This valance brings the colors of a peacock feather to your window. A cream lace header holds seven teal-and-gold flower squares, and wavy deep-teal borders frame it. Teal cords hang below it, each carrying layered peacock feathers.
The colors are cream, deep teal, mustard gold and sage green. Each feather is layered from the center out: a teal eye, a gold ring, a sage almond and an open teal outer edge of spokes.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The header finishes at 29 x 6 in (73.7 x 15.2 cm). The longest drops hang 17.75 in (45.1 cm) below it, so the total length is 23.75 in (60.3 cm).
First you make seven lace squares, join them in a row and add a wavy border. Then you sew on seven tabs and thirteen cords, and stitch the feathers onto the cords.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 29 x 23.75 in (73.7 x 60.3 cm), including drops
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: DK (3) cotton
- Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
- Number of pieces: 7 squares, 7 tabs, 13 cords, 7 large feathers, 19 small feathers
- Layout: 7 squares in 1 row
- Square size: 4 x 4 in (10.2 x 10.2 cm)
- Header before border: 28 x 4 in (71.1 x 10.2 cm)
- Header after border: 29 x 6 in (73.7 x 15.2 cm)
- Border depth: 1 in (2.5 cm) at the wave peaks on the long edges, 0.5 in (1.3 cm) on the short ends
Materials
Use a smooth mercerized DK cotton. It keeps the lace crisp and helps the feathers hang flat.
- Cream: 100 g, about 230 m (squares, border Round 1, tabs)
- Deep teal: 150 g, about 345 m (petals, border, cords, feather eyes and edges)
- Mustard gold: 50 g, about 115 m (flower centers, feather rings)
- Sage green: 50 g, about 115 m (feather almonds)
All quantities include a margin of roughly 25 percent.
Tools: 4.0 mm (G-6) hook, tapestry needle, stitch markers, measuring tape, rustproof pins, blocking mat, spray bottle, and 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
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- MR – magic ring
- crab st – reverse single crochet
Petal: (dc, tr, ch 1, tr, dc) all in the same st. The ch 1 forms the pointed tip.
Crab st: Work from left to right. Insert the hook in the next st to the right, pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through both loops.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make one complete square first. It tells you whether your header will reach 29 in (73.7 cm).
- After Round 1: gold center about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across
- After Round 3: flower about 2.75 in (7.0 cm) from tip to opposite tip
- After Round 6: 4 x 4 in (10.2 x 10.2 cm) after light blocking
- Cord gauge: 4 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm), measured after the sl st return
- Large feather: 4.25 x 3 in (10.8 x 7.6 cm)
- Small feather: 1.75 x 1.25 in (4.4 x 3.2 cm)
If your square is too big, go down half a hook size. If it is too small, go up half a size. Being off by 0.25 in (0.6 cm) per square changes the header width by 1.75 in (4.4 cm).
Part 1: Flower Lace Square (make 7)
Round 1 (gold): MR, ch 1, 8 sc in ring, join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (8 sc)
Round 2 (teal): Join teal in any sc. Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around, join. (16 sc)
Round 3 (teal): Ch 1, Petal in next sc, sl st in next sc; repeat from * 8 times total, working the last sl st in the first st. Fasten off. (8 petals)
Round 4 (cream): Join cream in the ch-1 tip of any petal. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then (dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in the same tip for a corner. Ch 4, sc in the next petal tip, ch 4, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in the next petal tip; repeat from * 2 more times. Ch 4, sc in the next tip, ch 4, join to the top of the beginning ch-3. (16 dc, 4 sc, 8 ch-4 sps, 4 corner sps)
The ch-4 spaces form the first diamond openings around the flower.
Round 5 (cream): Sl st in the next dc and into the corner ch-3 sp. Ch 3, then (dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in the same sp. Ch 3, sc in the next ch-4 sp, ch 3, sc in the next ch-4 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in the next corner sp; repeat from * 2 more times. Ch 3, sc in the next ch-4 sp, ch 3, sc in the next ch-4 sp, ch 3, join. (16 dc, 8 sc, 12 ch-3 side sps, 4 corner sps)
Round 6 (cream): Sl st in the next dc and into the corner sp. Ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in the corner sp. Sc in the next 2 dc, 3 sc in the next ch-3 sp, sc in the next sc, 3 sc in the next ch-3 sp, sc in the next sc, 3 sc in the next ch-3 sp, sc in the next 2 dc, (sc, ch 2, sc) in the corner sp; repeat from * around, leaving out the last corner. Join. Fasten off.
