This curtain is made of 8 hanging cords. Puffy snowflakes and small cream stars alternate down each cord. Hung in a window, it looks like snow falling past the glass, and the strands still let in plenty of light.
The palette is soft and wintry: powder blue, dusty blue-gray and cream. Half the strands use light blue cords and snowflakes, and the other half use blue-gray. All the stars are cream, so they show up well against both blues. The pattern uses US crochet terms throughout.
Each strand hangs 54 in (137.2 cm) from the top of the rod. That is a 4 in (10.2 cm) hanging loop plus a 50 in (127.0 cm) drop. With 8 strands spaced 4.5 in (11.4 cm) apart, the curtain is about 35.5 in (90.2 cm) wide, so it fits a window about 36 in (91.4 cm) wide.
Construction is simple. You crochet the snowflakes and stars separately, chain each cord with the yarn held double, sew the motifs to the cord at marked positions, and finish the top with a hanging loop.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 35.5 in (90.2 cm) wide × 54 in (137.2 cm) long, measured from the top of the rod
- Skill level: Easy+
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hooks: 4.0 mm (G-6) for the motifs; 6.0 mm (J-10) for the cords
- Number of pieces: 72 (8 cords, 32 snowflakes, 32 stars)
- Layout: 8 strands side by side; each strand holds 4 snowflakes and 4 stars, alternating
- Piece size: snowflake 4 in (10.2 cm) tip to tip; star 2 in (5.1 cm) point to point
- Strand drop before loop: 50 in (127.0 cm), which is 150 chains
- Border (hanging loop): 24 chains, giving 4 in (10.2 cm) folded depth
Materials
Use a smooth acrylic or wool-blend worsted yarn. Soft, slightly fuzzy yarns give the snowflakes their plush look. Yarns with a lot of give will stretch the cords over time, so avoid those. The amounts below assume about 200 m per 100 g.
- Light blue: 120 g / 240 m (16 snowflakes and 4 cords)
- Blue-gray: 120 g / 240 m (16 snowflakes and 4 cords)
- Cream: 80 g / 160 m (32 stars)
Quantities include a margin of about 20% for gauge differences, tails and swatching.
Tools:
– 4.0 mm (G-6) and 6.0 mm (J-10) hooks
– Tapestry needle
– Locking stitch markers (at least 16)
– Tape measure
– Rustproof pins and a blocking mat
– Spray bottle
– Scissors
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rep – repeat
- puff – puff stitch (see below)
Puff stitch: [Yarn over, insert hook in the indicated space, yarn over and pull up a loop to about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) tall] 3 times. You now have 7 loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all 7 loops. The puff is not closed with an extra chain.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make one snowflake and one star before you start the full set, then check them against these measurements.
- Snowflake Rnd 1: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across
- Finished snowflake: 4 in (10.2 cm) from tip to opposite tip
- Star Rnd 1: 1.1 in (2.8 cm) across
- Finished star: 2 in (5.1 cm) point to point, measured vertically from the top point to the line between the two bottom points
- Cord gauge (yarn held double, 6.0 mm hook): 3 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm); 12 ch = 4 in (10.2 cm)
If your motifs come out too big, go down 0.5 mm. If they are too small, go up 0.5 mm. If your cord is too long, use a 5.5 mm hook. If it is too short, use a 6.5 mm hook. Cord gauge matters most, because every motif placement is counted in chains.
Snowflake (Make 32: 16 Light Blue, 16 Blue-Gray)
Use the 4.0 mm hook.
Rnd 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then work 11 dc in the ring. Pull the ring snug, but leave a small center hole about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) wide. Sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3. (12 dc)
Checkpoint: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.
Rnd 2 (arms): Ch 1. Sc in the same st as the join. Then make the first arm:
- Ch 8, then sl st in the 4th ch from the hook. This forms a small tip ring and leaves 4 ch as the stem.
- [Ch 2, puff in the tip ring] 3 times. Ch 2, then sl st in the tip ring.
- Working down the stem, sc in each of the 4 stem ch.
- Sc in the next dc of Rnd 1.
*Sc in the next dc, then repeat steps 1–4 for the next arm.* Rep from * 4 more times, for 6 arms in total. Sl st to the first sc and fasten off. Leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing.
