This curtain is made of five long, lacy strips that hang side by side from a curtain rod. Each strip is a column of stacked fan shells. Every fan opens upward from a small eyelet at its base, and its curved top has a scalloped edge. Chain arches link one fan to the next and leave open diamond-shaped windows on both sides of each eyelet, so light shows through between the shells.
The colors are soft peach (salmon) and warm cream. Three strips are solid peach and two are solid cream, hung in the order peach, cream, peach, cream, peach. The look is airy, romantic, and slightly vintage. It suits a sunny window, a doorway, or a reading nook.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. Each finished strip measures 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide and 49 in (124.5 cm) long before the top finish. The hanging loop adds about 2 in (5.1 cm), so each strip hangs about 51 in (129.5 cm) from the top of the rod. With 1 in (2.5 cm) gaps between strips, the curtain covers about 21.5 in (54.6 cm) of rod.
Construction is simple. Each strip is worked in turned rows from the bottom up. The first fan starts from a chain ring. Every fan after that is a 5-row repeat that builds the side arches, the eyelet, and the new fan. A short top finish adds a sturdy hanging loop. The strips are never sewn together; each one hangs on its own.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size (one strip): 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide x 49 in (124.5 cm) long, plus a 2 in (5.1 cm) hanging loop
- Curtain coverage: about 21.5 in (54.6 cm) wide on the rod
- Skill level: Easy to Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK (light, #3) cotton
- Hook: 4.0 mm (US G-6)
- Number of pieces: 5 separate strips
- Layout: 5 strips in one row on the rod, 1 in (2.5 cm) apart: peach, cream, peach, cream, peach
- Piece size: 20 fans per strip. The first fan is 3 in (7.6 cm) wide x 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall. Each repeat fan is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide x 2.5 in (6.4 cm) tall.
- Size before border (top finish): 3.5 in x 49 in (8.9 cm x 124.5 cm)
- Border depth: the top finish and loop add about 2 in (5.1 cm), at the top only. The sides and bottom need no border.
Materials
Choose a smooth mercerized or combed cotton in DK weight. Cotton holds the fan shapes crisply, stretches less than acrylic, and blocks well. Avoid fuzzy or loosely plied yarns, because the chain arches will look blurry and the eyelets will close up. The amounts below assume about 125 m per 50 g.
- Peach (salmon): 120 g / 300 m, for 3 strips
- Cream: 80 g / 200 m, for 2 strips
Each strip uses about 32 g (80 m). The quantities above include a margin of roughly 10 percent for the gauge swatch, weaving in ends, and small tension differences.
Tools:
- 4.0 mm (US G-6) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Stitch markers (2 or 3)
- Measuring tape
- Blocking mats and rust-proof pins
- Spray bottle with clean water
- Curtain rod, up to 1.25 in (3.2 cm) in diameter
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sp(s) – space(s)
- sk – skip
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS – right side
- [ ] – repeat the instructions inside the brackets as many times as stated
Special stitch – Eyelet V: (dc, ch 3, dc) all in the same stitch. The ch-3 space in the middle becomes the base of the next fan.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge matters more for length than for width here, because 20 fans multiply any small difference. Make a test strip with the first fan plus 2 repeat fans (3 fans in total) before you start the real strips.
Gauge: one repeat fan (Rows 4–8) = 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide x 2.5 in (6.4 cm) tall, lightly blocked.
Checkpoints:
- After Row 3 (first fan): 3 in (7.6 cm) wide x 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall
- After 3 fans (test piece): 6.5 in (16.5 cm) long
- After 5 fans: 11.5 in (29.2 cm) long
- After 10 fans: 24 in (61.0 cm) long
- After 15 fans: 36.5 in (92.7 cm) long
- After 20 fans: 49 in (124.5 cm) long
If your fans are too big, go down to a 3.75 mm hook or tighten your chain arches. If your fans are too small, go up to a 4.5 mm hook. Measure only after a light spritz of water, because cotton relaxes a little when wet.
Strip Pattern
Make 5 strips: 3 in peach and 2 in cream. The instructions are the same for every strip.
