The Frosted Pane Valance Curtain is a winter window piece. It has a lace band across the top and a fringe of snowflakes and diamonds below. Seven flower motifs make up the band, a soft wavy border frames it, and cream cords carry the hanging motifs down the glass.
The palette has two colors. Cream is used for the motifs, tabs, snowflakes, and cords. Light blue is used for the border and the lacy diamonds. The look is crisp and wintry, and light passes through every part.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished band measures 29 in (73.7 cm) wide by 5.5 in (14.0 cm) tall at the wave peaks. The cords hang 22 in (55.9 cm) below the band.
How it’s built: make 7 square motifs, join them in one row, and add a 3-round wave border. Then sew on 7 tabs and attach 13 cords carrying 11 snowflakes and 10 diamonds.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished band size: 29 in (73.7 cm) x 5.5 in (14.0 cm) at the peaks
- Cord drop: 22 in (55.9 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Sport weight (#2) mercerized cotton
- Hook: 3.0 mm
- Number of pieces: 7 band motifs, 7 tabs, 11 snowflakes, 10 diamonds, 13 cords
- Layout: 7 motifs in 1 row (7 x 1)
- Motif size: 4 in (10.2 cm) square
- Size before border: 28 in (71.1 cm) x 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Border depth: 0.5 in (1.3 cm) at the short ends, 0.75 in (1.9 cm) at the wave peaks
Materials
Use a smooth mercerized cotton, about 150 m per 50 g. Cotton holds the lace shape, takes starch well, and won’t stretch out on a rod.
- Cream (Color A): 200 g, about 600 m
- Light blue (Color B): 100 g, about 300 m
These quantities include a margin for a gauge swatch and small differences in tension.
Tools: 3.0 mm hook, tapestry needle, stitch markers, rust-proof pins, blocking mat, spray starch, measuring tape, scissors.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- rev sc – reverse single crochet (crab stitch)
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- BLO – back loop only
Special stitches:
- Rev sc: Work from left to right. Insert the hook into the next st to the right, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, and pull through both loops. This makes the corded blue edge.
- 5-dc bobble: (Yarn over, insert hook, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through 2 loops) 5 times in the same st, then yarn over and pull through all 6 loops.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 25 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm) with a 3.0 mm hook, which is 6.25 sts per inch.
Make one band motif first and steam it lightly. Then measure it at each stage:
- After Rnd 3: the flower is about 2 in (5.1 cm) across.
- After Rnd 5: about 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
- After Rnd 6: about 3.75 in (9.5 cm).
- After Rnd 7: 4 in (10.2 cm) square.
If the motif is too big, use a 2.75 mm hook. If it’s too small, use a 3.25 mm hook. An error of 0.25 in (0.6 cm) per motif becomes 1.75 in (4.4 cm) across the band.
Band Motif (Make 7, Color A)
Rnd 1: Magic ring, ch 1, 12 sc in ring, sl st to first sc. (12 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in first st, *ch 4, sk 1, sc in next st; rep from * 4 more times, ch 4, sk 1, sl st to first sc. (6 sc, 6 ch-4 sps)
Rnd 3 (petals): Sl st into first ch-4 sp. In each ch-4 sp work (sc, hdc, 2 dc, tr, 2 dc, hdc, sc). Sl st to first sc. (6 petals x 9 sts = 54 sts)
The tr at each petal’s center makes the pointed tip.
Rnd 4 (lace loops): Sl st up to the first tr. Ch 1, sc in tr, *ch 5, sc around the post of the next Rnd 2 sc from behind, ch 5, sc in tr of next petal; rep from * around. On the last repeat, after the ch 5 that follows the post sc, sl st to first sc instead. (12 sc, 12 ch-5 loops)
Rnd 5 (squaring): Sl st into first loop. Ch 3 (counts as dc), (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same loop, ch 2, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop, ch 2*, (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next loop; rep from * twice more, then rep from * to ** once, sl st to top of ch-3. (24 dc, 4 corners)
Each side uses 3 loops, so 4 sides use all 12 loops.