Count after Rnd 2: 6 arms. Each arm has 2 base sc, 4 stem sc, 3 puffs and 4 ch-2 spaces. That makes 12 base sc, 24 stem sc and 18 puffs in total. The arms use all 12 dc of Rnd 1, two dc per arm.
Each arm is about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long from the edge of the center to the tip, and 1.25 + 1.5 + 1.5 = 4.25 in. Once blocked, the trefoil tips relax to about 4 in (10.2 cm) tip to tip.
Star (Make 32 in Cream)
Use the 4.0 mm hook.
Rnd 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then work 14 dc in the ring. Leave a small center hole. Sl st to the top of the ch-3. (15 dc)
Checkpoint: 1.1 in (2.8 cm) across.
Rnd 2 (points): *Ch 4. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, hdc in the next ch, dc in the next ch. Skip the next 2 dc and sl st in the following dc.* Rep from * 4 more times. The final sl st lands in the joining st. Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail.
Count after Rnd 2: 5 points of 3 sts each (15 point sts) and 5 sl sts. Each point uses 3 dc of Rnd 1, and 5 × 3 = 15, so all the dc are used.
The point stitches rise from sc to dc, so each point is plump, rounded and lies flat.
Cord (Make 8: 4 Light Blue, 4 Blue-Gray)
Use the 6.0 mm hook with the cord color held double. Holding two strands together gives the thick, braided look.
Leave an 8 in (20.3 cm) starting tail. Ch 150. Do not fasten off.
Checkpoint: let the chain hang freely without stretching it. It should measure 50 in (127.0 cm), within 1 in (2.5 cm).
Mark the cord with locking markers. Count chains from the bottom end (ch 1 is the first chain you made):
| Section | Chains | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom tail | 1–6 | 2 in (5.1 cm) |
| Snowflake 4 | 7–18 | 4 in (10.2 cm) |
| Gap | 19–27 | 3 in (7.6 cm) |
| Star 4 | 28–33 | 2 in (5.1 cm) |
| Gap | 34–42 | 3 in (7.6 cm) |
| Snowflake 3 | 43–54 | 4 in (10.2 cm) |
| Gap | 55–63 | 3 in (7.6 cm) |
| Star 3 | 64–69 | 2 in (5.1 cm) |
| Gap | 70–78 | 3 in (7.6 cm) |
| Snowflake 2 | 79–90 | 4 in (10.2 cm) |
| Gap | 91–99 | 3 in (7.6 cm) |
| Star 2 | 100–105 | 2 in (5.1 cm) |
| Gap | 106–114 | 3 in (7.6 cm) |
| Snowflake 1 | 115–126 | 4 in (10.2 cm) |
| Gap | 127–135 | 3 in (7.6 cm) |
| Star 1 | 136–141 | 2 in (5.1 cm) |
| Top gap | 142–150 | 3 in (7.6 cm) |
Chain check: 8 gaps × 9 = 72, plus 4 stars × 6 = 24, plus 4 snowflakes × 12 = 48, plus the 6-ch tail = 150 ch.
Make All Pieces
- Light blue: 16 snowflakes and 4 cords
- Blue-gray: 16 snowflakes and 4 cords
- Cream: 32 stars
Light blue cords carry light blue snowflakes, and blue-gray cords carry blue-gray snowflakes. Every strand gets 4 cream stars.
Layout grid (left to right along the rod; L = light blue strand, G = blue-gray strand):
Strand: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Color: L G L G L G L G
Top: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Bottom: ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄
Joining: Sewing Motifs to the Cord
Lay the cord flat with the bottom tail toward you. Each motif sits on the front of the cord, so the cord runs straight down behind it.
Snowflakes: turn the snowflake so one arm points straight up and one points straight down. Using the motif’s own tail:
- Whipstitch the top trefoil tip to the first chain of its range (for example, ch 115 for Snowflake 1). Use 2 stitches.
- Run the yarn along the back of the stem to the center. Tack the back of Rnd 1 to the middle chains of the range (ch 120–121) with 2 stitches.
- Run the yarn down the opposite stem and whipstitch the bottom tip to the last chain of the range (ch 126).
Stars: turn the star so one point faces straight up. Whipstitch the top point to the first chain of its range (ch 136 for Star 1). Tack the center to the middle of the range. Then whipstitch the bottom of Rnd 1, between the two lower points, to the last chain of the range (ch 141).