First Fan
Start: Ch 5, sl st in first ch to form a ring.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 8 dc in ring. Turn. (9 dc)
This gives a half-circle of posts radiating from the ring. The ring stays open as the eyelet at the base of the first fan.
Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), [dc in next dc, ch 1] 7 times, dc in top of turning ch. Turn. (9 dc, 8 ch-1 sps)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in first dc, [ch 3, sc in next dc] 8 times, working the last sc in 3rd ch of turning ch-4. Turn. (9 sc, 8 ch-3 loops)
The ch-3 loops form the scalloped top edge of the fan. The 5th sc is the center of the fan; place a marker in it.
Repeat Fan (Rows 4–8)
Row 4 (side arches): Ch 9 (counts as tr + ch 5), sc in center sc, ch 5, tr in last sc. Turn. (2 tr, 1 sc, 2 ch-5 sps)
On the first repeat, the center sc is the 5th of 9 sc. On every later repeat, it is the 6th of 11 sc.
Row 5 (eyelet row): Ch 6 (counts as tr + ch 2), Eyelet V in center sc, ch 2, tr in 4th ch of turning ch-9. Turn. (2 tr, 2 dc, 2 ch-2 sps, 1 ch-3 sp)
The tr posts on the outer edges and the ch-5 arches below them frame the two open diamond windows, one on each side of the Eyelet V.
Row 6 (fan): Ch 1, sc in first tr, ch 3, 9 dc in ch-3 sp of Eyelet V, ch 3, sc in 4th ch of turning ch-6. Turn. (9 dc, 2 sc, 2 ch-3 sps)
The 9 dc fan out from the eyelet, just like Row 1. The side ch-3 spaces keep the fan connected to the outer edges.
Row 7 (spread): Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), sk ch-3 sp, dc in first dc of fan, [ch 1, dc in next dc] 8 times, ch 2, sk ch-3 sp, dc in last sc. Turn. (11 dc, 8 ch-1 sps, 2 ch-2 sps)
The 11 dc are the 2 outer posts plus the 9 fan dc.
Row 8 (scallop edge): Ch 1, sc in first dc, [ch 3, sc in next dc] 10 times, working the last sc in 3rd ch of turning ch-5. Turn. (11 sc, 10 ch-3 loops)
Skip all ch spaces in this row; the sc go only into dc. The 6th sc is the new center, so move your marker to it.
Repeat Rows 4–8 another 18 times, for 19 repeats in total. You now have 20 fans (the first fan plus 19 repeat fans) and 98 rows. Do not fasten off.
Check: the strip measures 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide and 49 in (124.5 cm) long.
Make All Pieces
- Peach: 3 strips
- Cream: 2 strips
- Total: 5 strips, each with 20 fans
Layout on the rod, viewed from the room side:
| Strip 1 | Strip 2 | Strip 3 | Strip 4 | Strip 5 |
| Peach | Cream | Peach | Cream | Peach |
| 20 fans | 20 fans | 20 fans | 20 fans | 20 fans |
As you finish each strip, measure it against the first one. All five should match within 0.5 in (1.3 cm) in length.
Joining
This curtain is not seamed. The strips stay separate so they move freely and let light through. Here, “joining” means hanging them evenly.
Method: Slide each hanging loop onto the rod in layout order. Space the strips 1 in (2.5 cm) apart, measured edge to edge.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: Each loop is anchored on the center sc, so every strip hangs from its exact middle. The fans stay level and centered under the loop, and the strips do not twist.
Tension advice: If one strip hangs longer than the others, don’t stretch the others to match. Re-block the long strip slightly shorter instead.
Size checkpoint: 5 strips x 3.5 in (8.9 cm) + 4 gaps x 1 in (2.5 cm) = 21.5 in (54.6 cm) across the rod.
Border (Top Finish and Hanging Loop)
The scalloped Row 8 and the tr posts already finish the sides and fan tops. The only border is a two-row top finish that closes the last fan and makes a firm loop.
Border gauge: 5 sc cover one ch-5 sp, and 30 sc cover the ch-24 loop.
