This curtain hangs a soft row of rainbows, clouds and round beads from a scalloped lace header. With light behind it, the coral, rose, blush and cream bands look warm and bright, and the cloud lobes stand out clearly.
The palette is four colors: peach, dusty rose, blush pink and cream. The style is boho nursery: rounded shapes, open lace and plenty of gaps for light.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain measures 36¼ in (92.1 cm) wide and 43½ in (110.5 cm) from the top of the header to the end of the strands.
Construction is simple. First you crochet one header band in rows and add a two-row scallop border. Next you chain 12 cords directly from the scallop centers. Finally you make the rainbows, clouds and beads separately and sew them onto the cords in a fixed order.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 36¼ in (92.1 cm) wide × 43½ in (110.5 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate (simple stitches, lots of repetition, careful assembly)
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: 4.0 mm (US G/6)
- Number of pieces: 1 header, 12 cords, 72 rainbows, 72 clouds and 144 beads
- Layout: 12 strands spaced 3 in (7.6 cm) apart, center to center
- Piece sizes: rainbow 3 in × 1½ in (7.6 × 3.8 cm); cloud 2½ in × 1½ in (6.4 × 3.8 cm); bead ¾ in (1.9 cm)
- Header before border: 36¼ in × 2 in (92.1 × 5.1 cm)
- Border depth: 1½ in (3.8 cm), so the full header is 3½ in (8.9 cm) deep
- Strand length: 40 in (101.6 cm)
Materials
Choose a smooth mercerized or combed cotton in worsted weight, about 85 m per 50 g. Cotton holds the shapes crisply and doesn’t stretch much when it hangs.
- Color A – Peach: 250 g / 425 m (header, outer rainbow band, cords, peach beads, sewing)
- Color B – Dusty Rose: 150 g / 255 m (second rainbow band, rose beads)
- Color C – Blush Pink: 50 g / 85 m (third rainbow band)
- Color D – Cream: 150 g / 255 m (inner rainbow band, clouds, border Row B1)
All quantities include a margin of about 15%.
Tools:
– 4.0 mm (US G/6) hook
– Tapestry needle
– Polyester fiberfill (a small bag)
– Stitch markers
– Scissors
– Measuring tape
– Blocking mats and rust-proof pins
– 12 curtain clip rings and a rod
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- MR – magic ring
Special stitch – Shell: (dc, ch 1) 6 times in the same st, then dc once more in that st. A shell has 7 dc and 6 ch-1 sps.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 dc and 8 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in the header pattern.
Cord gauge: 20 ch = 5 in (12.7 cm).
Before you commit to the header, make one rainbow and one cloud and measure them:
- Rainbow after Row 2: about 1½ in (3.8 cm) wide.
- Rainbow after Row 4: 3 in (7.6 cm) wide and 1½ in (3.8 cm) tall.
- Cloud after Rnd 3: 2½ in (6.4 cm) wide and 1½ in (3.8 cm) tall.
- Header after Row 1: 36¼ in (92.1 cm) long.
- Header after Row 5: 2 in (5.1 cm) deep.
If your pieces are too big, go down 0.5 mm in hook size. If they’re too small, go up 0.5 mm. Spacing matters because rainbows and clouds sit side by side: half a rainbow plus half a cloud is 1½ + 1¼ = 2¾ in (7.0 cm), which leaves ¼ in (0.6 cm) of clearance at 3 in (7.6 cm) strand spacing.
Rainbow (Make 72)
Work in rows, changing color every row. Turn at the end of each row. Ch 2 at the start of a row does not count as a stitch.
Row 1 (D): MR, ch 2, 6 hdc in ring. Pull the ring snug but leave a ¼ in (0.6 cm) eye. Fasten off. (6 hdc)
Row 2 (C): Join in the first st, ch 2, 2 hdc in each st across. Fasten off. (12 hdc)
Row 3 (B): Join, ch 2, hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st; repeat 6 times. Fasten off. (18 hdc)
Row 4 (A): Join, ch 2, hdc in next 2 sts, 2 hdc in next st; repeat 6 times. Fasten off. (24 hdc)
Each row adds 6 hdc, which is the standard increase for a flat hdc half circle, so the arch lies flat. Weave in the ends along the bottom edge. Leave one 12 in (30.5 cm) tail of A for sewing on half of the rainbows. Sew the other half with a separate length of A.
