The Forget-Me-Not Window curtain is an airy lace curtain made from round wheel motifs. Every wheel holds a little bouquet of three soft blue flowers, and the open spokes and diamond gaps let daylight pour through.
The palette is just two colors: warm cream for the lace and a light, chalky blue for the flowers. The effect is cottage-style, fresh and calm, and it looks equally good on a kitchen window or a bedroom door.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. Each finished panel measures 26 x 98 in (66.0 x 248.9 cm) after blocking, and the pattern makes two panels.
Construction is simple to follow. You crochet each cream motif in five rounds, joining it to its neighbors as you go on the last round. Then you sew a trio of small blue flowers into each center. Finally you add a three-round border that squares off the round motifs into a straight rectangle.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size (each panel): 26 x 98 in (66.0 x 248.9 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK (weight 3) mercerized cotton
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 128 motifs (64 per panel) and 384 flowers
- Layout: 4 motifs wide x 16 motifs tall per panel
- Motif size: 6 in (15.2 cm) across, trefoil tip to trefoil tip
- Size before border: 24 x 96 in (61.0 x 243.8 cm)
- Border depth: 1 in (2.5 cm) on every side
Materials
Choose a smooth mercerized cotton or cotton blend in DK weight, about 105 m per 50 g. Cotton keeps its shape when hanging, holds stitch definition, and washes well. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy yarns, which make long lace panels sag.
- Cream (lace, flower centers, border): 1,200 g, about 2,520 m
- Light blue (flowers): 350 g, about 735 m
These quantities include a margin of roughly 10% for gauge swatches, joins, and tails.
Tools:
- 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 4 locking stitch markers
- Rust-proof pins and a large blocking surface (foam mats or a bed covered with towels)
- Measuring tape
- 16 curtain clip rings (8 per panel) and a curtain rod
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- dtr – double treble crochet (yo 3 times)
- dtr2tog – double treble two together
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
Trefoil (tf): Ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook; ch 4, sl st in same ch; ch 3, sl st in same ch. This makes three small loops. The middle ch-4 loop is used for joining and for the border.
Joining trefoil (jtf): Ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook; ch 2, sl st in the center ch-4 loop of the neighbor’s trefoil, ch 2, sl st in same ch of your own trefoil; ch 3, sl st in same ch. The ch 2 + sl st + ch 2 replaces the ch 4, so the stitch count does not change.
Picot: Ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook.
Trefoil numbering: On Round 5, the first trefoil you make is tf 1 and sits at the top of the motif. Counting counterclockwise with the right side facing, tf 4 is at the left, tf 7 at the bottom, and tf 10 at the right. These four are the join points.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 20 sc and 22 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). Chain gauge: 7 ch = 1.5 in (3.8 cm), lightly stretched.
Make one complete motif and block it before you start the full project. Check it at each stage:
- After Round 2 (inner ring): 3 in (7.6 cm) outer diameter
- After Round 4 (outer ring): 5 in (12.7 cm) diameter
- After Round 5: 6 in (15.2 cm) from trefoil tip to opposite trefoil tip
Too big? Go down to a 3.25 mm hook. Too small? Go up to a 3.75 mm hook. Even 1/8 in (0.3 cm) of extra width per motif adds 1/2 in (1.3 cm) across a panel and 2 in (5.1 cm) along its length, so it pays to check carefully.
Cream Motif
With cream.
Round 1: Ch 48, sl st in first ch to form a ring (make sure the chain isn’t twisted). Ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st in first sc. (48 sc)
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st in first sc. (48 sc)
This solid two-round band is the inner ring. Its center stays open until the flowers are sewn in.
Round 3 (spokes): Ch 5 (counts as dtr), ch 5, sk 3 sc, *dtr in next sc, ch 5, sk 3 sc; repeat from * 10 more times, sl st in 5th ch of beginning ch. (12 dtr, 12 ch-5 sps)
The dtr spokes fan outward and form 12 trapezoid windows.
