Seaside Shell Fan Window Curtain Crochet Pattern

This curtain looks like strings of seashells hanging in a sunny window. Dusty-blue ribbed fans alternate with small cream rings in nine airy strands. Each strand ends in a full blue tassel, and all of them hang from a neat single-crochet band with tab loops for a curtain rod.

The palette is just two colors: soft denim blue for the fans, band, tabs and tassels, and warm cream for the rings. The look is cottage-coastal and light, and it lets plenty of daylight through.

The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain measures 37.8 in (96.0 cm) wide and 33 in (83.8 cm) long from the top of the band to the tassel tips. The tab loops add about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) above the band.

You’ll work the band first, then build each strand from the top down with join-as-you-go. Each fan joins to the piece above it through its center picot, and each ring is chained directly through the base loop of the fan above. Tassels go on last.

Finished Size and Construction

• Finished size: 37.8 in (96.0 cm) wide × 33 in (83.8 cm) long, plus tabs
• Skill level: Intermediate (post stitches, join-as-you-go)
• Terminology: US
• Yarn weight: DK (#3), cotton or cotton blend
• Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
• Number of pieces: 81 fans, 81 rings, 9 tassels, 1 band with 10 tabs
• Layout: 9 strands across, each with 9 fans, 9 rings and 1 tassel
• Fan size: 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wide × 2 in (5.1 cm) tall
• Ring size: 1 in (2.5 cm) outer diameter
• Strand length before tassel: 27 in (68.6 cm)
• Band size before tabs: 37.8 in (96.0 cm) × 2 in (5.1 cm)
• Band depth (border depth): 2 in (5.1 cm), with tabs 3.6 in (9.1 cm) long before folding

Materials

Cotton gives crisp stitch definition, and the fans keep their shape against the light. Choose a smooth DK cotton of about 115 m (126 yd) per 50 g.

• Blue (fans, band, tabs, tassels): 380 g, about 875 m (957 yd)
• Cream (rings): 40 g, about 92 m (101 yd)

These quantities include a margin of roughly 15–20% for swatching, tails and tassel trimming.

Tools:
– 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors
– Stitch markers (at least 10)
– Stiff card 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall for the tassels
– Rustproof pins and a blocking mat
– Spray bottle

Abbreviations (US Terms)

• ch – chain
• sl st – slip stitch
• sc – single crochet
• dc – double crochet
• fpdc – front post double crochet
• bpdc – back post double crochet
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• tch – turning chain
• RS / WS – right side / wrong side

Special stitch: Picot join. Work ch 1, sl st into the target stitch on the piece above, then ch 1. This replaces a ch-3 picot and joins the two pieces.

Gauge and Checkpoints

Band gauge: 20 sc and 22 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc, which works out to 5 sts per inch.

Before you start the curtain, make one test fan and one test ring.

• Fan after Row 1: about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across the straight edge
• Fan after Row 3: about 3 in (7.6 cm) across
• Fan after Row 4: about 3.5 in (8.9 cm) across
• Finished fan: 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wide × 2 in (5.1 cm) tall
• Ring: 1 in (2.5 cm) across

If the fan is too big, go down 0.5 mm. If it’s too small, go up 0.5 mm. Keep the band within 0.25 in (0.6 cm) of its target width per 4 in (10.2 cm). Otherwise the strand spacing will drift.

Top Band (Make First)

With blue:

Row 1 (RS): Ch 190. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. Turn. (189 sc)

Rows 2–11: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (189 sc)

The band should measure 37.8 in (96.0 cm) × 2 in (5.1 cm). Do not fasten off yet if you plan to start the tabs straight away.

Strand markers: Along the foundation (bottom) edge, place markers in sts 11, 32, 53, 74, 95, 116, 137, 158 and 179. These are 21 sts apart, with 10 sts outside the first and last markers. Each marker sits at the center of a 21-st strand section.

