This doorway curtain turns a plain opening into a soft wall of trailing vines. Eleven green stems hang from a lacy scalloped header. Each stem carries pairs of small sage leaves and large cream openwork leaves along its length.
The colors are calm and botanical: cream for the header and the big lace leaves, sage green for the stems and small leaves. The look is airy and natural, with a little cottage charm.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain is 33.25 in (84.5 cm) wide. It is about 70.25 in (178.4 cm) long from the top of the header to the strand tips, not counting the hanging tabs.
You work it in four stages. First, crochet one header band with twelve tabs, then 77 cream leaf motifs. Next, join the leaves into eleven strands with chain-and-slip-stitch stems, adding small green leaves as you go. Last, work a scalloped border along the bottom of the header and sew each strand to the center of a scallop.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 33.25 in x 70.25 in (84.5 cm x 178.4 cm), tabs not included
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: US H-8 (5.0 mm)
- Number of pieces: 1 header band, 77 cream leaf motifs, 11 green strands
- Layout: 11 strands across, 7 cream leaves per strand, alternating A and B strands
- Piece size (cream leaf): 3.75 in x 2 in (9.5 cm x 5.1 cm)
- Header size before border: 33.25 in x 1 in (84.5 cm x 2.5 cm)
- Border depth: 1 in (2.5 cm) at the scallop centers
Materials
Use a smooth worsted cotton, either mercerized or soft. Cotton hangs straight, holds the leaf points well and does not stretch much under its own weight. The amounts below assume about 120 yd (109 m) per 2.5 oz (71 g) ball.
- Cream: 900 g, about 1,380 m
- Sage green: 700 g, about 1,075 m
These amounts include a margin of about 10 percent for swatching, tails and gauge differences.
Tools:
- US H-8 (5.0 mm) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch markers
- Measuring tape
- Blocking mats and rust-proof pins
- Spray bottle
- Wooden curtain rod up to 1.25 in (3.2 cm) in diameter
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- sk: skip
- sp(s): space(s)
- st(s): stitch(es)
- rep: repeat
- LP: leaf pair (see below)
Green leaf:
1. Ch 7.
2. Working in the top loops: sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, sc in last ch (6 sts).
3. Sl st in the stem stitch where the leaf began.
4. Rotate and work in the free loops of the same chains: sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc, sl st (6 sts).
5. Work (sl st, ch 2, sl st) in the skipped tip ch.
6. Surface sl st down the center groove 6 times back to the stem, then sl st in the stem stitch.
The leaf measures 1.75 in x 0.75 in (4.4 cm x 1.9 cm).
Leaf pair (LP): Work one green leaf on the left side of the stem. Then rotate the work and make a second green leaf in the same stem stitch on the right side.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc and 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). For stems (chains worked back in sl st), 4 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Make one cream leaf and one full stem before making the rest. Checkpoints:
- Cream leaf after Rnd 1: 2.5 in (6.4 cm) long, not counting tips
- Finished cream leaf: 3.75 in x 2 in (9.5 cm x 5.1 cm)
- Green leaf: 1.75 in (4.4 cm) long
- Full stem (24 ch): 6 in (15.2 cm)
- Header after Row 1: 33.25 in (84.5 cm) wide
If your pieces are too big, go down one hook size. If they are too small, go up one size. Stems are the most common problem. If your 24 chains measure less than 6 in (15.2 cm), loosen your chain or use a hook one size larger for the chain only.

Header Band
With cream, ch 134.
Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (133 sc)
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each st across. Turn. (133 dc)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Fasten off. (133 sc)
Checkpoint: 33.25 in x 1 in (84.5 cm x 2.5 cm).
Tabs (make 12)
Work the tabs into the free loops of the foundation chain along the top edge. With the RS facing, number the free loops 1 to 133 from right to left.
