This lavender valance is all about soft movement. Five half-round fans sit across the top like a row of open shells. Below them hang five strands of flowers, smaller fans and plump tassels that sway in every breeze.
There are just two colors. Lavender is used for the fans, petals, top band and tassels. Chestnut brown outlines every scalloped fan edge, fills each flower center and wraps each tassel neck. The brown keeps the lace from fading against a bright window.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished valance is 30 in (76.2 cm) wide and 21 in (53.3 cm) long from the top edge to the tassel tips. The fan band is 4 in (10.2 cm) deep, including the heading.
You make each fan separately in turned rows from a magic ring and edge it in brown. Then you join the five band fans by working one continuous heading across their straight tops. Last, you link the flowers, drop fans and tassels into strands and hang them from the band.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 30 in (76.2 cm) wide x 21 in (53.3 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: DK (#3) cotton
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 5 band fans, 5 drop fans, 10 flowers, 5 tassels
- Layout: 5 band fans in one row, with 1 strand below each fan
- Band fan size: 6 in (15.2 cm) wide x 3 in (7.6 cm) deep
- Drop fan size: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide x 3 in (7.6 cm) tall
- Band size before heading: 30 in (76.2 cm) x 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Heading depth: 1 in (2.5 cm)
- Strand length: 17 in (43.2 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth DK cotton. Cotton holds the fan shape after blocking and won’t stretch under the weight of the tassels.
- Color A, Lavender: 100 g / 220 m (fans, petals, heading, links, tassels)
- Color B, Chestnut Brown: 25 g / 55 m (fan edges, flower centers, tassel wraps)
Tools:
- 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle and scissors
- Stiff card 6 in (15.2 cm) tall, for the tassels
- Rust-proof pins and a blocking board
- 6 clip-on curtain rings, or a slim curtain rod
- Measuring tape
These amounts include about a 20% margin, so a small difference in gauge won’t leave you short.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- tr: treble crochet
- sp: space
- st(s): stitch(es)
- RS: right side
Shell: 5 dc in the same ch-2 space.
Petal: (hdc, 2 dc, hdc) all in the same stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make one band fan first and measure it before you start the others. Every later number depends on it.
- Heading gauge: 14 sc = 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Band fan after Row 2: 2 in (5.1 cm) across the straight edge
- Band fan after Row 4: 4 in (10.2 cm) across
- Band fan after Row 6: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) across x 2.75 in (7.0 cm) deep
- Band fan after Row 7: 6 in (15.2 cm) across x 3 in (7.6 cm) deep
- Flower: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across
If your fan is too big, go down 0.25 mm in hook size. If it’s too small, go up 0.25 mm. If it ruffles, your trebles are too loose. If it cups, your shells are too tight. Pin the piece out gently before you measure.
Band Fan (make 5)
The band fan is a half circle. The magic ring sits at the center of the straight top edge, and the scallops form the curved bottom edge.
With A, make a magic ring.
Row 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 6 dc in ring. Pull the ring snug, but don’t join. Turn. (7 dc)
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st, 2 dc in each st across, ending in top of turning ch. Turn. (14 dc)
Row 3: Ch 5 (counts as tr, ch 1), tr in next st, ch 1, tr in next st across. Turn. (14 tr, 13 ch-1 sp)
These long trebles form the spokes of the fan.
Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in each ch-1 sp across, dc in 4th ch of turning ch. Turn. (28 dc)
Row 5: Ch 5 (counts as dc, ch 2), skip next 2 sts, dc in next st, ch 2, skip next 2 sts 8 times, dc in top of turning ch. Turn. (10 dc, 9 ch-2 sp)
Row 6: Ch 1, sc in first dc, shell in next ch-2 sp, sc in next dc 9 times, working the last sc in 3rd ch of turning ch. Fasten off A. (9 shells and 10 sc = 55 sts)
Row 7 (brown edge): With RS facing, join B in first sc. Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in next 2 dc, 3 sc in center dc of shell, sc in next 2 dc, sc in next sc 9 times. Fasten off. (73 sc)
Each shell becomes a pointed 7-sc scallop, and the sc between shells forms the dip. Stitch 37 is the center sc of the middle (5th) scallop. Mark it, because the strand hangs from here.