Cloud (Make 72)
Use D throughout. Work in joined rounds without turning.
Foundation: Ch 6.
Rnd 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 3 ch, 3 sc in last ch. Rotate and work along the other side of the chain: sc in next 3 ch, 2 sc in the same ch as the first sc. Join with sl st to the first sc. (12 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in each of next 3 sts, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in each of last 2 sts. Join. (18 sc)
At this point, sts 3–5 are the top, sts 6–11 are the right end, sts 12–14 are the bottom, and sts 15–18 plus sts 1–2 are the left end.
Rnd 3 (lobes): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st, sc in next st, hdc in next st, 5 dc in next st (center top lobe), hdc in next st, sc in next st, 2 dc in each of next 4 sts (right lobe), sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts (flat bottom), sc in next st, 2 dc in each of last 3 sts. Join to the top of the beginning ch-3. (30 sts: 21 dc, 2 hdc, 7 sc)
The left lobe is the 3 sts at the end of the round plus st 1, so both side lobes are 8 dc wide. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Bead (Make 144: 72 in A, 72 in B)
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc in ring. (6)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st. (12)
Rnds 3–4: Sc in each st. (12)
Rnd 5: Stuff firmly. Sc2tog 6 times. (6)
Close the hole and leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail for sewing.
Header Band
Use A.
Foundation: Ch 146.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (145 sc)
Checkpoint: 36¼ in (92.1 cm).
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each st across. Turn. (145 dc)
Row 3 (mesh): Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk next st, dc in next st, ch 1, sk next st, dc in next st; repeat across. Turn. (73 dc + 72 ch-1 sps = 145 sts)
Row 4: Ch 3, dc in each ch-1 sp and each dc across. Turn. (145 dc)
Row 5: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Do not fasten off. (145 sc)
Checkpoint: 2 in (5.1 cm) deep.
Make All Pieces
Totals by color:
| Item | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbows (72) | 72 outer rows | 72 rows | 72 rows | 72 inner rows |
| Clouds (72) | – | – | – | 72 |
| Beads (144) | 72 | 72 | – | – |
Each strand is 160 ch long and carries 6 rainbows, 6 clouds, 6 A beads and 6 B beads. Chain positions are numbered from the header down. Each repeat is 26 ch, or 6½ in (16.5 cm).
Odd strands (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11):
ch 1-4 lead (1 in / 2.5 cm)
ch 5-10 RAINBOW
ch 11-12 gap
ch 13-15 bead A
ch 16-17 gap
ch 18-23 CLOUD
ch 24-25 gap
ch 26-28 bead B
ch 29-30 gap
→ repeat ch 5-30 six times (ends at ch 160)
Even strands (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12): Use the same positions, but put a CLOUD at ch 5–10, bead B at ch 13–15, a RAINBOW at ch 18–23 and bead A at ch 26–28.
Layout grid (first repeat):
Strand: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
R C R C R C R C R C R C
a b a b a b a b a b a b
C R C R C R C R C R C R
b a b a b a b a b a b a
R = rainbow, C = cloud, a = bead A, b = bead B.
Border (Scallop Edge)
The border is worked across Row 5 of the header only. Border gauge: one scallop = 12 base sts = 3 in (7.6 cm).
Row B1 (D): Join D in the first st of Row 5. Ch 1, sc in same st, sk 5 sts, Shell in next st, sk 5 sts, sc in next st; repeat 12 times. Fasten off.
(12 shells = 84 dc + 72 ch-1 sps, plus 13 sc)
Row B2 (A): Join A in the first sc. Ch 1, sc in same st, sk next dc, 3 dc in each of next 6 ch-1 sps, sk next dc, sc in next sc; repeat 12 times. Fasten off.