Top Row 1: Ch 1, sc in first sc, ch 5, sc in center (6th) sc, ch 24, sl st in same center sc, ch 5, sc in last sc. Turn. (3 sc, 2 ch-5 sps, 1 ch-24 loop)
Top Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first sc, 5 sc in ch-5 sp, sc in center sc, 30 sc in ch-24 loop, sk the center sc this time, 5 sc in next ch-5 sp, sc in last sc. Fasten off. (43 sc)
Per side: Each half of the top edge has 1 sc in the corner sc + 5 sc in the arch = 6 sc. The two sides hold 12 sc in total. Add 1 sc in the center sc and 30 sc in the loop: 12 + 1 + 30 = 43 sc.
Why the math works: 5 sc in a ch-5 sp is a 1-to-1 ratio, so the short side arches stay flat and don’t pull the corners inward. The loop gets 30 sc over 24 ch, a 5-to-4 ratio. The extra 6 sc give the loop enough ease to lie round instead of cupping. The covered loop is about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) around. That fits a rod up to 1.25 in (3.2 cm) in diameter, and the loop hangs about 2 in (5.1 cm) above the top fan.
Weave in all ends along the tr posts, where they hide best.
Final Blocking
- Soak each strip in cool water for 10 minutes, then gently press out the water. Do not wring.
- Roll the strip in a towel to remove extra moisture.
- Lay it flat on blocking mats, RS facing up.
- Pin the bottom fan first, then work upward, pinning each fan to 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide.
- Pin each scallop loop on the fan edge so it forms a small rounded point.
- Open the diamond windows on both sides of each eyelet with one pin each.
- Check the length: 49 in (124.5 cm) from the bottom fan to the top of the last fan. Adjust by easing pins up or down.
- Shape the hanging loop into a circle over a rolled towel.
- Let the strip dry completely before unpinning, usually 12 to 24 hours.
- Block all five strips to the same measurements.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each strip has 20 fans: 1 first fan plus 19 repeat fans.
- The first fan has 9 sc with 8 ch-3 loops in Row 3.
- Every repeat fan has 9 dc in Row 6 and 11 sc with 10 ch-3 loops in Row 8.
- Each eyelet sits directly above the center sc of the fan below.
- There are two open diamond windows between every pair of fans.
- Each strip measures 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide and 49 in (124.5 cm) long.
- Each top finish has 43 sc, with 30 sc in the loop.
- All ends are woven in and trimmed.
- The strips hang in order: peach, cream, peach, cream, peach.
Troubleshooting
The fans lean to one side. You probably worked the sc of Row 4 into the wrong stitch. Count again: the center is the 5th of 9 sc on the first repeat and the 6th of 11 sc after that.
The diamond windows are too small. Your chains are tight. Chain more loosely, or go up half a hook size for Rows 4 and 5 only.
The strip is longer than the checkpoints. Your tr posts are loose. Snug each loop before you yarn over, or go down a hook size.
The fan edge ruffles. Your ch-3 loops are too long. Tighten them, or work ch 2 instead of ch 3 on Row 8 for a flatter scallop.
The strips twist on the rod. Re-block, and check that each loop is anchored on the center sc.
The hanging loop is too small for my rod. For every extra 0.5 in (1.3 cm) of rod diameter, add 8 ch to the loop and work 10 more sc over it.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with a mild detergent, then lay flat or re-block to dry. Keep the curtain out of harsh direct sun for long periods so the peach doesn’t fade.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is short and easy to follow. One repeat fan is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide and 2.5 in (6.4 cm) tall. The first fan adds 1.5 in (3.8 cm), so 1 first fan plus 19 repeats makes a 49 in (124.5 cm) strip. The top finish adds about 2 in (5.1 cm), for a 51 in (129.5 cm) drop. Five strips with 1 in (2.5 cm) gaps cover 21.5 in (54.6 cm) of rod.
Check your gauge on the test piece, measure at each checkpoint, and block all five strips to the same size. The result is a light, even curtain of peach and cream fans. Happy crocheting!