This curtain makes a window feel like a holiday bakery. Twelve cream cords hang from a curtain rod. Each cord holds ten caramel-brown stars with a soft cream edge and a small burgundy bow on top. Light passes between the cords, so the curtain decorates the window without darkening the room.
The colors are warm and simple: caramel brown for the star centers, cream for the edging and cords, and deep burgundy for the bows. The look is cozy and old-fashioned, like iced gingerbread cookies tied with ribbon.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain measures 59 in (149.9 cm) wide and 62 in (157.5 cm) long, including the hanging loops. Each star is 4 in (10.2 cm) wide from side tip to side tip.
Here’s how it’s built: you make 120 stars in rounds, edge each star in cream, tie and sew on a burgundy bow, make 12 thick cords with a slip-stitch finish, then sew ten stars along each cord. Each cord is a separate strand, so you can hang one cord as soon as it’s finished.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished curtain: 59 in (149.9 cm) wide x 62 in (157.5 cm) long
- Skill level: Easy / advanced beginner
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hooks: 4.0 mm (G-6) for stars and bows; 5.0 mm (H-8) for cords
- Number of pieces: 120 stars, 120 bows, 12 cords
- Layout: 12 cords, 5 in (12.7 cm) apart center to center, with 10 stars per cord
- Star size: 4 in (10.2 cm) wide, 3.8 in (9.7 cm) tall
- Star size before edging: 3.25 in (8.3 cm) wide
- Edging depth: about 3/8 in (1.0 cm), 2 rounds
Materials
Use a smooth worsted-weight yarn so the stitches show clearly. Cotton or a cotton blend keeps the stars flat and crisp. Acrylic is lighter and also works well. The quantities below assume about 200 m per 100 g.
- Caramel brown (star centers): 400 g / 800 m
- Cream (edging, cords, sewing): 600 g / 1,200 m
- Burgundy (bows): 200 g / 400 m
These amounts include a margin of about 10% for gauge differences, swatching, and sewing tails.
Tools:
– 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hook
– 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors
– Stitch markers
– Measuring tape
– Blocking mat and rust-proof pins
– Spray bottle
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
Special technique – back-bump slip stitch: Turn the chain over so the bumps on the back face you. Insert the hook under the back bump only, yarn over, and pull through the bump and the loop on the hook. This adds a second row of Vs and makes a firm cord that looks braided.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make one complete star with its edging before you start production, then measure it. All 120 stars should match this first one.
- After Round 2 (brown circle): 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across
- After Round 3 (points): 3.25 in (8.3 cm) from side tip to side tip
- After Round 5 (cream edging): 4 in (10.2 cm) from side tip to side tip
- Bow cord (single strand, 4.0 mm): 4 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm)
- Hanging cord (yarn held double, 5.0 mm): 12 ch = 4 in (10.2 cm)
If your star is too big, go down half a hook size. If it’s too small, go up half a size. Check again at Round 2, because a small difference there grows with every round.
For the cords, chain 12 with the yarn held double and measure. If 12 ch is longer than 4 in, use a smaller hook. If it’s shorter, use a larger one. Cord gauge matters most here, since it sets the length of the curtain.
Star (Make 120)
Use the 4.0 mm hook and caramel brown.
Round 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), work 14 dc in the ring. Pull the ring closed. Sl st to the top of the ch-3. (15 dc)
Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the same st. Work 2 dc in each of the next 14 sts. Sl st to the top of the ch-3. (30 dc)
Checkpoint: the circle should lie flat and measure 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
Round 3 (points): Do not chain. Work the next 6 sts as one point:
sc in next st, hdc in next st, (dc, tr, ch 2, tr, dc) in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in next st.
Repeat from * to * 4 more times. The final sl st falls in the top of the beginning ch-3. Fasten off.
(45 sts + 5 ch-2 tips; each point is sc, hdc, dc, tr, tr, dc, hdc, sc, sl st = 9 sts)
Each point uses exactly 6 sts from Round 2, and 5 x 6 = 30, so the five points are spaced evenly. The sl st at the end of each point sits low and forms the inner corner (valley) between points.
Checkpoint: 3.25 in (8.3 cm) from side tip to side tip.
