This curtain gives a window soft color and filtered light. A lacy teal header with deep fan scallops holds twenty-one hanging strands. Ten strands carry peacock feathers, and eleven carry small round beads and leaves.
The colors are navy, light turquoise, mustard gold, deep teal, emerald green, and olive. Each feather is a solid teardrop eye with lacy chain-loop barbs below it. The look is bohemian but tidy.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain is 40.7 in (103.4 cm) wide and 49.5 in (125.7 cm) long, measured from the top of the header to the feather tips.
You will make four kinds of pieces: one header, 30 feathers, 107 circles, and 66 leaves. Chain cords join the small pieces into strands. Then you add a border to the header and sew the strands to the scallops.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 40.7 x 49.5 in (103.4 x 125.7 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: DK (3), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
- Number of pieces: 204 (1 header, 30 feathers, 107 circles, 66 leaves)
- Layout: 21 strands, alternating bead strands and feather strands, with a bead strand at each end
- Piece sizes: feather 3 x 5 in (7.6 x 12.7 cm); circle 1 in (2.5 cm) across; leaf 2 x 0.75 in (5.1 x 1.9 cm)
- Header before border: 40.2 x 2.75 in (102.1 x 7.0 cm)
- Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm) on the top and sides; 1.5 in (3.8 cm) on the bottom, including the scallops
Materials
Use a smooth DK-weight mercerized cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds the feather shape and doesn’t stretch much when it hangs. The amounts below assume about 115 m per 50 g, and they include a margin of about 15%.
- A, Navy: 30 g / 69 m
- B, Light Turquoise: 10 g / 23 m
- C, Mustard Gold: 40 g / 92 m
- D, Deep Teal: 260 g / 598 m
- E, Emerald Green: 300 g / 690 m
- F, Olive Green: 55 g / 127 m
Tools: 4.0 mm hook, tapestry needle, stitch markers, rust-proof pins, blocking mats, spray bottle, measuring tape, 11 clip curtain rings, and a curtain rod.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
ch = chain; sl st = slip stitch; sc = single crochet; hdc = half double crochet; dc = double crochet; tr = treble crochet; sk = skip; sp = space; st(s) = stitch(es); RS = right side.
Picot: Ch 3, then sl st in the 3rd ch from the hook.
Point: Work (sc, ch 2, sc) in the ch-2 sp at the tip of a shape.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Header gauge: 18 sts and 9 rows of dc = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Chain gauge: 5 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Make one feather before anything else, and check it at each stage:
- After Rnd 1: 0.75 x 1.25 in (1.9 x 3.2 cm)
- After Rnd 2: 1.5 x 2 in (3.8 x 5.1 cm)
- After Rnd 4: 2.75 x 3 in (7.0 x 7.6 cm), measured from the point to the base
- Finished feather with fringe: 3 x 5 in (7.6 x 12.7 cm)
If the feather is too big, go down to a 3.75 mm hook. If it’s too small, go up to a 4.5 mm hook. Also check your chains: 35 ch, lying flat and unstretched, should measure 7 in (17.8 cm).
Feather (make 30)
Rnd 1 (A): Ch 4. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, hdc in the next ch, and 7 dc in the last ch. Now work along the other side of the chain: hdc in the next ch, sc in the next ch, ch 2 (this ch-2 is the point), and sl st to the first sc. (11 sts + ch-2 point) Fasten off. The 7 dc make the rounded base, and the ch-2 makes the pointed top.
Rnd 2 (C): Join in the ch-2 point. Work a point in the ch-2 sp. Sc in the next sc, hdc in the next hdc, 2 dc in each of the next 7 dc, hdc in the next hdc, sc in the next sc, and sl st to the first sc. (20 sts + point sp) Fasten off.
Rnd 3 (D): Join in the ch-2 point. Work a point in the ch-2 sp. Sc in the next 3 sts, hdc in the next 2 sts, [dc in the next st, 2 dc in the next st] 5 times, hdc in the next 2 sts, sc in the next 3 sts, and sl st to the first sc. (27 sts + point sp) Fasten off.
Rnd 4 (E): Join in the ch-2 point. Work a point in the ch-2 sp. Sc in the next 4 sts, hdc in the next 3 sts, [dc in the next st, 2 dc in the next st] 6 times, dc in the next st, hdc in the next 3 sts, sc in the next 4 sts, and sl st to the first sc. (35 sts + point sp: 2 point sc, 4 sc, 3 hdc, 19 dc, 3 hdc, 4 sc) Don’t fasten off.
Fringe (E): You’ll work the fringe in rows across the 25 base sts (3 hdc, 19 dc, 3 hdc).