Tab positions: sts 1–5, 11–15, 23–27, 35–39, 47–51, 59–63, 71–75, 83–87, 95–99, 107–111, 119–123 and 129–133. Each inside tab is centered on a scallop junction (sts 13, 25, 37 and so on). Once the border is done, the tabs sit between the scallops.
Row 1: Join cream in the first st of the tab position, ch 1, sc in same st and next 4 sts. Turn. (5 sc)
Rows 2–16: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (5 sc)
Fasten off, leaving a 10-in (25.4 cm) tail. Fold the tab to the WS and sew the last row to the back of Row 2. Before folding, each tab is about 3.5 in (8.9 cm) long and 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide.
Cream Leaf Motif
With cream, ch 11.
Rnd 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 9 ch, ch 2 (bottom tip). Working in the free loops on the other side, sc in next 10 loops. Ch 1, join with hdc in first sc (counts as top tip ch-2 sp). (20 sc, 2 tip sps)
The 20 sc form the solid center vein.
Rnd 2: Ch 6 (counts as dc + ch 3), dc in sp formed by joining hdc, ch 2, [sk next sc, dc in next sc, ch 2] 5 times, (dc, ch 3, dc) in bottom tip sp, ch 2, [sk next sc, dc in next sc, ch 2] 5 times, sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-6. (14 dc, 12 ch-2 sps, 2 ch-3 tip sps)
The dc posts spread out from the vein like leaf ribs, with 6 ch-2 sps on each side.
Rnd 3: Sl st in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc) in same sp, sc in next dc, [2 sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in next dc] 6 times, (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc) in next ch-3 sp, sc in next dc, [2 sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in next dc] 6 times, sl st in first sc. Fasten off. (46 sc, 2 ch-2 tip sps)
Each side has 19 sc between the tip groups, plus 4 sc at each tip: 19 + 19 + 4 + 4 = 46. The two ch-2 tip sps make the pointed top and bottom. Weave in ends.
Checkpoint: 3.75 in x 2 in (9.5 cm x 5.1 cm).
Make All Pieces
Cream:
- 1 header band with 12 tabs
- 77 cream leaves (11 strands x 7 leaves)
Green (worked during joining):
- 72 full stems: 6 A strands x 7, plus 5 B strands x 6
- 5 short top stems and 5 tail stems (B strands only)
- 154 leaf pairs (308 green leaves): 72 x 2 on full stems, plus 1 on each short and tail stem
Layout grid (front view):
Header: [ 11 scallops, 12 tabs on top ]
Strand: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Type: A B A B A B A B A B A
Leaves: 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
B strands start with a shorter stem, so their leaves sit 3 in (7.6 cm) higher than the A leaves and the strands are staggered.
Joining: Building the Strands
Green stems join the cream leaves one segment at a time. Chain each stem down and join it to the next leaf. Then slip-stitch back up through the back bumps to make a firm cord.
Full stem:
1. Join green with sl st in the bottom tip ch-2 sp of the leaf above. For the first stem of an A strand, make a slipknot instead and leave a 12-in (30.5 cm) tail.
2. Ch 24. Sl st in the top tip ch-2 sp of the next leaf.
3. Working up the chain in back bumps: sl st in next 6 ch, LP, sl st in next 8 ch, LP, sl st in next 10 ch (24 sl sts). Fasten off.
The leaf pairs sit 1.5 in (3.8 cm) and 3.5 in (8.9 cm) above each cream leaf.
Short top stem (B strands): Make a slipknot, leaving a 12-in (30.5 cm) tail. Ch 12 and sl st in the top tip of the first leaf. Sl st in next 6 back bumps, LP, sl st in next 6 back bumps (12 sl sts). Fasten off.
Tail stem (B strands): Join green in the bottom tip of the last leaf, ch 13. Sl st in 2nd ch from hook and next 5 ch, LP, sl st in next 6 ch (12 sl sts). Sl st in the leaf tip and fasten off.