Rnd 6: Sl st to corner sp. Ch 3, (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same sp, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in ch-2 sp, dc in sc, 5 dc in ch-5 sp, dc in sc, 2 dc in ch-2 sp, dc in next 3 dc*, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in corner sp; rep from * twice more, then rep from * to ** once, sl st to top of ch-3. (84 dc, 4 corner ch-2 sps)
Each side has 17 dc plus 2 dc from each corner group, for 21 dc.
Rnd 7 (trim): Ch 1, sc in each dc around, working 3 sc in each corner sp, sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (84 sc worked 1-per-dc + 12 corner sc = 96 sc)
The middle sc of each corner group is the corner st. Each side has 25 sts, including both corner sts. Check: 4 x 25 = 100, minus 4 shared corners = 96.
Make All Pieces
- Color A: 7 band motifs, 7 tabs, 11 snowflakes, 13 cords
- Color B: 10 diamonds, plus the border
Band layout (front view):
[M1][M2][M3][M4][M5][M6][M7]
Joining
Use Color A. Hold two motifs right sides together, corner st to corner st. Working through the BLO of both layers, sl st across all 25 sts. That is one sl st per matched pair, with no extra chains.
Join M1 to M2, then M2 to M3, and so on. Keep the sl sts loose enough to match the motif edge. If a seam puckers, go up one hook size for joining.
Checkpoint: The band lies flat at 28 in (71.1 cm) x 4 in (10.2 cm).
Border (Color B)
The border gauge matches the motifs: 6.25 sts per inch.
Starting counts: Each long side has 7 motifs x 25 sts = 175 sts, including corners. At each seam, both motif corner sts are worked, so nothing is added. Each short side has 1 x 25 = 25 sts. The perimeter has 175 + 175 + 25 + 25 − 4 shared corners = 396 sts.
Rnd 1: Join in any outer corner st. Ch 1, sc in each st around, working 3 sc in each of the 4 outer corner sts, sl st to first sc. (396 sc worked 1-per-st + 8 extra = 404 sc)
Counting corners, the long sides now have 177 sts and the short sides 27.
Rnd 2 (wave): Ch 1. Work 3 sc in each corner st. Work the 175 sts between corners on each long side as 7 repeats:
Wave repeat (over 25 sts): sc in next 4, hdc in next 3, dc in next 3, tr in next 2, 2 tr in next st, tr in next 2, dc in next 3, hdc in next 3, sc in next 4. (26 sts)
On each short side, sc in each of the 25 sts between corners. Sl st to first sc. (404 sts worked 1-per-st + 14 extra tr + 8 extra corner sc = 426 sts)
Why the math works: each wave covers exactly 25 sts, one motif width. The peak sits above and below each flower center, and the low points fall at the seams.
Rnd 3 (corded edge): Do not turn. Ch 1, rev sc in each st, working 3 rev sc in each corner st, sl st to first st. Fasten off. (426 sts worked 1-per-st + 8 extra = 434 sts)
Checkpoint: 29 in (73.7 cm) wide, 5.5 in (14.0 cm) tall at the peaks.
Tabs (Make 7, Color A)
Ch 8.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across, turn. (7 sc)
Row 2 (mesh): Ch 3 (counts as dc), *ch 1, sk 1, dc in next st; rep from * across, turn. (4 dc + 3 ch-1 sps = 7 sts)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each dc and ch-1 sp, turn. (7 sc)
Rows 4–18: Rep Rows 2–3, ending with a Row 2 mesh row. Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail.
Each tab is 1.1 in (2.8 cm) wide x 5 in (12.7 cm) long. Fold it into a 2.5 in (6.4 cm) loop and sew both ends to the back of the top border, centered over a wave peak.
Snowflakes (Make 11, Color A)
Rnd 1: Magic ring, ch 3 (counts as dc), 11 dc in ring, sl st to top of ch-3. (12 dc)
Rnd 2 (arms): Ch 1, *sc in next 2 dc, ch 9, sl st in 4th ch from hook, [ch 3, sl st in same ch] twice (3 tip loops), sl st in next 2 ch, [ch 3, sl st in same ch] twice (2 side picots), sl st in next 3 ch; rep from * 5 more times, sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (6 arms, 12 sc)
Each arm uses all 9 chains. The snowflake measures about 3 in (7.6 cm) across.