Each side has 15 sts between the corners plus 1 corner sc at each end. Count: 17 sc per side (including the 2 corner sc), 68 sc total, plus 4 corner ch-2 sps.
Part 2: Tabs (make 7, cream)
Ch 7.
Row 1: Dc in the 5th ch from hook (the skipped chs count as dc and ch 1), ch 1, sk 1 ch, dc in the last ch. Turn. (3 dc, 2 ch-1 sps = 5 sts)
Rows 2–8: Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), sk the ch-1 sp, dc in the next dc, ch 1, sk the ch-1 sp, dc in the 3rd ch of the turning ch. Turn. (5 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail. Each mesh tab measures 1.25 x 4 in (3.2 x 10.2 cm).
Part 3: Cords (make 13, teal)
Peak cords (make 7): Ch 64. Sl st in the back bump of the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch back to the start. Fasten off, leaving a long tail. (16 in / 40.6 cm)
Valley cords (make 6): Ch 56 and work as for the peak cords. (14 in / 35.6 cm)
Part 4: Large Feather (make 7)
Round 1 (teal): MR, ch 1, 8 sc in ring, join. Fasten off. (8 sc)
Round 2 (gold): Join in any sc. Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around, join. Fasten off. (16 sc)
Number the stitches 1 to 16, starting where you will join next. Stitch 1 becomes the bottom and stitch 9 becomes the top point.
Round 3 (sage): Join in st 1. Ch 1, 2 sc in st 1, sc in st 2, hdc in st 3, dc in sts 4–6, 2 dc in st 7, tr in st 8, (tr, ch 2, tr) in st 9, tr in st 10, 2 dc in st 11, dc in sts 12–14, hdc in st 15, sc in st 16, join. Fasten off. (20 sts plus 1 ch-2 tip)
Round 4 (teal): Join in the first sc of Round 3. Ch 1, sc in the same st, ch 1, [hdc in the next st, ch 1] 2 times, [dc in the next st, ch 1] 5 times, [tr in the next st, ch 1] 2 times, (tr, ch 3, tr) in the ch-2 tip, [ch 1, tr in the next st] 2 times, [ch 1, dc in the next st] 5 times, [ch 1, hdc in the next st] 2 times, ch 1, sc in the last st, ch 1, join. Fasten off. (22 spokes, 21 ch-1 sps, 1 ch-3 tip)
Part 5: Small Feather (make 19)
Make 10 in colorway A (sage Round 2, gold Round 3) and 9 in colorway B (gold Round 2, sage Round 3).
Round 1 (teal): MR, ch 1, 6 sc in ring, join. Fasten off. (6 sc)
Round 2: Join in any sc. Ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in the first st for the bottom point, hdc in the next st, dc in the next st, (dc, ch 2, dc) in the next st for the top point, dc in the next st, hdc in the next st, join. Fasten off. (8 sts plus 2 ch-2 points)
Round 3: Join in the first sc. Ch 1, sc in each st around, working (sc, ch 2, sc) in each ch-2 point. Join and fasten off. (8 sc worked 1 per st + 4 sc added at the points = 12 sc, plus 2 ch-2 points)
Make All Pieces
- Flower squares: 7 (gold, teal, cream)
- Tabs: 7 (cream)
- Cords: 7 peak and 6 valley (teal)
- Large feathers: 7 (teal, gold, sage)
- Small feathers: 10 in colorway A and 9 in colorway B
T T T T T T T
[S1]-[S2]-[S3]-[S4]-[S5]-[S6]-[S7]
P V P V P V P V P V P V P
T = tab, S = square, P = peak cord (at the center of each square), V = valley cord (at each seam).
Joining
Hold two squares right sides together and join with cream. Sl st in the matching corner ch-2 sps. Then sl st through the back loops of each pair of sts, working 17 sts to 17 sts, stitch to stitch. Finish with a sl st in the next pair of corner sps. Join all 6 seams this way.
Keep the slip stitches as loose as the fabric. If the seams pucker, go up one hook size for the joining only.