- Setup: Sl st in the ch-2 sp, then sl st in each of the next 5 sts.
- Row 1: Ch 1, sc in the next hdc, [ch 5, sk 1 st, sc in the next st] 12 times. (12 ch-5 loops, 13 sc) Turn.
- Row 2: Sl st in the first 3 ch, ch 1, sc in the same loop, [ch 6, sc in the next loop] 11 times. (11 loops) Turn.
- Row 3: Sl st in the first 3 ch, ch 1, sc in the same loop, [ch 7, sc in the next loop] 10 times. (10 loops) Turn.
- Row 4: Sl st in the first 3 ch, ch 1, sc in the same loop, [ch 8, sc in the next loop] 9 times. (9 loops) Fasten off.
Each row has one fewer loop than the last, and each loop is longer. That makes the layered barbs taper to a point 2 in (5.1 cm) below the eye.
Spine (E): Join in the 7th (center) sc of Row 1. Ch 12, then sl st in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch back to the start. (11 sl st, 2.2 in / 5.6 cm) Fasten off. Lay the spine down the center of the fringe, then sew it to the center sc of Row 3 and the 5th loop of Row 4. The free end of the spine is the spine tip.
Eye dot (B): Satin-stitch a dot 0.4 in (1.0 cm) wide at the base of the navy eye.
Circle (make 107: 74 in D, 33 in F)
Rnd 1: Make a magic ring and work 8 sc into it. Sl st to the first sc. (8 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st, sl st to the first sc. (16 sts) Fasten off.
Mark st 1 as the top. St 9 is the bottom. The circle should measure 1 in (2.5 cm) across.
Leaf (make 66 in E)
Rnd 1: Ch 11. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, hdc in the next ch, dc in the next 6 ch, hdc in the next ch. Work (sc, ch 2, sc) in the last ch; this is point A. Now work along the other side of the chain: hdc in the next ch, dc in the next 6 ch, hdc in the next ch, sc in the next ch, ch 2, and sl st to the first sc; this ch-2 is point B. (20 sts + 2 ch-2 points) Fasten off.
Vein (F): Surface slip stitch a line down the center of the leaf from point A to point B.
Make All Pieces
| Piece | Color | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Header | D | 1 |
| Feathers | A, B, C, D, E | 30 |
| Circles | D | 74 (30 for feather strands, 44 for bead strands) |
| Circles | F | 33 (bead strands only) |
| Leaves | E, with F vein | 66 |
Strand layout (B = bead strand, F = feather strand):
B F B F B F B F B F B F B F B F B F B F B
Header (make 1, in D)
- Row 1: Ch 182. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (181 sc) Turn.
- Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as a dc), dc in each st across. (181 sts) Turn.
- Row 3: Ch 4 (counts as a dc + ch 1), sk the next st, dc in the next st, [ch 1, sk 1, dc in the next st] across. (91 dc + 90 ch-1 sps = 181) Turn.
- Row 4: Ch 3, dc in each dc and each ch-1 sp across. (181 sts) Turn.
- Rows 5–6: Repeat Rows 3–4.
- Row 7: Ch 1, sc in each st across. (181 sc) Fasten off.
Checkpoint: The header should measure 40.2 x 2.75 in (102.1 x 7.0 cm). Row 1 is the top edge.
Joining
Each strand is one chain cord in D, worked from the bottom up. The cord slip stitches through the edge of each piece as it passes, so you don’t have to sew any of the small pieces on.
To pass a circle: Sl st in st 9, then sl st in each of the next 8 sts to reach st 1, and keep chaining.
To pass a leaf: Sl st in the ch-2 sp at point A, sl st in each of the next 10 sts, sl st in the ch-2 sp at point B, and keep chaining.
Feather strand (make 10):
- Join D in the ch-2 point of a feather. Ch 10, pass a D circle, then ch 35. Sl st in the spine tip of a second feather. Fasten off.
- Join D in the second feather’s ch-2 point. Ch 10, pass a D circle, then ch 35. Sl st in the spine tip of a third feather. Fasten off.
- Join D in the third feather’s ch-2 point. Ch 10, pass a D circle, then ch 35. Fasten off, leaving an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail.
Each section measures 7 + 1 + 2 + 5 = 15 in (38.1 cm), so the strand is 45 in (114.3 cm) long.
Bead strand (make 11): Join D in st 1 of a D circle.
- Ch 10, pass a leaf, ch 10, pass a circle. Repeat from * to * 6 times. For the circles, use F, D, F, D, F, D, in that order.
- Ch 16, then fasten off, leaving an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail.