(12 scallops of 18 dc = 216 dc, plus 13 sc)
Why the math works: Each repeat uses 1 sc + 5 skipped + 1 shell st + 5 skipped = 12 sts. Twelve repeats use 144 sts, and the final sc uses the last one, for 145 in total. That is exactly Row 5’s count, and no stitches are added at the ends. The shells sit on Row 5 sts 7, 19, 31 and so on, up to st 139. That puts each scallop center exactly 3 in (7.6 cm) apart and 1½ in (3.8 cm) from each edge. The scallops take the header from 2 in (5.1 cm) to 3½ in (8.9 cm) deep.
Joining the Strands
Method: Chain each cord directly from the header, then sew the motifs onto it.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: Each scallop’s 18 dc divide into 9 and 9. Join A with a sl st into the gap between the 9th and 10th dc, which is directly below the shell st. Ch 160 and fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail. Repeat for all 12 scallops, working from left to right so strand 1 is on the left.
Placing the motifs: Lay the curtain flat and mark the chain positions from the layout above. Place each motif on the front of the cord so the cord runs behind it.
- Rainbows: Tack the center top of Row 4 (between hdc 12 and 13) to the first ch of its slot. Tack the ring eye to the last ch of the slot.
- Clouds: Tack the center of the top lobe to the first ch and the center of the flat bottom to the last ch.
- Beads: Sew through the center of the bead, top to bottom.
Tension: Keep the chain at gauge, with 20 ch = 5 in (12.7 cm). Tight chains will make the strands look short and crowded. Loose chains will sag once the motifs pull on them.
Size checkpoint: Hang one finished strand. It should measure 40 in (101.6 cm). The gaps should be ½ in (1.3 cm) and the repeats 6½ in (16.5 cm).
Final Blocking
- Mist the header until it is damp, not soaked.
- Pin it flat to 36¼ in × 3½ in (92.1 × 8.9 cm).
- Pin the center of each scallop so the 12 points line up 3 in (7.6 cm) apart.
- Pin open each mesh space in Row 3.
- Steam the rainbows and clouds lightly from above, without pressing, so the bands flatten and the lobes round out.
- Let everything dry completely.
- Hang the curtain and let it settle for 24 hours. Then nudge any strand that has twisted.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Header is 145 sts wide and measures 36¼ in (92.1 cm).
- There are 12 scallops of 18 dc each, all the same depth.
- Each cord is 160 ch and starts at a scallop center.
- Every strand has 6 rainbows, 6 clouds and 12 beads.
- Odd strands start with a rainbow and even strands start with a cloud.
- Rainbow bands read A, B, C, D from the outside in.
- No cord shows in front of any motif.
- All ends are woven in and secure.
Troubleshooting
- Rainbow ruffles: Your tension is loose. Go down a hook size, or check that you’re adding exactly 6 sts per row.
- Rainbow cups: You missed increases. Recount to 6, 12, 18 and 24.
- Cloud lobes are uneven: Recheck the Rnd 2 map before you start Rnd 3.
- Scallops flare: Shells are too loose. Try a 3.5 mm hook for Row B2.
- Strands twist: Sew each motif at both its top and its bottom, not at one point.
- Motifs overlap their neighbors: Your gauge is too big. Remake a test piece with a smaller hook.
Care
Hand wash in cool water and roll the curtain in a towel to remove water. Lay it flat to dry, reshaping the scallops and lobes. Don’t wring it.
Final Notes
Everything in this curtain depends on a short chain of measurements:
- A 3 in (7.6 cm) rainbow and a 2½ in (6.4 cm) cloud fit side by side at 3 in (7.6 cm) strand spacing.
- Twelve 12-st scallops plus one end stitch fit the 145-st header, which is 36¼ in (92.1 cm) wide.
- A 2 in (5.1 cm) body plus a 1½ in (3.8 cm) border makes the 3½ in (8.9 cm) header.
- Six 26-ch repeats plus a 4-ch lead make each 160-ch strand, which is 40 in (101.6 cm) long.
- The header and strands together give a total drop of 43½ in (110.5 cm).
Check your gauge on one test piece, count at every checkpoint, and the curtain will come together evenly.
Happy crocheting!