The Lemon Breeze Curtain Panel is a light, airy window panel with open fan stitches in alternating cream and butter-yellow stripes. Each row is a line of tall treble fans with small triangular openings between them, so daylight filters through while the fabric still gives the room some privacy.
The color plan is simple. One row is cream, the next is yellow, all the way up the panel. A cream border frames the stripes: single crochet runs down the sides, a soft shell scallop finishes the hem, and seven ring tabs at the top slide straight onto a curtain rod.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished panel measures 30.75 in (78.1 cm) wide by 73.75 in (187.3 cm) long, plus 2 in (5.1 cm) of tabs. That makes 75.75 in (192.4 cm) from the top of the tabs to the bottom of the scallops.
Construction is straightforward. You work a single crochet foundation row, then 96 fan rows in 1-row stripes. Last, you add a two-round border with the scallops and tabs. The whole panel is one piece, with no seams.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 30.75 in x 73.75 in (78.1 cm x 187.3 cm), plus 2 in (5.1 cm) tabs
- Skill level: Easy-intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK (#3)
- Hook: 4.0 mm (US G-6)
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: One rectangle worked in rows, bottom to top
- Piece size before border: 29.75 in x 72.25 in (75.6 cm x 183.5 cm)
- Border depth: 0.5 in (1.3 cm) on each side, 0.5 in (1.3 cm) at the top plus tabs, 1 in (2.5 cm) at the bottom including the scallops
Materials
Yarn: Use a smooth DK cotton or a cotton blend. Cotton drapes well, keeps its shape in sunlight, and shows off the fan texture. Avoid fuzzy yarns, because they blur the open triangles. The amounts below assume about 230 m per 100 g.
- Cream (Color A): 350 g, about 805 m. Used for the foundation, odd rows, and the full border.
- Butter yellow (Color B): 275 g, about 633 m. Used for the even rows.
These amounts include a margin of roughly 10–15%, which covers your gauge swatch and the 6 in (15.2 cm) tails left at every color change.
Tools:
– 4.0 mm (US G-6) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors
– Stitch markers (at least 8)
– Measuring tape
– Blocking mats or a large clean towel, plus rustproof pins
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rep – repeat
- RS – right side
Special stitch: Fan – (2 tr, ch 1, 2 tr) all in the same stitch or space. One fan uses 5 stitches: 4 tr plus 1 ch. The ch-1 at the center of the fan is called the center sp.
Shell (border only): 5 dc in the same stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 4 sts = 1 in (2.5 cm) across the sc foundation. One fan repeat (fan plus ch 1) = 6 sts = 1.5 in (3.8 cm). 8 fan rows = 6 in (15.2 cm), so each tr row is 0.75 in (1.9 cm) tall.
Test swatch first: With Color A, ch 30. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across, giving 29 sc. Then work Rows 1–8 as written below, but with 4 fans per row instead of 19. Each row will have 29 sts. Block the swatch, let it dry, and measure.
- Target swatch: 7.25 in wide x 6.25 in tall (18.4 cm x 15.9 cm)
- Too big: Change to a 3.5 mm hook.
- Too small: Change to a 4.5 mm hook.
Gauge matters here, because a 0.25 in (0.6 cm) error over the swatch grows to almost 3 in (7.6 cm) across the full panel.
Checkpoints during the main panel (measure flat and unstretched):
– After the foundation row: 29.75 in (75.6 cm) wide
– After Row 16: 12.25 in (31.1 cm) long
– After Row 48: 36.25 in (92.1 cm) long
– After Row 96: 72.25 in (183.5 cm) long
Main Panel
Color changes: Every row is a new color. Because each 1-row stripe ends on the opposite side from where the next row needs that color, cut the yarn at the end of every row and leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail. When starting a new row, also leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail. Lay all the tails along the side edges. Border Round 1 covers them, so you won’t need to weave in nearly 200 ends.
Foundation (Color A): Ch 120. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. Turn. (119 sc)
Row 1 (Color A, RS): Ch 4 (counts as tr), tr in the first sc, which makes a half fan. Ch 1, sk 4 sc, fan in the next sc. Ch 1, sk 5 sc, fan in the next sc. Rep from * 17 more times, for 19 fans total. Ch 1, sk 4 sc, 2 tr in the last sc. Fasten off. (119 sts: 4 edge tr + 19 fans x 5 sts + 20 ch-1 sps)
The fans land on foundation sts 6, 12, 18, and so on up to 114. Each edge has 4 skipped sts and there are 5 skipped sts between fans, so the layout is symmetrical.
Row 2 (Color B): Join Color B in the top of the last tr made. Ch 4 (counts as tr), tr in the same st. Ch 1. Fan in the center sp of the next fan, ch 1. Rep from * 18 more times, for 19 fans total. 2 tr in the top of the turning ch. Fasten off. (119 sts)
Each new fan sits directly over the fan below it. This keeps the fans in vertical columns and makes the open triangles between them.
Rows 3–96: Rep Row 2, alternating colors. Odd rows are Color A and even rows are Color B. Every row stays at 119 sts. Row 96 is Color B.
Stitch count check for every row: 2 + 1 + (19 x 6) + 2 = 119. The width at the top of each row matches the 119-st foundation, so the panel stays rectangular instead of flaring.