Tabs

The tabs are worked on the Row 11 edge, at these positions:

• sts 7–12, 26–31, 45–50, 64–69, 83–88
• sts 102–107, 121–126, 140–145, 159–164, 178–183

That gives a 6-st margin at each end and 13-st gaps between tabs.

Tab Row 1: Join blue in the first st of the tab position. Ch 1, sc in the same st and in each of the next 5 sts. Turn. (6 sc)

Tab Rows 2–20: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (6 sc)

Each tab is 1.2 in (3.0 cm) wide and 3.6 in (9.1 cm) long. Fold it to the WS and whipstitch the last row across the top of Row 9 of the band. Fasten off. Make 10 tabs. Each one forms a loop that fits a rod up to 1.25 in (3.2 cm) in diameter.

Shell Fan

With blue:

Base: Ch 5, sl st in the first ch to form a ring.

Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 8 dc in the ring. Turn. (9 dc)

These 9 dc cover only the upper half of the base ring. The lower half stays bare, and that is the link point for the ring below.

Row 2 (WS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the same st, 2 dc in each of the next 7 dc, dc in the top of the tch. Turn. (17 dc)

Row 3 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), fpdc around the next st, dc in the next st; repeat from * 7 more times. Turn. (17 sts: 9 dc, 8 fpdc)*

Row 4 (WS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the same st, bpdc around the next fpdc, 2 dc in the next dc; repeat from * 6 more times. Bpdc around the last fpdc, then 2 dc in the top of the tch. Turn. (26 sts: 18 dc, 8 bpdc)*

Worked from the WS, the bpdc pushes each post to the RS. That keeps 8 raised ribs running continuously from the base to the edge, with 9 two-stitch sections between and outside them.

Row 5 (RS, picot edge): Ch 1, sc in the first dc, ch 3, sc in the next dc. Sc in the next post st, sc in the next dc, ch 3, sc in the next dc; repeat from * 7 more times. (26 sc, 9 ch-3 picots)*

The 5th picot is the center picot. It falls in the 4th repeat, and you’ll replace it with a picot join on every fan.

Fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.

Ring

With cream:

Rnd 1: Ch 6. Pass the chain under the bare lower half of the base ring of the fan above, then sl st in the first ch to close it. The ring is now linked like a chain link.

Rnd 2: Ch 1, 12 sc in the ring, sl st to the first sc. (12 sc)

Fasten off and weave in the ends. The ring measures 1 in (2.5 cm).

Make All Pieces

• Blue fans: 81 (9 per strand)
• Cream rings: 81 (9 per strand)
• Blue tassels: 9 (1 per strand)
• Blue band: 1, with 10 tabs

Each strand reads from top to bottom like this:

BAND  ═══════════════════════════════════════
       |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
       F    F    F    F    F    F    F    F    F   ← fan 1
       o    o    o    o    o    o    o    o    o   ← ring 1
       F    F    F    F    F    F    F    F    F
       o    o    o    o    o    o    o    o    o
      ... repeat to 9 fans / 9 rings ...
       T    T    T    T    T    T    T    T    T   ← tassel

F = fan, o = ring, T = tassel. There are 9 strands at a 4.2 in (10.7 cm) pitch.

Joining

Every join is worked as you go, from the top of each strand down.

Fan 1 to the band: Work Fan 1 through the 3rd repeat of Row 5. On the 4th repeat, work sc in the next post st and sc in the next dc. Then picot join into the marked foundation st of the band, and sc in the next dc. Complete the row.

Ring to fan: Make a ring with its starting chain passed through the bare base loop of the fan you just finished.

Next fan to ring: Work the next fan the same way. Make its center picot join into the ring’s sc directly opposite the linked point, so the ring sits straight between the two fans.

Repeat until each strand has 9 fans and 9 rings, ending with a ring.

Stitch-to-stitch logic: Each strand attaches to the band at exactly one stitch, the center of its 21-st section. Each fan joins to the piece above through exactly one stitch. No stitches are added or skipped, so the band count never changes.

Tension: Work the chains in the picot join snugly. Loose joins let the fans twist and spin.