Stitch logic: each motif is fixed at 3 points, so it spans exactly its 6 or 12 chains and doesn’t tilt.
Tension: sew with the cord gently straightened, not stretched. Over-tight stitches bunch the chain under the motif and shorten the strand. Under-tight stitches let the motifs flop forward.
Size checkpoint: after sewing, hang the strand from the top chain. Bottom tail to top chain should still measure 50 in (127.0 cm), within 1 in (2.5 cm).
Border: Hanging Loop and Strand Ends
The “border” on this curtain is the top hanging loop on each strand plus the bottom finish.
Border gauge: same as the cord, 3 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm), with the yarn held double on the 6.0 mm hook.
Hanging loop (per strand): pick up the live loop at ch 150. Ch 24, then sl st into ch 150 to close the loop. Fasten off and weave the tails back into the cord.
- Loop circumference: 24 ch = 8 in (20.3 cm)
- Folded depth over the rod: 4 in (10.2 cm)
Bottom end: knot the two starting tails together tightly below ch 1. Trim them to 1 in (2.5 cm) to make a small tassel, or weave them in.
Why the math works: a standard rod with a 1.25 in (3.2 cm) diameter has a circumference of about 4 in (10.2 cm). An 8 in (20.3 cm) loop slides on easily and still lets the strand hang from the rod’s top edge. Adding the folded depth to the drop gives 4 + 50 = 54 in (137.2 cm) of total length.
Spacing on the rod: slide the loops onto the rod in grid order and space them 4.5 in (11.4 cm) apart, center to center.
- 7 spaces × 4.5 in = 31.5 in (80.0 cm)
- Add half a snowflake on each outer edge (2 in + 2 in = 4 in, or 10.2 cm) for a total width of 35.5 in (90.2 cm)
Final Blocking
- Before sewing, pin each snowflake flat on the mat. Stretch it to 4 in (10.2 cm) tip to tip and open each trefoil so the 3 puffs fan out evenly.
- Pin each star to 2 in (5.1 cm) and press the points into neat, rounded tips.
- Mist the motifs until they are damp and let them dry completely, about 6–8 hours.
- After sewing, hang each finished strand and clip a light weight (a clothespin is enough) to the bottom tail for 24 hours. This straightens any twist in the cord.
- If you used acrylic, hover a steam iron 1 in (2.5 cm) above the cords to relax them. Never let the iron touch the yarn.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 32 snowflakes, each 4 in (10.2 cm), with 6 arms and 3 puffs per tip
- 32 stars, each 2 in (5.1 cm), with 5 even points
- 8 cords of 150 ch, each 50 in (127.0 cm) long
- Motifs sewn at the chain ranges in the cord table and facing forward
- Every hanging loop is 24 ch and 8 in (20.3 cm) around
- Strands alternate L and G, spaced 4.5 in (11.4 cm) apart
- All tails woven in and every bottom knot secure
Troubleshooting
- Snowflake cups or ruffles: your puffs are too tall. Pull up the puff loops shorter, or go down a hook size.
- Center hole is too big: pull the magic ring tighter before you join Rnd 1.
- Star points curl: block them harder, or work the ch-4 more loosely.
- Strand twists: hang it with a light weight, and check that both strands of the doubled yarn are feeding evenly.
- Motifs tilt sideways: move the center tack so it sits on the cord’s exact midline.
- Strands end at different lengths: recount the chains. Each cord must have exactly 150 ch before the loop.
Care
Hand wash in cool water, roll in a towel and dry flat. Then rehang the strands with a light weight on each tail to keep them straight.
Final Notes
The measurements build on each other. Snowflake Rnd 1 is 1.25 in (3.2 cm) and the finished snowflake is 4 in (10.2 cm). Star Rnd 1 is 1.1 in (2.8 cm) and the finished star is 2 in (5.1 cm). A 150-ch cord gives a 50 in (127.0 cm) drop, the 24-ch loop adds 4 in (10.2 cm) for a total of 54 in (137.2 cm), and 8 strands spaced 4.5 in (11.4 cm) apart cover 35.5 in (90.2 cm). Check each step before you move on, and the whole curtain will hang evenly.
Happy crocheting!