Round 4 (outer ring): Ch 1, sc in same st, 6 sc in next ch-5 sp, *sc in next dtr, 6 sc in next ch-5 sp; repeat from * 10 more times, sl st in first sc. (12 sc in the dtr + 72 sc in the spaces = 84 sc)
Round 5 (trefoils): Ch 1, (sc, tf, sc) in first sc, sc in next 6 sc, *(sc, tf, sc) in next sc, sc in next 6 sc; repeat from * 10 more times, sl st in first sc. Fasten off. (84 sc worked 1 per st + 12 extra sc = 96 sc, plus 12 trefoils)
Each trefoil sits directly above a spoke. For the very first motif, all trefoils are plain. For every later motif, replace the needed trefoils with joining trefoils (see Joining).
Blue Flowers (make 3 per motif)
With light blue.
Round 1: Make a magic ring, ch 1, 5 sc in ring, sl st in first sc. (5 sc) Pull the ring tight.
Round 2: *(Sl st, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 2, sl st) in next sc; repeat from * 4 more times. Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. (5 petals, 15 dc total)
Center: With cream, make a French knot in the center (wrap the needle 3 times).
The flower should measure 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.
Assembling the trio: Lay three flowers in a triangle, one on top and two below, with petals touching. Whipstitch them together where the petals meet, then tack the center point where all three touch.
Make All Pieces
For both panels:
- Cream: 128 motifs (64 per panel)
- Light blue: 384 flowers (192 per panel), assembled into 128 trios
Layout for one panel (M = motif, joined in this order, row by row):
Row 1: M M M M
Row 2: M M M M
Row 3: M M M M
... (repeat)
Row 15: M M M M
Row 16: M M M M
Row 1 is the top edge where the clip rings will attach.
Joining
Join motifs as you go on Round 5, working one tip-to-tip connection per shared side.
- Row 1, motif 1: Work all 12 trefoils plain.
- Row 1, motifs 2–4: Work tf 4 as a joining trefoil into tf 10 of the motif on the left.
- Rows 2–16, first motif: Work tf 1 as a joining trefoil into tf 7 of the motif above.
- Rows 2–16, motifs 2–4: Join tf 1 to tf 7 of the motif above and tf 4 to tf 10 of the motif on the left.
Only the four side points join. The diagonal trefoils (tf 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12) stay free and decorate the open diamond gaps between every four motifs.
Tension: Keep the ch 2 on each side of the joining sl st the same size as your usual chains. Tight joins pull the motifs out of round; loose joins let the panel droop.
Sewing the flowers: With the panel flat and right side up, place one trio in each inner ring with the top flower pointing toward tf 1. Tack each outer petal tip to the inner ring with 2–3 small stitches, keeping stitches hidden on the wrong side.
Size checkpoint: The joined panel should measure 24 in (61.0 cm) wide. After 8 rows, it should be 48 in (121.9 cm) long, and after all 16 rows, 96 in (243.8 cm).
Border
Border gauge: Each motif contributes 32 sts per side on Round 1, spread over 6 in (15.2 cm), or about 5.3 sts per inch. That is close to your sc gauge of 5 sts per inch, so the edge lies flat without ruffling.
Each motif uses its own three outer trefoils on each edge:
- Top edge: tf 12, tf 1, tf 2
- Left edge: tf 3, tf 4, tf 5
- Bottom edge: tf 6, tf 7, tf 8
- Right edge: tf 9, tf 10, tf 11
Corner motifs use all 12 trefoils, with no overlap. Every stitch goes into the center ch-4 loop of a trefoil.
Round 1 (straightening round): With right side facing, join cream with a standing sc in tf 12 of the top-right motif. Working right to left along the top:
*Ch 7, sc in tf 1, ch 7, sc in tf 2, ch 7, dtr2tog working the first leg in tf 3 of this motif and the second leg in tf 11 of the next motif; ch 7, sc in tf 12 of that motif; repeat from * across. At the last motif, end with sc in tf 2, ch 7, ch 1 and mark it (corner ch).
Work the left, bottom, and right edges in the same way. Use the trefoils listed above, with dtr2tog over the two valley trefoils between motifs:
- Left edge: valleys are tf 6 of the upper motif and tf 2 of the motif below.
- Bottom edge: valleys are tf 9 of this motif and tf 5 of the next motif.
- Right edge: valleys are tf 12 of the lower motif and tf 8 of the motif above.