Drop Fan (make 5)
The drop fan is a narrower wedge. It hangs point-up, with the magic ring at the top.
With A, make a magic ring.
Row 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 5 dc in ring. Pull snug. Turn. (6 dc)
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st, 2 dc in each of next 4 sts, dc in top of turning ch. Turn. (11 dc)
Row 3: Ch 5 (counts as tr, ch 1), tr in next st, ch 1, tr in next st across. Turn. (11 tr, 10 ch-1 sp)
Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in each ch-1 sp across, dc in 4th ch of turning ch. Turn. (22 dc)
Row 5: Ch 5 (counts as dc, ch 2), skip next 2 sts, dc in next st, ch 2, skip next 2 sts 6 times, dc in top of turning ch. Turn. (8 dc, 7 ch-2 sp)
Row 6: Ch 1, sc in first dc, shell in next ch-2 sp, sc in next dc 7 times. Fasten off A. (7 shells and 8 sc = 43 sts)
Row 7 (brown edge): Join B in first sc. Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in next 2 dc, 3 sc in center dc of shell, sc in next 2 dc, sc in next sc 7 times. Fasten off. (57 sc)
Stitch 29 is the center sc of the middle (4th) scallop. Check your size as you go:
- After Row 4: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) x 2 in (5.1 cm)
- After Row 6: 5 in (12.7 cm) x 2.75 in (7.0 cm)
- After Row 7: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) x 3 in (7.6 cm)
Flower (make 10)
Round 1 (center): With B, make a magic ring. Ch 1, 10 sc in ring. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (10 sc, 0.5 in / 1.3 cm across)
Round 2 (petals): Join A in any sc. Petal in next sc, sl st in next sc 5 times, working the final sl st in the joining st. Fasten off. (5 petals)
The petal tip is the space between its 2 dc. The point opposite Petal 1 is the sl st between Petals 3 and 4.
Tassel (make 5)
- Wrap A 40 times around the card.
- Slide a 12 in (30.5 cm) strand of A under the wraps at the top and tie it tightly. Leave both ends long for attaching the tassel.
- Cut the wraps along the bottom edge.
- For a rounded head, tuck a 0.75 in (1.9 cm) ball of A scraps under the fold.
- With B, wrap 6 times around the bundle 0.75 in (1.9 cm) below the top. Tie it and bury the ends inside the tassel.
- Trim to a finished length of 5.5 in (14.0 cm).
Make All Pieces
| Piece | Qty | Colors |
|---|---|---|
| Band fan | 5 | A body, B Row 7 |
| Drop fan | 5 | A body, B Row 7 |
| Flower | 10 | B center, A petals |
| Tassel | 5 | A, B wrap |
Layout from top to bottom (F = band fan, S = strand):
[ HEADING ---------------------------- ]
[ F1 ] [ F2 ] [ F3 ] [ F4 ] [ F5 ]
flower flower flower flower flower
DROP flower DROP flower DROP
flower DROP flower DROP flower
tassel tassel tassel tassel tassel
Strands 1, 3 and 5 are Strand A. Strands 2 and 4 are Strand B. The drop fans sit at two different heights, but all the tassels end level.
Joining
Tip tack: Lay the five band fans in a row with their straight edges up and RS facing. Where two fans touch, the end of one Row 7 meets the start of the next. With B, sew these two sc together with 2 small stitches. Make 4 tacks in total.
Heading Row 1 (the join): With RS facing, join A in the top right corner of Fan 1. Work sc into the row ends across each fan’s straight edge, with 14 sc in each half:
- Row 7 end: 1 sc
- Row 6 end: 2 sc
- Row 5 end: 2 sc
- Row 4 end: 2 sc
- Row 3 end (tr): 3 sc
- Row 2 end: 2 sc
- Row 1 end: 2 sc
Repeat in reverse order along the second half, for 28 sc per fan. Go straight on to the next fan without adding a stitch at the seam. Turn. (5 x 28 = 140 sc)
Keep your tension relaxed. If the seams pull upward, you’re working too tightly over the tr row ends. Checkpoint: The joined band should measure 30 in (76.2 cm) across.