Each bead strand has 7 circles and 6 leaves, and measures 46.2 in (117.3 cm).
Tension: Chain evenly and loosely, and don’t pull the traveling slip stitches tight. Tight cords curl, and loose cords sag.
Checkpoint: Hang all the strands from one hook. The feather strands should be 45 in (114.3 cm) and the bead strands 46.2 in (117.3 cm). If a strand is off by more than 0.25 in (0.6 cm), redo its 35-ch cord (on a feather strand) or its 16-ch cord (on a bead strand).
Border
The border uses the same gauge as the header: 18 sts = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Rnd 1 (D): With the RS facing, join in the first st of Row 7.
- Bottom edge: Sc in each st across. (181 sc) Ch 1 for the corner.
- Side: Work 1 sc in the end of each sc row and 2 sc in the end of each dc or mesh row. (12 sc) Ch 1 for the corner.
- Top edge: Sc in each free loop of the foundation chain. (181 sc) Ch 1 for the corner.
- Second side: Work as for the first side. (12 sc) Ch 1 for the corner, then sl st to the first sc.
(386 sc + 4 ch-1 corner sps) Fasten off.
Each 181-st count already includes the stitch at each end of its edge. The 12-st sides are row-end stitches only, so no stitch is counted twice.
Row 2, fans (D): Join in the first sc of the bottom edge and sc in the same st.
- Sk 8 sts. In the next st, work (tr, ch 2) 8 times, then tr once more. Sk 8 sts, sc in the next st.
- Repeat from * to * 10 times.
(10 fans of 9 tr + 8 ch-2 sps; 11 sc) Fasten off.
Row 3, picots (D): Join in the first sc. Ch 1, sc in the same st.
- Sc in the next tr, [(sc, picot, sc) in the next ch-2 sp, sc in the next tr] 8 times, sc in the next sc.
- Repeat from * to * 10 times.
(25 sc per fan, so 250 sc, plus 11 junction sc = 261 sc; 80 picots) Fasten off.
Why the math works: 181 = (10 x 18) + 1. Each fan uses exactly 18 sts (8 skipped + 1 fan st + 8 skipped + 1 sc), and the extra stitch is the first sc. Eighteen stitches is 4 in (10.2 cm) at gauge, so the scallops are 4 in (10.2 cm) apart. The border adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm) to each side, which brings the width from 40.2 in (102.1 cm) to 40.7 in (103.4 cm).
Hang the strands: Sew each feather strand’s tail to the 13th sc of a fan (the sc over the center tr). Sew each bead strand’s tail to a junction sc. The junctions sit 1.25 in (3.2 cm) higher than the fan centers. The bead strands’ longer 16-ch top cords make up that difference, so all the strands end level.
Final Blocking
- Before you assemble the strands, mist each feather and pin it to 3 x 5 in (7.6 x 12.7 cm). Fan out the fringe loops and pin the spine tip.
- Pin the header to 40.7 x 4.5 in (103.4 x 11.4 cm), opening each fan and pinning each picot.
- Mist evenly and let everything dry completely.
- Hang the curtain, mist the strands lightly, and leave it overnight so the cords straighten.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] The header measures 40.7 x 4.5 in (103.4 x 11.4 cm).
- [ ] The 10 fans are each 4 in (10.2 cm) wide.
- [ ] The feathers are 3 x 5 in (7.6 x 12.7 cm), with the point up and the fringe tip down.
- [ ] Every eye has its turquoise dot.
- [ ] The circle colors alternate on each bead strand, with D at both ends.
- [ ] All the strands hang level, 49.5 in (125.7 cm) below the top edge.
- [ ] All the yarn ends are woven in.
Troubleshooting
- The eye cups or ruffles: Change hook size by 0.25 mm and redo Rnds 3–4.
- The fringe flares too wide: Make each loop in Rows 3–4 one chain shorter.
- The scallops ruffle: Check that you skipped exactly 8 sts on each side of every fan.
- The strands twist: Steam them while they hang, or retwist the cords before you sew them on.
- The header is too narrow: Block it wider, or remake it with a larger hook.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with a mild soap. Press out the water in a towel, dry flat, and then rehang the curtain.
Final Notes
Two gauges control every measurement. The 18 sts = 4 in (10.2 cm) header gauge gives a header 40.2 in (102.1 cm) wide, which grows to 40.7 in (103.4 cm) with the border. The 5 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm) chain gauge gives feather sections of 15 in (38.1 cm) and strands of 45 in (114.3 cm). Check one feather first, then the header, then one strand, and the curtain will finish at 40.7 x 49.5 in (103.4 x 125.7 cm). Happy crocheting!