Do not fasten off Color B after Row 96. Leave a long tail and lay it along the edge with the other tails.
Border
Border gauge: 4 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm). Each sc round adds about 0.25 in (0.6 cm). A tr row is 0.75 in (1.9 cm) tall, so it takes 3 sc per tr row end to keep the sides flat. The foundation sc row takes 1 sc at its end.
Round 1 (Color A)
With RS facing, join Color A in the first st of Row 96 (the top right corner).
- Top: Ch 1, 3 sc in the first st (corner). Sc in each of the next 117 sts. 3 sc in the last st (corner).
- First side: Working into the row ends, 3 sc in each of the 96 tr row ends, then 1 sc in the foundation row end. (289 sc) Work over the tails as you go.
- Bottom: Working into the free loops of the foundation ch, 3 sc in the first ch (corner). Sc in each of the next 117 ch. 3 sc in the last ch (corner).
- Second side: 1 sc in the foundation row end, then 3 sc in each of the 96 tr row ends. (289 sc) Work over the tails.
- Join with a sl st to the first sc.
Counts per side, including both corner center sts:
– Top: 121
– Bottom: 121
– Each side: 293
Round total: 4 corners x 3 + 117 + 117 + 289 + 289 = 824 sc
Place a marker in each of the 4 corner center sts.
Round 2 (Color A)
Sl st into the next sc, which is the top right corner center.
- Top, with tabs: Ch 1, sc in the corner center and the next sc (2 sc). Ch 20, sk 3 sc, sc in each of the next 16 sc. Rep from * 5 more times. Ch 20, sk 3 sc, sc in the last 2 sc. The last sc lands in the next corner center. (7 loops, 100 sc)
- First side: Sc in each of the next 291 sc. (291 sc)
- Bottom, with scallops: Sc in the corner center. Sk 2 sc, shell in the next sc, sk 2 sc, sc in the next sc. Rep from * 19 more times. The last sc lands in the next corner center. (20 shells, 21 sc)
- Second side: Sc in each of the next 291 sc. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (291 sc)
Fasten off.
Tab Reinforcement (Color A)
Join Color A in the base of one ch-20 loop. Work 28 sc into the loop and sl st to the base. Fasten off. Repeat for all 7 loops. Each finished tab is a firm ring about 2 in (5.1 cm) tall and fits rods up to 1.25 in (3.2 cm) in diameter.
Why the Math Works
- Bottom: 121 sts = 1 + (20 x 6). Every shell repeat uses exactly 6 sts, so the scallops start and end on the corner centers with no partial scallop.
- Top: 121 sts = 7 tabs x 3 skipped sts + 100 sc. The tabs are spaced 19 sts apart, which is 4.75 in (12.1 cm). The two outer tabs sit 2 sts in from each corner.
- Sides: 289 sc = (96 rows x 3) + 1. At 4 sc per inch that equals 72.25 in (183.5 cm), which matches the body length, so the edges don’t ripple or pull in.
Final Blocking
- Weave in the border tails. The row tails are already covered by Round 1. Trim them to 0.5 in (1.3 cm) after blocking.
- Soak the panel in cool water with a little wool wash for 15 minutes.
- Press out the water gently. Roll the panel in towels to remove more water. Do not wring it.
- Lay it flat on mats or towels and pin it to 30.75 in x 73.75 in (78.1 cm x 187.3 cm).
- Pin the center of each scallop so the hem curves evenly.
- Pin the side edges straight every 4 in (10.2 cm).
- Open each fan gently with your fingers so the triangles are crisp.
- Let the panel dry completely, usually 24–48 hours, before unpinning.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 119 sts in every body row and 19 fans per row
- 96 body rows, ending with a yellow row
- Fans line up in straight vertical columns
- Side edges are straight, with no tails showing
- 20 even scallops across the bottom
- 7 tabs, evenly spaced and firmly covered in sc
- Blocked size is 30.75 in x 73.75 in (78.1 cm x 187.3 cm)
Troubleshooting
Panel is getting wider toward the top: You may be working fans into the ch-1 sps between fans instead of the center sps. Count 119 sts and recheck where the fans sit.
Fans drift sideways: Make sure each fan goes into the center sp of the fan directly below it.
Sides ruffle: Your tr rows are shorter than 0.75 in (1.9 cm). Work 3 sc in only every other row end, and 2 sc in the rows between. Measure again after 10 in (25.4 cm).
Sides pull in: Your rows are taller than expected. Add an extra sc every 8th row end.
Scallops look flat: Use a slightly firmer tension on the dc, and pin each scallop during blocking.
Tabs stretch over time: Pack the sc more tightly. Up to 30 sc per loop is fine.
Care
Hand wash in cool water, or machine wash on a gentle cycle in a mesh bag. Dry flat, and reshape the scallops while the panel is damp.
Final Notes
The measurement chain runs from start to finish:
1. The 119-st foundation measures 29.75 in (75.6 cm).
2. 96 fan rows bring the panel to 72.25 in (183.5 cm).
3. Round 1 adds corners and 289 sc per side to match that length.
4. Round 2 adds 20 scallops and 7 tabs for a finished size of 30.75 in x 73.75 in (78.1 cm x 187.3 cm).
If you want a pair like the one by the window, make a second identical panel.
Happy crocheting!