitch
  • sc: single crochet
  • dc: double crochet
  • tr: treble crochet
  • sk: skip
  • sp: space
  • st(s): stitch(es)
  • tch: turning chain
  • RS: right side
  • rep: repeat

Special stitches:
– Picot: Ch 4, then sl st in the 4th ch from the hook.
– Chain-through flower join: With the strand loop on your hook, remove the hook and insert it from front to back through the center ring of a flower. Catch the dropped loop, pull it through, and ch 1 snugly to lock it. One flower counts as 0.75 in (1.9 cm) of strand length.

Gauge and Checkpoints

Make one complete fan motif before anything else, then check these gauges:

  • Mesh (valance): 5 ch-1 spaces = 2 in (5.1 cm), and 4 rows = 2 in (5.1 cm)
  • Chain (strands): 4 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm), and 12 ch = 3 in (7.6 cm)

Fan checkpoints:
– After Row 3: 3 in (7.6 cm) wide
– After Row 5: 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall
– After the brown arches: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide × 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall
– With the drop: 4.75 in (12.1 cm) tall

Flower checkpoint: 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.

If your fan is too big, go down 0.25 mm in hook size. If it is too small, go up 0.25 mm. Measure the chain gauge with the chain hanging freely, not stretched.

Twisted rope in cream and brown colors arranged in a decorative pattern on white background.

Valance Body (Cream)

Foundation: Ch 183.

Row 1 (RS): Dc in the 5th ch from the hook (the skipped ch count as dc, ch 1 and a skipped ch). Ch 1, sk 1 ch, dc in next ch; rep from * to the end. Turn. (91 dc, 90 ch-1 sp)*

Rows 2–5: Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1). Dc in next dc, ch 1; rep from * to the last dc, then dc in the 3rd ch of the tch. Turn. (91 dc, 90 ch-1 sp)*

Checkpoint: the band measures 36 in (91.4 cm) wide × 2.5 in (6.4 cm) deep. Fasten off.

Points (make 9)

Each point is worked over 10 spaces, which is 11 dc. Neighboring points share the dc between them, and that shared dc is the valley. Number the dc of one repeat d1–d11.

Point Row 1: Join cream in d1 with a sl st. Sl st in the next ch-1 sp, then sl st in d2. Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1). [Dc in next dc, ch 1] 7 times, then dc in next dc (d10). Turn. (9 dc, 8 sp)

Point Row 2: Sl st in the first ch-1 sp, then sl st in the next dc. Ch 4. [Dc in next dc, ch 1] 5 times, then dc in next dc. Turn. (7 dc, 6 sp)

Point Row 3: Work as Row 2, but rep the bracket 3 times. Turn. (5 dc, 4 sp)

Point Row 4: Work as Row 2, but work the bracket once. (3 dc, 2 sp) Fasten off.

Each point steps in by one space at each end per row, which gives straight slopes. Checkpoint: each point is 4 in (10.2 cm) wide at its base and 2 in (5.1 cm) deep.

Fan Motif (make 23)

Cream Section

Ring: With cream, ch 4 and sl st in the first ch to form a ring.

Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 6 dc in the ring. Turn. (7 dc)

Row 2: Ch 6 (counts as dc + ch 3), sk the next 2 dc. Work (dc, ch 5, dc) in the next dc. Ch 3, sk the next 2 dc, dc in the top of the tch. Turn. (4 dc, 2 ch-3 sp, 1 ch-5 sp)

Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc). Work 6 dc in the ch-3 sp, 11 tr in the ch-5 sp and 6 dc in the next ch-3 sp. Dc in the 3rd ch of the tch. Turn. (25 sts: 7 dc, 11 tr, 7 dc)

This row makes the two side fans and the middle fan.

Row 4: Sl st in each of the first 7 dc and in the next tr. Ch 1, sc in the same tr. Ch 3, sk 4 tr, then work (dc, ch 5, dc) in the 6th tr. Ch 3, sk 4 tr, sc in the 11th tr. Turn. (2 sc, 2 dc, 2 ch-3 sp, 1 ch-5 sp)

Row 5: Ch 1. Work 3 sc in the ch-3 sp, 9 tr in the ch-5 sp and 3 sc in the next ch-3 sp. Sl st in the last sc of Row 4. (15 sts)

This row makes the top fan. Fasten off.

