This curtain turns a plain doorway into a soft, airy screen. Cream doves seem to float between hanging strands while sage-green leaf sprigs climb the cords around them. A lacy scalloped header hides the rod, and small tassels finish every strand near the floor.
The palette has just two colors: warm cream for the header, strands, doves and tassels, and muted sage green for the leaves. The style is cottage and boho, light enough to let daylight through and still read clearly from across a room.
All instructions use US crochet terms. The finished curtain measures 36.6 in (93.0 cm) wide by about 80.4 in (204.2 cm) long, from the top of the header band to the tassel tips.
Here’s the construction in brief. First you crochet the header band, then work tabs into its top edge. Next you make the doves, leaf sprigs and strands separately. The doves and sprigs get sewn onto the strands, a scalloped border goes along the bottom of the header, and the strands are sewn to fixed points on that border.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 36.6 in (93.0 cm) wide × 80.4 in (204.2 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: DK (#3) cotton
- Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
- Number of pieces: 1 header with 14 tabs, 27 strands, 13 doves, 42 leaf sprigs, 27 tassels
- Layout: 27 strands, spaced 1.4 in (3.6 cm) apart along the header
- Dove size: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide × 4 in (10.2 cm) tall
- Header size before border: 36.6 in (93.0 cm) × 1.1 in (2.8 cm)
- Border depth: 1.8 in (4.6 cm), for a total header depth of 2.9 in (7.4 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth mercerized or combed cotton. Cotton holds the lace crisp, resists fuzzing and hangs straight. Skip acrylic for this project, because it curls and the long strands tend to twist.
- Cream: 350 g / 805 m (7 balls of 50 g / 115 m)
- Sage green: 150 g / 345 m (3 balls of 50 g / 115 m)
These quantities include a margin of roughly 20% for gauge swatches and differences in tension.
Tools:
– 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Stitch markers
– Rustproof pins and a blocking mat
– A piece of cardboard 3 in (7.6 cm) wide, for the tassels
– Measuring tape
– Spray bottle
– A curtain rod up to 1 in (2.5 cm) in diameter
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- tr: treble crochet
- dtr: double treble crochet
- sk: skip
- st(s): stitch(es)
- sp: space
- RS / WS: right side / wrong side
Special stitches:
– V-st: (dc, ch 1, dc) in the stitch or space indicated.
– Picot: ch 3, sl st in the 3rd ch from the hook.
– Leaf: Ch 6. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, then hdc, dc and hdc in the next 3 ch, and sc in the last ch (5 sts; you are now at the base of the leaf). Ch 1. Working back toward the tip along the opposite loops of the same chain, work sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc (5 sts). Ch 2 and sl st in the first sc of the leaf to make the point. Surface sl st along the center line back to the base (5 sl sts) to form the vein, then sl st into the stem at the base. The finished leaf has 10 sts plus a ch-2 tip.
– Slip-stitch cord: Chain the length given, then sl st into the back bump of each chain.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Main gauge: 20 sc × 22 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) square.
Strand gauge: 9 ch of finished slip-stitch cord = 2 in (5.1 cm), which is 4.5 ch per inch.
Make one dove and one strand segment before you start the full project.
Checkpoints:
– Header Row 1: 183 sc should measure 36.6 in (93.0 cm).
– Dove Rnd 1: the body should be about 3 in (7.6 cm) long.
– Dove Rnd 2: the body should be about 3.5 in (8.9 cm) long.
– Finished dove: 5.5 in × 4 in (14.0 × 10.2 cm) after blocking.
– Leaf: about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) long and 0.6 in (1.5 cm) wide.
– Strand: the first 45 ch of cord should measure 10 in (25.4 cm).
If your pieces come out too big, go down 0.5 mm in hook size. If they’re too small, go up 0.5 mm. Strand gauge matters most, because every dove and sprig position is counted in chains.
Header Band
With cream, ch 184.
Row 1 (RS): Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (183 sc)
Rows 2–6: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (183 sc)
Checkpoint: The band should measure 36.6 in × 1.1 in (93.0 × 2.8 cm). Don’t fasten off. The border is worked from Row 6 later. Place a marker in the working loop to hold it.
Tabs (make 14)
The tabs are worked into the opposite loops of the foundation chain, which becomes the top edge of the curtain. Number the foundation stitches 1–183.
The junction points are stitches 1, 15, 29, 43, 57, 71, 85, 99, 113, 127, 141, 155, 169 and 183.
- Center each middle tab on its junction: for example, the tab for junction 15 covers stitches 13–17.
- The end tabs cover stitches 1–5 and 179–183.
Row 1: Join cream in the first stitch of the tab position. Ch 1, then sc in the same st and in the next 4 sts. (5 sc)
Rows 2–18: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st. (5 sc)
Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail. Each tab measures 1 in × 3.3 in (2.5 × 8.4 cm). You’ll fold the tabs later.
Dove (make 13)
Body
With cream, ch 16.