Checkpoint: 28 x 4 in (71.1 x 10.2 cm). Each long side has 7 x 17 = 119 sts, and each short side has 17.
Border
Border gauge: There is one 17-st wave per square side. Each wave peaks at the center of a square and dips at each seam.
Round 1 (cream): Join in an outer corner ch-2 sp. Ch 1, 3 sc in the same sp. Sc in each st along the long side, for 119 sc. Do not work into the seam corner sps, because each square’s corner sc are already part of the 119. Work 3 sc in the next outer corner, then 17 sc along the short side. Repeat around and join. (2 x 119 + 2 x 17 + 4 x 3 = 284 sts)
Round 2 (teal): Join in the center sc of any corner. Ch 1, 3 sc in the same st. On each long side, sc in the next st, then sc in 3, hdc in 2, dc in 2, tr in 3, dc in 2, hdc in 2, sc in 3. Repeat this 17-st wave 7 times, then sc in the last st before the corner. Work 3 sc in each corner center st. On the short sides, sc in each st, for 1 + 17 + 1 = 19 sc. Join. (284 sts worked 1 per st + 8 sts added at the corners = 292 sts)
Round 3 (teal): Ch 1, crab st in each st around. Join and fasten off. (292 sts)
Why the math works: 119 stitches divide into exactly seven 17-st waves. Each tr peak sits over a flower and each sc valley sits over a seam, so the border lies flat without ruffling.
Header checkpoint: 29 x 6 in (73.7 x 15.2 cm).
Attach Tabs, Cords and Feathers
Tabs: Center a tab over each wave peak along the top edge. Sew one end to the back of border Round 1. Fold the tab over and sew the other end to the front, forming a 2 in (5.1 cm) loop.
Cords: Sew a peak cord to the back of the bottom border at the center of each square. Sew a valley cord at each seam.
Feathers: Lay each cord behind its feathers and tack both feather points to the cord.
- Large feathers on peak cords 1, 3, 5 and 7: top point 3 in (7.6 cm) below the header.
- Large feathers on peak cords 2, 4 and 6: top point 6 in (15.2 cm) below the header.
- Valley cords: one small feather centered 4 in (10.2 cm) below the header.
- Every cord end: one small feather, hung by its top point, alternating colorways A and B.
That uses 7 large feathers and 7 + 6 + 6 = 19 small feathers. Peak strands reach 16 + 1.75 = 17.75 in (45.1 cm) below the header. Valley strands reach 14 + 1.75 = 15.75 in (40.0 cm).
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends through stitches of the same color.
- Pin the header face up to 29 x 6 in (73.7 x 15.2 cm), keeping the long edges straight.
- Pin each wave peak to the same depth.
- Pin the feathers flat, opening the spokes and pinning each tip.
- Mist until damp and let dry completely, for at least 12 hours.
- Hang the valance and let the cords settle for a day.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each square is 4 in (10.2 cm) with 17 sts per side
- Seams are flat and corners line up
- 7 waves per long edge, each centered over a flower
- Header measures 29 x 6 in (73.7 x 15.2 cm)
- Tabs are evenly spaced and the same height
- Cords hang straight and the feathers face forward
- No ends show on the front
Troubleshooting
Petals cup or ruffle: Recount Round 2. It should have 16 sc.
Square is not square: Check that each Round 5 corner has (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc). Block firmly.
Border ripples: You probably worked into the seam corner sps. Rework with 119 sts per long side.
Border pulls in: Go up one hook size for the crab stitch.
Feathers twist: Tack both points and add a stitch at the middle.
Cords stretch: Work the sl sts into the back bumps, not the top loops.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, roll in a towel and dry flat. Re-pin the feather tips if they curl.
Final Notes
Every measurement builds on the one before it. One 4 in (10.2 cm) square with 17 sts per side makes a 28 in (71.1 cm) strip with 119 sts per long side. Seven 17-st waves bring the header to 29 x 6 in (73.7 x 15.2 cm). Cords of 16 in (40.6 cm) and 14 in (35.6 cm), plus 1.75 in (4.4 cm) feathers, give the full 23.75 in (60.3 cm) length. If your first square is the right size, the rest will fit together.
Happy crocheting!