The Garden Bloom panels are lacy tab-top curtains made from flower squares. Each square has eight pointed, raised petals around an open center. A frame of trebles and chain bridges squares it off, and a row of small filet “windows” lets light through. Hung in a sunny window, the panels look like a lattice of blooms.
This pattern makes a pair of panels, one in soft lilac and one in mint green. You can also make both panels in one color. The style is cottage-garden and light, and it suits kitchens, sunrooms, and bedroom windows. The pattern uses US crochet terms throughout.
Each finished panel measures 16 x 72 in (40.6 x 182.9 cm), not counting the tabs. The tab loops sit about 2.25 in (5.7 cm) above the top edge.
You make 20 squares per panel and join them in a grid 2 squares wide and 10 squares tall. Then you work a 3-round border around the whole panel and add four tabs to the top edge.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished panel size: 16 x 72 in (40.6 x 182.9 cm), plus tabs
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 20 squares per panel, 40 squares for the pair
- Layout: 2 squares wide x 10 squares tall per panel
- Square size: 7 x 7 in (17.8 x 17.8 cm)
- Panel size before border: 14 x 70 in (35.6 x 177.8 cm)
- Border depth: 1 in (2.5 cm) on every side
- Tabs: 4 per panel, each about 1.75 in (4.4 cm) wide
Materials
Yarn: Use a smooth worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds the petal shape, shows the stitch definition well, and resists sagging better than most acrylics when it hangs. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy yarn, because the mesh will blur and the panel will grow over time.
- Lilac: 450 g (about 810 m) for one panel
- Mint green: 450 g (about 810 m) for one panel
These quantities assume about 180 m per 100 g. They include a margin of roughly 10% for gauge swatches, joining, and tabs.
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch markers
- Rust-proof pins and blocking mats
- Spray bottle
- Measuring tape
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)
- rep: repeat
Special stitch: Petal. Work all of the following into one ch-5 loop: (sc, hdc, dc, 2 tr, ch 2, 2 tr, dc, hdc, sc). This makes 10 stitches and a ch-2 tip. The stitches rise from short to tall and back, which gives a pointed, raised petal.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make one complete square before you start the full set. Block it lightly and measure it.
Edge gauge: about 14 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm) along the finished square edge.
Measure the square at these checkpoints:
- After Round 3 (petals): 4.25 in (10.8 cm), tip to opposite tip
- After Round 5 (solid dc): 5.75 in (14.6 cm) per side
- After Round 7 (finished square): 7 in (17.8 cm) per side, with a tolerance of ±0.25 in (0.6 cm)
If your square is larger than 7.25 in (18.4 cm), go down a hook size. If it is smaller than 6.75 in (17.1 cm), go up a hook size.
Small differences add up over 10 squares. A square that is just 0.125 in (0.3 cm) too long makes the panel about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) longer.
Flower Square (Make 20 Per Panel)
Round 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then work 15 dc into the ring. Sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3. Pull the ring closed, but leave a small open center hole. (16 dc)
Round 2: Ch 1. Sc in the next dc, ch 5, sk the next dc. Rep from * 7 more times. Sl st to the first sc. (8 sc, 8 ch-5 loops)
Round 3: Sl st into the first ch-5 loop. Work 1 Petal in each ch-5 loop around. Sl st to the first sc. (8 petals: 80 sts and 8 ch-2 tips)
The petals should stand up slightly and point outward. If they cup, check that you left the ch-5 loops loose enough.
Round 4 (conversion round, flower to square): Sl st in the next 5 sts (sc, hdc, dc, tr, tr) and into the ch-2 tip of the first petal.
- Ch 4 (counts as tr). Work (2 tr, ch 3, 3 tr) in the same tip. This is the first corner.
- Ch 5, sc in the ch-2 tip of the next petal, ch 5.
- Work (3 tr, ch 3, 3 tr) in the next petal tip, ch 5, sc in the next petal tip, ch 5. Rep from * 2 more times.
- Sl st to the top of the beginning ch-4.
Count: 24 tr, 4 sc, 4 corner ch-3 sps, and 8 ch-5 sps. Four petal tips are now corners and four are side midpoints.
Round 5 (solid dc round): Ch 3 (counts as dc). Dc in the next 2 tr. Work (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the corner ch-3 sp.