Rnd 1:
1. Work 3 sc in the 2nd ch from the hook (head).
2. Sc in the next ch, ch 1, sk the next ch (eye), sc in the next ch.
3. Hdc in the next 4 ch, dc in the next 6 ch.
4. Work 5 dc in the last ch (tail).
5. Working in the opposite loops: dc in the next 6 ch, hdc in the next 4 ch, sc in the next 3 ch.
6. Sl st to the first sc.
That gives 34 sts, counting the ch-1 space: 3 at the head, 13 along the top, 5 at the tail and 13 along the bottom.
Rnd 2:
1. Ch 1, 2 sc in the first sc.
2. Work (sc, ch 2, sc) in the next sc for the beak.
3. Work 2 sc in the next sc.
4. Sc in the next 13 sts. Working into the ch-1 space keeps the eye hole open.
5. Work 2 sc in each of the next 5 dc.
6. Sc in the next 13 sts.
7. Sl st to the first sc.
That gives 42 sc plus the ch-2 beak: 6 at the head, 13 along the top, 10 at the tail and 13 along the bottom. Fasten off.
Wing
Number the 13 top sts of Rnd 2 as T1 (next to the head) through T13 (next to the tail).
Row 1 (RS): Join cream in T3. Ch 3 (counts as dc throughout), dc in the same st, then 2 dc in each of the next 8 sts, ending in T11. Turn. (18 dc)
Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1). Work (dc in the next dc, ch 1) across, ending with dc in the top of the turning ch. Turn. (18 dc, 17 ch-1 sps)
Row 3: This row starts at the head side, and the spokes get longer toward the tail.
1. Ch 3, then (ch 2, dc in the next dc) 5 times.
2. Work (ch 2, tr in the next dc) 6 times.
3. Work (ch 2, dtr in the next dc) 6 times.
4. Turn.
That makes 18 spokes (6 dc, 6 tr and 6 dtr) with 17 ch-2 sps between them.
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in the first dtr. Then (sc, picot, sc) in the next ch-2 sp, sc in the next st. Repeat from * 16 more times. (52 sc, 17 picots)
Fasten off.
Tail
Row 1: Join cream in the first of the 10 tail sc. Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), then (dc in the next sc, ch 1) 8 times, and dc in the last sc. Turn. (10 dc, 9 ch-1 sps)
Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as tr). Work (ch 2, tr in the next dc) 9 times. Turn. (10 tr, 9 ch-2 sps)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in the first tr. Then (sc, picot, sc) in the next ch-2 sp, sc in the next tr, 9 times. (28 sc, 9 picots)
Fasten off and weave in all ends.
Leaf Sprig (make 42)
With sage, ch 22 for the stem.
- Work 1 Leaf from the last ch you made. This is the tip leaf.
- Sl st in the next 4 stem ch, then work 1 Leaf and 1 more Leaf from the same ch. Repeat from * 2 more times.
- Sl st in the remaining 9 ch.
Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. Each sprig has 7 leaves (1 tip leaf and 3 pairs) and measures about 6 in (15.2 cm).
Strand (make 27)
With cream, leave an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail and ch 343. Sl st in the back bump of the 2nd ch from the hook and of each ch across. (342 sl sts)
Fasten off, leaving another 8 in (20.3 cm) tail. Both tails end up at the top of the strand. Each strand measures 76 in (193.0 cm).
Make All Pieces
Cream:
– 1 header band with 14 tabs
– 13 doves
– 27 strands
– 27 tassels
Sage:
– 42 leaf sprigs (294 leaves)
Strand types: J strands (J1–J14) hang from the junction points and carry the sprigs. C strands (C1–C13) hang from the scallop centers and carry the doves. Reading left to right, the order is J1, C1, J2, C2 … C13, J14.
Dove tiers (distance below the header):
– A = 6 in (15.2 cm)
– B = 20 in (50.8 cm)
– C = 34 in (86.4 cm)
– D = 48 in (121.9 cm)
Layout grid:
C strand: C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13
Tier: A C B D A C B D A C B D A
J strand: J1 J2 J3 J4 J5 J6 J7 J8 J9 J10 J11 J12 J13 J14
Sprigs: o e o e o e o e o e o e o e
o = sprig tops at 10 / 32 / 54 in
e = sprig tops at 18 / 40 / 62 in
In cm, the “o” sprig tops sit at 25.4, 81.3 and 137.2 cm, and the “e” sprig tops at 45.7, 101.6 and 157.5 cm.
Joining
All positions are counted in chains from the top of the strand, at 4.5 ch per inch.
Doves:
– Tier A = ch 27, Tier B = ch 90, Tier C = ch 153, Tier D = ch 216.
– Center the dove’s body on the marked chain, with the strand behind it running from head level to tail level.
– With a cream tail, tack Rnd 2 to the strand in three places: behind the head, at the center of the body, and at the base of the tail.
Sprigs:
– 10 in = ch 45, 32 in = ch 144, 54 in = ch 243.
– 18 in = ch 81, 40 in = ch 180, 62 in = ch 279.
– Lay the bare stem end at the marked chain, with the tip leaf pointing down.
– The stem and the strand share the same gauge, so sew them stitch to stitch: whip-stitch each of the 22 stem ch to the matching strand ch.