Bow (Make 120)
Use the 4.0 mm hook and burgundy.
Row 1: Ch 28. Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, work a back-bump sl st in each ch across. Fasten off and leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail for sewing. (27 sl st)
The cord measures about 7 in (17.8 cm). Tie it into a bow with two loops and two tails. Adjust until the bow is about 1.75 in (4.4 cm) wide, with each tail about 0.75 in long. Pull the knot snug, then put a few stitches through the knot with the tail so it can’t come undone.
Hanging Cord (Make 12)
Use the 5.0 mm hook and cream held double.
Row 1: Ch 196. Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, work a back-bump sl st in each ch across. Fasten off. (195 sl st)
The cord measures 65 in (165.1 cm), since 195 sts ÷ 3 sts per in = 65 in.
Hanging loop: Fold the top 5 in (12.7 cm), or 15 sts, down against the cord so the end overlaps the cord by 1 in (2.5 cm), or 3 sts. Whipstitch the overlap firmly. This makes a loop of about 4 in (10.2 cm) around, which fits rods up to about 1 in (2.5 cm) thick. For a thicker rod, chain 3 more for each extra inch you need.
Below the bottom of the loop’s overlap, the cord hangs 60 in (152.4 cm). That point is the loop base, and all star positions are measured from it.
Make All Pieces
Totals:
– Caramel brown: 120 star centers (Rounds 1–3)
– Cream: 120 edgings (Rounds 4–5) and 12 cords
– Burgundy: 120 bows
Batch the work: finish all the centers, then all the edgings, then all the bows. Your tension stays more even that way.
Layout grid (each * = one star; columns = cords 1–12; rows = star positions from the loop base):
Position Cord: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
3 in * * * * * * * * * * * *
9 in * * * * * * * * * * * *
15 in * * * * * * * * * * * *
21 in * * * * * * * * * * * *
27 in * * * * * * * * * * * *
33 in * * * * * * * * * * * *
39 in * * * * * * * * * * * *
45 in * * * * * * * * * * * *
51 in * * * * * * * * * * * *
57 in * * * * * * * * * * * *
Measured from the loop base, the top tips sit at 3 in (7.6 cm), 9 in (22.9 cm), 15 in (38.1 cm), 21 in (53.3 cm), 27 in (68.6 cm), 33 in (83.8 cm), 39 in (99.1 cm), 45 in (114.3 cm), 51 in (129.5 cm), and 57 in (144.8 cm). The stars are spaced 6 in (15.2 cm) apart.
Joining
Bow to star: Center the bow knot on the top tip, about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) below the tip. Sew through the knot and both bow loops into the cream edging so the loops stay flat and don’t flop forward.
Star to cord: Lay the cord on a table and place a star face down on it. The cord should run up the back of the star along its vertical center, from the top tip to the inner corner between the two lower points. Using cream yarn, sew the star to the cord at three places:
- At the top tip, through the Round 5 ch-2 sp and 2 sts of the cord
- At the center, through the back of Round 1 and 2 sts of the cord
- At the bottom inner corner, through the Round 5 sc2tog and 2 sts of the cord
Stitch through the cord’s sl st Vs, not between them. Keep each stitch snug but not tight. If you pull too hard, the star cups and the cord puckers. The star should lie flat against the cord without stretching it.
The star is 3.8 in (9.7 cm) tall and the stars are 6 in (15.2 cm) apart, so 2.2 in (5.6 cm) of cord shows between stars. The last star’s top tip sits at 57 in. Its bottom reaches 60.8 in, so it covers the end of the cord.
Size checkpoint: Hang each finished cord and measure it. The drop from the loop base to the bottom tip of the last star should be about 60.8 in (154.4 cm). The total length from the top of the loop is about 62 in (157.5 cm). A difference of ½ in either way is normal.
Hanging: Slide the 12 loops onto the rod 5 in (12.7 cm) apart. The outer cords end up 55 in (139.7 cm) apart. Add half a star width on each side and the total width is 59 in (149.9 cm).
Border
Each star has a two-round cream edging. Use the 4.0 mm hook. Edging gauge: 4 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm) along a straight edge, and each round adds about 3/16 in.