Dc in the next 3 tr, 5 dc in the ch-5 sp, dc in the sc, 5 dc in the next ch-5 sp, dc in the next 3 tr, then (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the corner ch-3 sp. Rep from * 2 more times.
To finish the round, dc in the next 3 tr, 5 dc in the ch-5 sp, dc in the sc, and 5 dc in the last ch-5 sp. Sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3.
Count: 28 sts worked 1-per-stitch (24 tr + 4 sc) + 40 dc worked into the ch-5 sps + 16 corner dc = 84 dc. That is 21 dc per side between the corner ch-2 sps (2 + 3 + 5 + 1 + 5 + 3 + 2).
Round 6 (filet mesh): Sl st in the next 4 dc and into the corner ch-2 sp. Ch 5 (counts as dc and ch 2), then dc in the same sp.
Ch 1, sk the next dc. Then (dc in the next dc, ch 1, sk the next dc) 10 times. Work (dc, ch 2, dc) in the corner sp. Rep from * around. Leave out the final corner, because you made it at the start. Sl st to the 3rd ch of the beginning ch-5.
Count: each side has 10 dc and 11 ch-1 sps between the 2 corner dc, which is 23 positions per side. The round has 48 dc and 44 ch-1 sps in total. These ch-1 sps are the small open windows.
Round 7 (edge): Sl st into the corner ch-2 sp. Ch 1, then work (sc, ch 2, sc) in the same sp.
Sc in the corner dc. Then (sc in the ch-1 sp, sc in the next dc) 10 times. Sc in the last ch-1 sp, sc in the corner dc, and work (sc, ch 2, sc) in the corner sp. Rep from * around. Leave out the final corner and sl st to the first sc. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Count: 92 sts worked 1-per-dc-or-sp (48 dc + 44 ch-1 sps) + 8 corner sc = 100 sc. That is 25 sc per side, including that side’s 2 corner sc, with a ch-2 sp at each corner.
Make All Pieces
- Lilac panel: 20 lilac squares
- Mint panel: 20 mint squares
Block all the squares to 7 x 7 in (17.8 x 17.8 cm) before joining. Lay each panel out like this (A = one square):
Row 1: A A
Row 2: A A
Row 3: A A
Row 4: A A
Row 5: A A
Row 6: A A
Row 7: A A
Row 8: A A
Row 9: A A
Row 10: A A
Joining
Method: Use a whipstitch through the outer loops only, with matching yarn and a tapestry needle. Hold 2 squares right sides up and edge to edge.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: Each side has 25 sc, and you match them 1 to 1. Start in the corner ch-2 sp, sew the 25 pairs of sc, and finish in the next corner ch-2 sp. The corner chains are sewn together and do not add any stitches to the panel edge.
Order:
- Join each pair of squares side by side to make 10 rows of 2 squares.
- Join the rows top to bottom. Each horizontal seam is 50 sc long: 2 squares x 25 sc.
- Where 4 corners meet, take one extra stitch through all 4 corner ch-2 sps to close any hole.
Tension: Pull each stitch snug enough that the edges touch, but not so tight that the seam puckers. Lay the work flat every few seams. The seams should lie as flat as the squares.
Size checkpoint: the joined panel should measure 14 x 70 in (35.6 x 177.8 cm), within ±1 in (2.5 cm) on the length.
Border
Border gauge: keep the same edge gauge of about 14 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). Each sc round adds about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) of depth and the dc round adds about 0.5 in (1.3 cm), so the 3 rounds add 1 in (2.5 cm).
Starting counts: The short top and bottom edges each have 2 squares x 25 sc = 50 sts. The long side edges each have 10 squares x 25 sc = 250 sts. These counts already include every square’s corner sc. At the seams, the joined corner ch-2 sps are not worked, so nothing extra is added.
Border Round 1: Join the yarn in any outer corner ch-2 sp. Ch 1, then work (sc, ch 2, sc) in that sp. Sc in each st along the edge. At each of the other 3 outer corners, work (sc, ch 2, sc) in the ch-2 sp. Sl st to the first sc.
Per side, including the 2 corner sc: 52 on the top and bottom, 252 on the long sides. Total: 608 sc.
Border Round 2: Sl st into the corner sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then work (dc, ch 2, dc) in the same sp. Dc in each st around, and work (dc, ch 2, dc) in each corner sp. Sl st to the top of the ch-3.