Mark a corner ch at each corner. After the final corner ch, ch 7 and sl st in the first sc.
Count per motif per side: 7 + 1 + 7 + 1 + 7 + 1 + 7 = 31 sts, plus 1 junction (dtr2tog or corner ch) = 32 sts.
- Short sides: 4 x 32 = 128 sts each
- Long sides: 16 x 32 = 512 sts each
- Total: 1,280 sts, including 4 corner ch
Round 2: Ch 2 (does not count), hdc in same sc and in each ch and st around, working (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in each corner ch. Sl st in first hdc.
- Between corner ch-2 sps: short sides 127 + 2 = 129 hdc; long sides 511 + 2 = 513 hdc
- Total: 1,284 hdc and 4 corner ch-2 sps
Round 3 (picot edge): Ch 1, sc in first hdc, (picot, sc in next 4 hdc) 30 times. In the corner sp: (sc, tf, sc).
- Left side: sc in next hdc, (picot, sc in next 4 hdc) 128 times, then (sc, tf, sc) in corner sp.
- Bottom: sc in next hdc, (picot, sc in next 4 hdc) 32 times, then (sc, tf, sc) in corner sp.
- Right side: sc in next hdc, (picot, sc in next 4 hdc) 128 times, then (sc, tf, sc) in corner sp.
- To finish: sc in next hdc, picot, sc in next 4 hdc, picot, sc in next 3 hdc, sl st in first sc. Fasten off.
Why the math works: Each side has 4n + 1 hdc (129 = 4 x 32 + 1 and 513 = 4 x 128 + 1). That gives exactly 8 picots per motif: 32 on each short side and 128 on each long side. The round started 8 sts into the top side, so 30 + 2 = 32 picots there. Round 3 totals 1,292 sc, 320 picots, and 4 corner trefoils.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends securely, splitting the yarn for extra hold on cotton.
- Soak the panel in cool water for 15 minutes, then press out the water. Don’t wring it.
- Roll it in towels to remove excess moisture.
- Lay it flat and pin the four corners to 26 x 98 in (66.0 x 248.9 cm).
- Pin along the straight border every 3 in (7.6 cm), keeping the edges straight.
- Pin each motif’s trefoil points so every wheel is round and 6 in (15.2 cm) across.
- Open each picot and diamond gap with a pin.
- Let it dry completely, usually 24–48 hours. Repeat for the second panel.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each motif has 12 spokes, 84 sc in the outer ring, and 12 trefoils.
- Each motif is joined only at tf 1, 4, 7, and 10.
- Every trio is oriented with the top flower toward tf 1.
- Each panel is exactly 4 x 16 motifs.
- Border Round 1 counts are 128 and 512 per side.
- Each short side has 32 picots and each long side has 128.
- The panel measures 26 x 98 in (66.0 x 248.9 cm) when blocked.
- Both panels are the same length within 1/2 in (1.3 cm).
Troubleshooting
- Motif cups: Your dtr spokes are too short. Pull up each loop fully, or check that Round 4 has 6 sc (not 7) per space.
- Motif ruffles: You have too many sc in Round 4. Recount to 84.
- Border waves: Your chains are too loose. Work the ch 7 spans a little firmer.
- Border pulls in: Your chains are too tight. Go up one hook size for Round 1 only.
- Flowers sit crooked: Re-tack the trio at the center point first, then the petal tips.
- Panel too long: Cotton grows when it hangs. Block it slightly narrower, or remove the last row before the border.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild detergent and dry flat, reshaping the motifs while damp. Avoid hanging the curtain to dry while it’s wet, since the weight will stretch it.
Final Notes
The measurements build in a simple chain. A 3 in (7.6 cm) inner ring grows to a 5 in (12.7 cm) outer ring and a 6 in (15.2 cm) motif. Joined 4 x 16, the motifs make a 24 x 96 in (61.0 x 243.8 cm) panel. A 1 in (2.5 cm) border brings it to 26 x 98 in (66.0 x 248.9 cm). Check each link in that chain, and your curtains will hang straight and true.
Clip 8 rings along each top border, two per motif above tf 2 and tf 12, so they sit evenly every 3 in (7.6 cm). Then enjoy the light coming through your blue flowers. Happy crocheting!