Diamonds (Make 10, Color B)
Rnd 1: Magic ring, ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), (dc, ch 1) 7 times, sl st to 3rd ch of ch-4. (8 dc, 8 ch-1 sps)
Rnd 2: Sl st into first sp. Ch 3, (dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in same sp, ch 2, sc in next sp, ch 2*, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next sp; rep from * twice more, then rep from * to ** once, sl st to top of ch-3. (16 dc, 4 sc)
Rnd 3: Sl st to corner sp. Ch 3, (dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in same sp, dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in ch-2 sp, ch 1, sk sc, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, dc in next 2 dc*, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in corner sp; rep from * twice more, then rep from * to ** once, sl st to top of ch-3. (48 dc, 12 per side including corner dc; 4 ch-1 sps)
The skipped sc leaves the open windows that give the lacy look.
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in each dc and ch-1 sp, 3 sc in each corner sp, sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (48 + 4 + 12 = 64 sc)
Each diamond is 2.25 in (5.7 cm) per side, or 3.2 in (8.1 cm) tall hung on point.
Cords (Make 13, Color A)
Ch 110. Sl st in the back bump of the 2nd ch from hook and each ch across. (109 sl sts) The cord measures about 22 in (55.9 cm). Leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail.
On each of the 6 plain cords, work a 5-dc bobble into the last st at the free end, then fasten off.
Assembly
Sew the 7 motif cords to the back of the bottom border, one under each wave peak. Sew the 6 plain cords at the low points, under the seams.
Number the motif cords 1–7 from the left. Sew the motifs on with their centers 4 in (10.2 cm), 11 in (27.9 cm), and 18 in (45.7 cm) below the band:
- Cords 1, 3, 5, 7: snowflake, diamond, snowflake
- Cords 2, 4, 6: diamond, snowflake, diamond
Stitch each diamond to the cord at both its top and bottom corners.
Final Blocking
- Soak all pieces in cool water for 10 minutes. Press them in a towel; don’t wring.
- Pin the band to 29 in (73.7 cm) wide and 4 in (10.2 cm) tall at the short ends.
- Shape each wave peak to 5.5 in (14.0 cm) total height.
- Open the lace loops with a pin tip.
- Pin the snowflakes to 3 in (7.6 cm), pinning out every tip loop and picot.
- Pin the diamonds to 2.25 in (5.7 cm) squares.
- Starch the small motifs firmly and the band lightly.
- Let everything dry for 24 hours before assembly.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each motif is 4 in (10.2 cm) square with 25 sts per side.
- Seams are flat and meet corner to corner.
- Border Rnd 2 has 426 sts, with one wave per motif.
- The wave peaks line up with the flower centers.
- The tabs are even and the same length.
- All 13 cords hang 22 in (55.9 cm).
- Snowflakes and diamonds alternate in a checkerboard.
- All ends are woven in.
Troubleshooting
Border ruffles: Use a 2.75 mm hook for the border.
Waves look flat: Check that each repeat has the 2-tr increase, and pin the peaks firmly.
Waves miss the flowers: Recount the long side. You need exactly 175 sts between corners.
Snowflake arms curl: Starch more heavily and pin each loop.
Cords twist: Spritz the hanging cords with water and let them dry straight.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and dry flat. Re-starch the snowflakes and diamonds after washing.
Final Notes
Here is how the measurements build: 25 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm), so each motif is 4 in (10.2 cm) square with 25 sts per side. Seven motifs give a 28 in (71.1 cm) band with 175 sts per long side. The border adds 0.5 in (1.3 cm) at each end, for 29 in (73.7 cm) wide and 5.5 in (14.0 cm) at the peaks. Each wave covers one motif, and the 22 in (55.9 cm) cords finish the drop.
Happy crocheting!