Tension: Sew loosely and don’t stretch the strand while you work. Pulled stitches shorten the cord and twist the dove sideways.
Checkpoint: Hang each finished strand by its top tails. It should still measure 76 in (193.0 cm), with no puckers behind the sprigs.
Border (Scalloped Header Edge)
Border gauge: One scallop covers 14 band stitches, which is 2.8 in (7.1 cm) wide and 1.8 in (4.6 cm) deep.
Pick up the held loop at the end of Row 6.
Row S1: Ch 1, turn, sc in the first st. Then sk 6 sts, work (dc, ch 1) 6 times in the next st, dc in the same st, sk 6 sts, sc in the next st. Repeat from * 12 more times.
– Per scallop: 7 dc and 6 ch-1 sps.
– Row total: 91 dc + 14 sc = 105 sts.
Row S2: Ch 1, turn, sc in the first sc. Then ch 1, V-st in the next ch-1 sp, (ch 1, V-st in the next ch-1 sp) 5 times, ch 1, sc in the next sc. Repeat from * 12 more times.
– Per scallop: 6 V-sts (12 dc) and 7 ch-1 sps.
– Row total: 156 dc + 14 sc = 170 sts.
Row S3: Ch 1, turn, sc in the first sc. Then sk the ch-1 sp, 5 dc in the next V-st sp, (sc in the next ch-1 sp, 5 dc in the next V-st sp) 5 times, sk the ch-1 sp, sc in the next sc. Repeat from * 12 more times.
– Per scallop: 30 dc + 5 sc + 1 junction sc = 36 sts.
– Row total: 1 + (13 × 36) = 469 sts.
Fasten off.
Why the math works: Each scallop uses exactly 14 band stitches (1 sc + 6 skipped + 1 fan + 6 skipped). Thirteen scallops use 13 × 14 = 182 stitches, and the starting sc takes the last one, for a total of 183. The 14 junction sc land on band stitches 1, 15 … 183, directly under the tabs. The middle sc of each scallop’s 5 inner sc sits above the center dc of the fan, which is band stitch 8 of that repeat. As a result, all 27 hanging points are spaced exactly 7 stitches apart: 7 ÷ 5 = 1.4 in (3.6 cm).
Attaching the strands: Thread the two top tails of each J strand through its junction sc, and the tails of each C strand through its center sc. Knot the tails on the WS, then weave them up into the band.
Tabs: Fold each tab to the WS and whip-stitch its last row along Row 3 of the band, leaving a loop that fits a rod up to 1 in (2.5 cm) thick.
Tassels (make 27)
- Wrap cream 10 times around the 3 in (7.6 cm) cardboard.
- Tie the wraps together at the top with a separate strand, then cut the loops at the bottom.
- Tie the bundle at its center around the bottom loop of a strand, fold it down, and wrap the neck.
- Trim the tassel to 1.5 in (3.8 cm).
Final Blocking
- Before joining, soak the doves and sprigs in cool water and roll them in a towel.
- Pin each dove flat. Open the wing spokes so the wing sweeps up and back toward the tail, fan out the tail, and pin out every picot.
- Pin each sprig with its leaves alternating sides, and press the veins flat.
- Pin the header straight at 36.6 in (93.0 cm), with each scallop curved evenly to a depth of 1.8 in (4.6 cm). Let it dry fully.
- After assembly, hang the curtain and mist the strands lightly. Let it hang for 24 hours so the cords relax and untwist.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] Header measures 36.6 in (93.0 cm) wide and 2.9 in (7.4 cm) deep
- [ ] 13 even scallops, with 469 sts in Row S3
- [ ] 14 tabs, each sitting above a junction point
- [ ] 27 strands, each 76 in (193.0 cm) long
- [ ] Doves match the tier grid and all face the same direction
- [ ] 42 sprigs sewn with the tip leaf pointing down
- [ ] Tassels trimmed evenly to 1.5 in (3.8 cm)
- [ ] All ends woven in on the WS
Troubleshooting
- The header ruffles: Your Row S3 tension is loose. Rework the shells with 4 dc instead of 5, or go down 0.5 mm in hook size for the border only.
- The header cups: Your band tension is tight. Remake it with a hook 0.5 mm larger.
- Strands twist: Mist them and hang a clothespin on each one overnight.
- Strands come out longer than 77 in (195.6 cm): Rip back and remake them with 5 fewer chains for every extra inch of length.
- The wing droops: Re-block it with starch and pin the dtr tips.
- Leaves curl: Re-block them flat and press lightly through a damp cloth.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, roll the curtain in a towel, and dry it flat or hanging. Don’t wring the strands or put the curtain in a tumble dryer.
Final Notes
Everything here is built on stitch counts:
– The 183-stitch band sets a width of 36.6 in (93.0 cm).
– Thirteen 14-stitch scallops place 27 hanging points 1.4 in (3.6 cm) apart.
– Each 342-chain strand drops 76 in (193.0 cm).
– The header and tassels bring the total length to 80.4 in (204.2 cm).
Check gauge at every stage and the curtain will hang straight and even.
Happy crocheting!