Brown Arches

Row A: With RS facing, join brown with a sl st at the Row 1 row-end beside the ring.
1. Ch 1 and work 4 sc evenly up the row-ends of Rows 1–2.
2. Sc in the 1st st of Row 3, ch 9, sk 5 sts, sc in the 7th st.
3. Ch 11, sc in the first sc of Row 5.
4. Ch 21, sc in the last sc of Row 5.
5. Ch 11, sc in the 19th st of Row 3.
6. Ch 9, sk 5 sts, sc in the 25th st.
7. Work 4 sc evenly down the row-ends to the ring. Turn.

(14 sc and 5 ch-arches)

Row B: Ch 1, then work:
1. Sc in each of the first 4 sc, then sc in the next sc.
2. 12 sc over the ch-9, then sc in the next sc.
3. 14 sc over the ch-11, then sc in the next sc.
4. 12 sc over the ch-21, ch 4 (this is the top loop), then 12 more sc over the same ch-21. Sc in the next sc.
5. 14 sc over the ch-11, then sc in the next sc.
6. 12 sc over the ch-9, then sc in the next sc.
7. Sc in each of the last 4 sc.

(90 sc + ch-4 top loop)

Check the total: 4 + 6 anchors + 12 + 14 + 24 + 14 + 12 + 4 = 90.

The covered chains stand away from the cream. Together they form the layered brown arcs: one over each side fan, one half-arc on each side of the middle fan, and one big arc over the top fan.

Trefoil drop: Ch 1 and sl st into the center of the ring from the RS. Ch 3, then work 3 picots. Sl st in the base of the first picot. Fasten off, leaving a 6-in (15.2-cm) tail.

Flower Bead (make 196)

With cream, ch 4 and sl st to form a ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, 5 sc in the ring, sl st in the first sc. (5 sc)

Rnd 2: Work (ch 2, dc, ch 2, sl st) in each sc around. (5 petals)

Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Make All Pieces

Piece Quantity Colors
Valance 1 Cream body, brown edging
Fan motifs 23 (15 for A strands, 8 for B strands) Cream and brown
Flower beads 196 (40 for A, 36 for B, 120 for valley strands) Cream
Strands 17 (5 A, 4 B, 8 valley) Brown

Layout grid, left to right (A = point strand A, B = point strand B, v = valley strand; F = fan, : = chain with flowers):

       A  v  B  v  A  v  B  v  A  v  B  v  A  v  B  v  A
L1:    F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F
L2:    :  :  F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F  :  :
L3:    F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F
L4:    :  :  F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F  :  :
L5:    F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F  :  :  :  F

The fan tops sit 4, 12, 20, 28 and 36 in (10.2, 30.5, 50.8, 71.1 and 91.4 cm) below the point tips.

Joining

Complete the Border section below before you hang any strands, because the strands attach to the brown tip loops and valley stitches.

Each strand is a single brown chain. Join brown with a sl st into its anchor and chain downward. To attach a fan, sl st through the fan’s ch-4 top loop and fasten off. To continue below the fan, join brown with a sl st into the center picot of the trefoil drop.

Strand A (from tip loops 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9):
1. Ch 6, flower, ch 7, attach fan. (4 in / 10.2 cm)
2. Ch 9, then [flower, ch 9] 3 times, then attach fan. (11.25 in / 28.6 cm)
3. Rep step 2 once more.
4. Ch 6, flower, then fasten off and sew the tail into the flower. (2.25 in / 5.7 cm)

Length check: 4 + 4.75 + 11.25 + 4.75 + 11.25 + 4.75 + 2.25 = 43 in (109.2 cm).

Strand B (from tip loops 2, 4, 6 and 8):
1. Ch 12, then [flower, ch 9] 3 times, then attach fan. (12 in / 30.5 cm)
2. Ch 9, then [flower, ch 9] 3 times, then attach fan. (11.25 in / 28.6 cm)
3. Ch 14, flower, ch 9, flower, ch 9, flower, then fasten off. (10.25 in / 26.0 cm)

Length check: 12 + 4.75 + 11.25 + 4.75 + 10.25 = 43 in (109.2 cm).