Per side: 54 on the top and bottom, 254 on the long sides. Total: 616 dc.
Border Round 3: Sl st into the corner sp. Ch 1, then work (sc, ch 2, sc) in the same sp. Sc in each st around, and work (sc, ch 2, sc) in each corner sp. Sl st to the first sc. Do not fasten off yet if you are working the tabs from the top-left corner.
Per side: 56 on the top and bottom, 256 on the long sides. Total: 624 sc.
Why the math works: each round adds exactly 1 stitch at each end of every side, which is 2 per side per round. This matches the small outward step at the corners as the border gets deeper. The final counts give 56 sts / 16 in = 3.5 sts per inch and 256 sts / 72 in ≈ 3.56 sts per inch. Both match the 14 sc per 4 in (10.2 cm) square gauge, so the edges stay flat without ruffling or cupping.
Tabs (4 per panel)
Number the 56 sts on the top edge from 1 to 56, starting at the right corner sc. The stitches are split up like this:
| Section | Stitches | Count |
|---|---|---|
| End | 1–4 | 4 |
| Tab 1 | 5–10 | 6 |
| Gap | 11–18 | 8 |
| Tab 2 | 19–24 | 6 |
| Gap | 25–32 | 8 |
| Tab 3 | 33–38 | 6 |
| Gap | 39–46 | 8 |
| Tab 4 | 47–52 | 6 |
| End | 53–56 | 4 |
Total: 4 + 6 + 8 + 6 + 8 + 6 + 8 + 6 + 4 = 56 stitches.
For each tab:
- Row 1: Join the yarn in the first stitch of the tab. Ch 1, then sc in the same st and in the next 5 sts. Turn. (6 sc)
- Rows 2–18: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (6 sc per row)
The tab should be about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) long and 1.75 in (4.4 cm) wide. Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail.
Fold the tab toward the back of the panel. Sew Row 18 to the wrong side, along the top of Border Round 2. This makes a loop about 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall that fits a rod up to 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all the ends along the seams, not through the open mesh.
- Lay the panel flat on blocking mats. If you need more space, work in sections.
- Spray it evenly until it is damp, but not soaked.
- Pin the outer edges to 16 x 72 in (40.6 x 182.9 cm), starting with the 4 corners.
- Pin the middle of each side, then pin every 4 in (10.2 cm) in between.
- Pinch each petal tip into a point and smooth the filet windows open.
- Let the panel dry completely, then unpin it. Hang the curtain and let it settle for one day before you check the length.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Every square has 8 petals and 100 sc on Round 7.
- Every square measures 7 in (17.8 cm) after blocking.
- The seams line up from square to square, with no gaps where 4 corners meet.
- The joined panel measures 14 x 70 in (35.6 x 177.8 cm).
- The border counts are 608, 616, and 624 stitches.
- The finished panel measures 16 x 72 in (40.6 x 182.9 cm).
- The 4 tabs are evenly spaced, and each tab has 6 sts and 18 rows.
- All ends are secure and hidden.
Troubleshooting
- The petals curl or twist: The Round 2 ch-5 loops are too tight. Chain more loosely or use ch 6.
- The square domes in the middle: Round 4’s ch-5 bridges are too long for your tension. Try ch 4 and check the size again.
- The square ruffles at the edges: Round 5 is too loose. Tighten your dc or go down a hook size.
- The square is too small: Go up one hook size. Do not add rounds, or the per-side count will change.
- The seams pucker: Whipstitch more loosely and match the stitches exactly 1 to 1.
- The border waves: Check the per-side counts, and make sure you skipped the seam corner sps.
- The panel sags over time: Re-block it and pin it a little short. Cotton relaxes when it hangs.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with a mild detergent, gently squeeze out the water, and dry flat to the blocked measurements. Do not tumble dry, because heat and weight can stretch the mesh.
Final Notes
The size of each panel follows from a short chain of measurements. Each square has 25 sts per side and measures 7 in (17.8 cm). Two squares make the 14 in (35.6 cm) width and 10 squares make the 70 in (177.8 cm) length. The border adds 1 in (2.5 cm) on every side, for a finished panel of 16 x 72 in (40.6 x 182.9 cm). The four tabs add the loops for hanging.
Check your gauge at every stage and the pair of panels will match.
Happy crocheting!