Strands (make 3 of Strand A and 2 of Strand B)
Each link is ch 10, which measures 1.5 in (3.8 cm).
Strand A:
- Join A in st 37 of a band fan’s Row 7. Ch 10, then sl st in a flower petal tip. Fasten off.
- Join A at the flower’s opposite point. Ch 10, then sl st through the magic ring of a drop fan. Fasten off.
- Join A in st 29 of the drop fan’s Row 7. Ch 10, then sl st in a petal tip of a second flower. Fasten off.
- Join A at the opposite point of this flower. Ch 10, then fasten off, leaving an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail. Knot the tail securely to the top ties of a tassel.
Strand B: Work the same way in this order: flower, flower, drop fan, tassel.
Each strand totals 17 in (43.2 cm): 4 links at 6 in (15.2 cm), 2 flowers at 2.5 in (6.4 cm), 1 drop fan at 3 in (7.6 cm) and 1 tassel at 5.5 in (14.0 cm).
Border
The brown scallop edge is already part of every fan, so the border is only the heading along the top edge.
Border gauge: 14 sc = 3 in (7.6 cm), so 28 sc = 6 in (15.2 cm), the width of one band fan.
Heading Row 1: Worked in the Joining section. (140 sc)
Heading Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each st across. Turn. (140 dc)
Heading Row 3: Ch 1, (sc, ch 8, sc) in first st, sc in each st across, working (sc, ch 8, sc) in sts 28, 56, 84, 112 and 140. Fasten off. (140 sc worked 1 per st + 6 extra sc = 146 sc, plus 6 ch-8 loops)
The loops sit at both outer corners and at each fan seam. The first two loops are 1 stitch closer together than the others, which you won’t notice once the valance is hung.
Why the math works: Each fan’s straight edge is 6 in (15.2 cm). At 14 sc per 3 in, 28 sc also measure 6 in. Five fans give 140 sc, or 30 in (76.2 cm). Row 2 keeps the same count, and Row 3 only adds the loop stitches, so the heading lies flat. The heading adds 1 in (2.5 cm) of depth.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends except the tassel ties.
- Soak the valance in cool water for 10 minutes, then squeeze gently without wringing.
- Roll it in a towel to remove the extra water.
- Pin the heading in a straight line 30 in (76.2 cm) long.
- Pin each band fan into a half circle 3 in (7.6 cm) deep, with a pin at each scallop tip.
- Lay each strand straight. Pin each drop fan point-up at 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide.
- Pin the flower petals evenly and comb the tassels straight.
- Let everything dry completely. For crisper fans, mist with light spray starch first.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Band fans: 73 sc and 9 scallops each
- Drop fans: 57 sc and 7 scallops each
- Flowers: 5 even petals around a brown center
- Heading: 140 sc, then 140 dc, then 146 sc with 6 loops
- Band: 30 in (76.2 cm) x 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Strands: 17 in (43.2 cm) each, with level tassels
- Drop fans sit higher on Strands 1, 3 and 5
- All ends woven in and all knots secure
Troubleshooting
Fan ruffles: Your trebles are too loose. Go down a hook size.
Fan cups: Your shells are too tight. Loosen Row 6, or work Row 7 with a larger hook.
Gap at the ring: Tighten the ring before Row 2 and weave the tail firmly.
Wavy heading: You added extra sc. Count 28 per fan.
Uneven tassels: Hang the valance first, then trim all five tassels to the same line.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press out the water in a towel and dry flat with pins. Comb the tassels gently with your fingers.
Final Notes
Here is how the measurements build on each other. One band fan is 6 in (15.2 cm) across and takes 28 heading sc. Five fans give 140 sc and 30 in (76.2 cm) of width. The heading adds 1 in (2.5 cm) to the 3 in (7.6 cm) fans, and each 17 in (43.2 cm) strand brings the total length to 21 in (53.3 cm). Get the first fan right, and the rest will follow.
Happy crocheting!