Size checkpoint: After 3 fans and 3 rings, the strand should measure 9 in (22.9 cm) from the band. Each fan-and-ring unit adds 3 in (7.6 cm). A full strand is 27 in (68.6 cm) before the tassel.

Border (Top Band) Math

The band is this project’s border. Its gauge is the same 20 sc and 22 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm).

Width (one side): 9 strands × 21 sts per strand section = 189 sts. Nothing is added at the seams, because the strands hang from single stitches.

Section width: 21 sts ÷ 5 sts per inch = 4.2 in (10.7 cm). Each fan is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wide, so neighboring fans have a 0.45 in (1.1 cm) gap. They sit close together, as in the photo, but never overlap.

Total width: 189 sts ÷ 5 = 37.8 in (96.0 cm).

Depth: 11 rows ÷ 5.5 rows per inch = 2 in (5.1 cm).

Tab row: 6 (margin) + 9 × (6 tab + 13 gap) + 6 (last tab) + 6 (margin) = 189 sts. That matches the band exactly.

Short ends: If you want, work 1 row of sc down each short end of the band, 11 sc per side (1 per row). It tidies the edge without changing the width.

Tassels

1. Wrap blue around the 4.5 in (11.4 cm) card 30 times.
2. Slide a 12 in (30.5 cm) blue strand under the wraps at the top and tie it tightly.
3. Cut the wraps at the bottom.
4. Wrap a separate strand 6 times around the bundle, 0.75 in (1.9 cm) below the top, and knot it.
5. Hide the ends inside the tassel.
6. Trim the tassel to 4 in (10.2 cm).
7. Use the top ties to knot the tassel through the lowest sc of ring 9.

The finished length is 2 + 27 + 4 = 33 in (83.8 cm).

Final Blocking

1. Lay the curtain RS up on a large mat or a towel-covered bed.
2. Pin the band straight at 37.8 in (96.0 cm) × 2 in (5.1 cm).
3. Align the strands vertically at a 4.2 in (10.7 cm) pitch.
4. Open each fan to 3.75 in (9.5 cm). Pin the two outer corners and the center picot.
5. Pull each picot into a neat point with a pin.
6. Spritz until damp, not soaked.
7. Smooth the tassels straight down.
8. Let it dry completely, then unpin.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

• Band has 189 sts across and measures 37.8 in (96.0 cm)
• 10 tabs, evenly spaced and securely sewn
• 9 strands, each joined at the center of its 21-st section
• Every fan has 8 raised ribs and 9 picots
• Every ring has 12 sc and lies flat
• Each strand measures 27 in (68.6 cm) before the tassel
• Tassels are 4 in (10.2 cm) and trimmed evenly
• All ends are woven in

Troubleshooting

• Fans cup or ruffle: Check the Row 2 and Row 4 counts (17 and 26). If the counts are right, change the hook size.
• Ribs disappear: On WS rows, work bpdc, not fpdc.
• Base loop has no gap for the ring: Keep Row 1 to 9 dc pushed to the top half of the ring.
• Fans spin: Tighten the picot join, and make sure it is the 5th picot.
• Strands are uneven in length: Measure at every 3-unit checkpoint, then block them to match.
• Band ripples: The foundation chain is too tight. Redo it with a hook one size larger.

Care

Hand wash in cool water and roll the curtain in a towel to remove moisture. Dry it flat and reblock it if needed.

Final Notes

The measurements chain together cleanly. A 3.75 in (9.5 cm) fan plus a 1 in (2.5 cm) ring makes a 3 in (7.6 cm) unit, and nine units make a 27 in (68.6 cm) strand. A 21-st section gives each strand 4.2 in (10.7 cm), and nine sections make the 189-st, 37.8 in (96.0 cm) band. Add the 2 in (5.1 cm) band and a 4 in (10.2 cm) tassel, and the curtain hangs 33 in (83.8 cm) long. Check each link in that chain as you go, and the finished curtain will hang straight.

Happy crocheting!