Valley strand (from each valley sc): [Ch 9, flower] 15 times, then fasten off. (45 in / 114.3 cm)

Tension: Keep the chains even and fairly firm. Loose chains grow under the weight of the fans. Measure each strand while it hangs, not while it lies flat.

Size checkpoint: All 17 strands should end on one line, 48 in (121.9 cm) below the top of the valance. The points are 5 in (12.7 cm) deep and the valleys are 3 in (7.6 cm) deep, so 5 + 43 and 3 + 45 both come to 48.

Border

The border uses the same mesh and chain gauges given above.

Top edge (cream): With RS facing, work across the opposite side of the foundation chain. Work 1 sc at the base of each dc and 1 sc in each ch-1 sp. (91 + 90 = 181 sc) This adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm).

Hanging loops (cream): Join cream in sc 1, ch 12, then sl st in the same sc. Fasten off. Rep at sc 21, 41, 61 and so on through sc 181, for 10 loops 4 in (10.2 cm) apart. (180 ÷ 20 = 9 gaps)

Zigzag edging (brown): With RS facing, join brown at the top left corner.

  1. First side: Work 10 sc down the side, 2 sc per row-end of the 5 band rows. Then work 1 sc in the corner dc.
  2. Each point:
  3. First slope: [1 sc in the ch-1 sp, 2 sc around the post of the row-end dc] 4 times. (12 sc)
  4. Tip: sc in the sp, (sc, ch 4, sc) in the center dc, sc in the sp. (4 sc + ch-4 tip loop)
  5. Second slope: [2 sc around the post, 1 sc in the sp] 4 times. (12 sc)
  6. Valley: Between points, work 1 sc in the valley dc.
  7. End: After the last point, work 1 sc in the corner dc and 10 sc up the side.

Count: 10 + 1 + (9 × 28) + 8 + 1 + 10 = 282 sc, plus 9 tip loops.

Why the math works: Each slope covers 4 stepped rows, and each step is one space plus one row-end post. That gives 3 sc per step, so the slopes match and the points stay straight instead of rippling. The single valley sc keeps a sharp V. The edging adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm), so the points measure 5 in (12.7 cm) deep from the top edge.

Final Blocking

  1. Before you join anything, mist the valance, the fans and the flowers until they are damp.
  2. Pin the valance flat at 36 in (91.4 cm) wide. Pin each point tip 5 in (12.7 cm) below the top edge.
  3. Pin each fan at 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide. Spread the side fans so they curl outward, and lift the brown arches so they sit evenly spaced.
  4. Leave everything to dry completely.
  5. After joining, hang the curtain and let it settle for 24 hours.
  6. Re-measure the strands and adjust any that are long by undoing chains above a flower.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

  • [ ] Valance is 36 in (91.4 cm) wide with 9 even points
  • [ ] Edging has 282 sc and 9 tip loops
  • [ ] All 23 fans are 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide with 90 brown sc
  • [ ] All 196 flowers are the same size
  • [ ] Strands are 43 in (109.2 cm) at the points and 45 in (114.3 cm) at the valleys
  • [ ] The fan levels follow the layout grid
  • [ ] All ends are woven in securely

Troubleshooting

  • Fan cups: The tr are too tight. Loosen your yarn-overs or go up a hook size for Row 3 only.
  • Arches ripple: The chains are too long for your gauge. Use ch 8 / 10 / 19 and work 11 / 13 / 11 + 11 sc over them.
  • Points curl: Steam-block them and check that the 12-sc slope count is right.
  • Strands grow: Chain tighter, or work a sl st into the back bump of each chain.
  • Flowers spin: Tack each flower to its chain with one stitch from the yarn tail.

Care

Hand wash in cool water and roll in a towel to remove the water. Lay flat to reshape, and don’t hang the curtain while it is wet.

Ornate beaded curtain with gold shell motifs and burgundy strings hanging in a bright window above a white chair.

Final Notes

The sizes build on each other:
– 5 mesh spaces = 2 in gives a 36-in (91.4-cm) valance and 4-in (10.2-cm) points.
– 4 ch = 1 in sets every strand length.
– The fans measure 4.75 in (12.1 cm) including the drop.
– Strands of 43 + 5 and 45 + 3 both finish at 48 in (121.9 cm).

Check your gauge at the start and the rest of the measurements will follow. Happy crocheting!

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