Strand A: [Full stem, cream leaf] 7 times = 7 x 9.75 in = 68.25 in (173.4 cm).
Strand B: Short stem, cream leaf, [full stem, cream leaf] 6 times, tail stem = 3 + 3.75 + (6 x 9.75) + 3 = 68.25 in (173.4 cm).
Tension: Keep the chains relaxed and the return sl sts even. Tight sl sts shorten the stem and make the strand curl.
Size checkpoint: Before blocking, each strand should hang at 68.25 in (173.4 cm). A difference of up to 0.5 in (1.3 cm) will even out in blocking.
Border: Scalloped Edge and Strand Attachment
Work the border across Row 3, the bottom edge of the header, only. Leave the short ends and the tabbed top edge plain.
Border gauge: One scallop repeat = 12 sts = 3 in (7.6 cm).
Why the math works: Each repeat is 1 sc + 5 skipped + 1 shell st + 5 skipped = 12 sts. Eleven repeats use 132 sts, and the closing sc goes in st 133: (11 x 12) + 1 = 133.
With RS facing, join cream in the first st of Row 3.
Row 4 (shells): Ch 1, sc in first st, *sk 5 sts, (dc, ch 1) 6 times in next st, dc in same st, sk 5 sts, sc in next st; rep from * 10 more times. Turn. (12 sc, 11 shells; 77 dc and 66 ch-1 sps)
Row 5 (picot edge): Ch 1, sc in first sc, *ch 1, sc in next dc, [ch 3, sc in next dc] 6 times, ch 1, sc in next sc; rep from * 10 more times. Fasten off. (89 sc, 66 ch-3 loops, 22 ch-1 sps)
The 89 sc are 12 junction sc plus 7 sc per shell (11 x 7 = 77). The 4th sc over each shell marks its center.
Attaching strands: Use the top tail of each strand to sew it to the center sc of a scallop. Pass the tail through 3 times and knot it on the WS. Follow the layout grid. Strand 1 hangs 1.5 in (3.8 cm) from the side edge, and the strands are 3 in (7.6 cm) apart.
Final Blocking
- Pin the header WS up to 33.25 in x 2 in (84.5 cm x 5.1 cm), pinning each scallop point.
- Lay each strand straight and pin the cream leaves to 3.75 in x 2 in (9.5 cm x 5.1 cm).
- Angle the green leaves slightly upward and pin their tips.
- Mist until damp, not soaked.
- Let everything dry completely, at least 24 hours.
- Unpin, hang the curtain on the rod and let it settle overnight.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The header is 33.25 in (84.5 cm) wide with 11 even scallops.
- All 12 tabs are the same length and sewn level.
- Every cream leaf has 46 sc and two sharp tips.
- Every full stem has 2 leaf pairs; each short and tail stem has 1.
- All 11 strands hang at 68.25 in (173.4 cm), alternating A and B.
- All ends are woven in.
Troubleshooting
Header is wavy: Rework Row 2 with a smaller hook.
Scallops ruffle: Work Row 4 with a smaller hook.
Cream leaf cups: Loosen the Rnd 2 chains or block firmly.
Strands twist: Loosen the return sl sts and block flat.
Strands are uneven: Recount the chains. Every full stem needs exactly 24 ch.
Green leaves droop: Pin them upward when blocking. A light spray starch helps.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, roll in a towel and dry flat. Re-block if the strands lose their shape.

Final Notes
Here is how the measurements build on each other. A 3.75-in (9.5 cm) cream leaf plus a 6-in (15.2 cm) stem makes a 9.75-in (24.8 cm) unit, and 7 units make a 68.25-in (173.4 cm) strand. Eleven 3-in (7.6 cm) scallop repeats plus one closing stitch give the 33.25-in (84.5 cm) header. The bordered header is 2 in (5.1 cm) deep, which brings the curtain to 70.25 in (178.4 cm). If each of these measurements checks out, the whole curtain will too.
Happy crocheting!