Round 4: Join cream with a sc in the first sc of any point (the st just after a valley sl st). Then work around the star in this order:
– sc in hdc, sc in dc, 2 sc in tr
– (sc, ch 2, sc) in the ch-2 tip
– 2 sc in tr, sc in dc, sc in hdc, sc in sc
– skip the valley sl st
That’s the first point. For each remaining point:
– sc in sc, sc in hdc, sc in dc, 2 sc in tr
– (sc, ch 2, sc) in the ch-2 tip
– 2 sc in tr, sc in dc, sc in hdc, sc in sc
– skip the valley sl st
Repeat from * to * 3 more times. Sl st to the first sc.
(12 sc per point = 6 sc per edge; 60 sc + 5 ch-2 tips)
Round 5: Ch 1. Count the 12 sc of each point as s1–s12; the ch-2 tip sits between s6 and s7.
Start on the first point:
– sc in s2 through s6 (5 sc)
– (sc, ch 2, sc) in the ch-2 tip
– sc in s7 through s11 (5 sc)
Then for each remaining point:
– sc2tog over s12 of the previous point and s1 of this point
– sc in s2 through s6 (5 sc)
– (sc, ch 2, sc) in the ch-2 tip
– sc in s7 through s11 (5 sc)
Repeat from * to * 3 more times. Close the round with a sc2tog over s12 of the last point and s1 of the first point. Sl st to the first sc and fasten off.
(13 sts per point: 1 sc2tog + 5 + 2 + 5; 65 sts + 5 ch-2 tips)
Why the math works: On a pointed edge, stitches need to be added at each tip and removed at each inner corner. In Round 4, the 2-sc increases and the (sc, ch 2, sc) at each tip give the outer edge enough stitches, and skipping the valley sl st pulls the inner corner in. In Round 5, the stitches between corners stay at a 1:1 count, each tip gains 2 sts, and each sc2tog removes 1 st at the corner, for a net gain of 1 per point: 60 + 5 = 65. This keeps the points sharp and the corners notched while the star stays flat.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends on the back of each star before blocking.
- Pin each star face up to a blocking mat: one pin in each ch-2 tip and one in each inner corner.
- Check that it’s 4 in (10.2 cm) from side tip to side tip, and adjust the pins if needed.
- Spray until damp, but not soaked.
- Let it dry completely, at least 6 hours.
- Shape the bow loops with your fingers while they’re still damp.
- Hang each cord with a light clip at the bottom for a few hours so it straightens.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- All 120 stars measure 4 in (10.2 cm) wide, give or take ¼ in
- Round 3 has 45 sts plus 5 tips, Round 4 has 60 sc, and Round 5 has 65 sts
- The inner corners are clearly notched and the tips are sharp
- Every bow is centered, sewn through the knot, and its loops are tacked
- Each cord has 195 sl st and a hanging loop with a 1 in overlap
- The stars are at 3 in, 9 in, and so on up to 57 in from the loop base
- Every cord hangs straight with no twisting
- All ends are secured and hidden on the back
Troubleshooting
The star cups or curls: Your tension is too tight in Round 2 or Round 4. Go up half a hook size for those rounds.
The edging ruffles: You probably added extra sts. Count Round 4: there should be 12 per point.
The points look rounded: Make sure the tr and ch-2 are both worked into a single st in Round 3. Block with a pin pushed right into each tip.
The cord twists: Use the back bumps only, keep both strands even, and hang the cord with a weight at the bottom while it’s damp.
The cord is too long: Your chain is too loose. Rip back and chain again with a smaller hook. Changing the hook size during the slip stitch row won’t fix the length.
A bow droops: Put one more stitch through the top of each loop and into the edging.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Press out the water gently, then dry flat with each star pinned to size before hanging it again.
Final Notes
The sizes in this pattern build on each other. A 2.25 in (5.7 cm) circle grows to a 3.25 in (8.3 cm) star, and the cream edging brings it to 4 in (10.2 cm). Ten stars spaced 6 in (15.2 cm) apart fill a 60 in (152.4 cm) drop. Twelve cords spaced 5 in (12.7 cm) apart make a curtain 59 in (149.9 cm) wide and 62 in (157.5 cm) long. If you check each stage, the finished curtain will come out to size.
Happy crocheting!