The Sunlit Arches Curtain is a boho window panel: a lacy header band hung from a wooden rod, with eleven drop strands below it. Each strand holds an elongated diamond, a striped rainbow arch, three small round medallions and a soft fringed tassel.
The colors are warm cream and soft taupe. The diamonds have a cream four-petal center inside a taupe frame. The rainbows alternate cream and taupe stripes and finish with a cream picot edge and a scalloped base.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain is 34 1/4 in (87.0 cm) wide. The short strands reach 35 3/4 in (90.8 cm) from the top edge and the long strands reach 38 3/4 in (98.4 cm), not counting the rod loops.
Construction is modular. You crochet the header in rows, add a border with rod loops, and make each motif separately. Then you link the motifs into strands with short chain connectors.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 34 1/4 in (87.0 cm) wide x 38 3/4 in (98.4 cm) at the longest strand
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: 5 mm (US H-8)
- Number of pieces: 1 header band, 11 diamonds, 11 rainbows, 33 medallions, 11 tassels
- Layout: 11 strands hanging side by side, alternating Strand A and Strand B
- Piece sizes:
- Diamond: 4 1/2 in (11.4 cm) wide x 6 1/4 in (15.9 cm) tall
- Rainbow: 5 in (12.7 cm) wide x 3 1/4 in (8.3 cm) tall
- Medallion: 1 1/4 in (3.2 cm) across
- Tassel: 5 in (12.7 cm) long
- Header size before border: 33 1/4 in (84.5 cm) wide x 4 3/4 in (12.1 cm) deep at the arch centers
- Border depth: 1/2 in (1.3 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth worsted cotton or cotton blend, about 170 m per 100 g. Cotton holds the lace shapes and hangs straight without sagging.
- Cream: 350 g (595 m), for the header, motifs, medallions and connectors
- Taupe: 450 g (765 m), for the header, border, motifs, medallions and tassels
These quantities include a margin of about 15%.
Tools:
– 5 mm (US H-8) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Stitch markers
– Scissors
– Stiff card, 5 1/2 in (14.0 cm) tall, for the tassels
– Rust-proof pins and a blocking surface
– Wooden 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
- MR: magic ring
- sp: space
- st(s): stitch(es)
- RS / WS: right side / wrong side
Special stitches:
– Picot: Ch 3, sl st in the 3rd ch from the hook.
– Connector: With cream, sc in the lower attachment point of the upper item, ch the stated number, sc in the upper attachment point of the lower item, then fasten off.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 dc and 8 dc rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). 16 sc and 16 sc rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). One dc row is 1/2 in (1.3 cm) tall and one sc row is 1/4 in (0.6 cm) tall.
Before you start the header, make one diamond and one rainbow as quick tension tests.
Checkpoints:
– Finished diamond: 4 1/2 in x 6 1/4 in (11.4 cm x 15.9 cm)
– Finished rainbow: 5 in (12.7 cm) wide
– Header after Row 4: 33 1/4 in (84.5 cm) wide
– One ch-8 connector: about 2 in (5.1 cm) long
If your pieces are too big, go down 0.5 mm. If they’re too small, go up 0.5 mm. Use the same hook for every part of the project.
Header Band
The header is worked in rows from the top down. Change colors at the end of a row and work over the tails.
Foundation (taupe): 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 throughout), dc in each st across. Turn. (133 dc)
Row 3 (cream): Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk next st, dc in next st, ch 1, sk next st, dc in next st; rep from * across. Turn. (67 dc + 66 ch-1 sps = 133 sts)
Row 4: Ch 3, dc in next ch-1 sp, dc in next dc; rep from * across, working the last dc in the 3rd ch of the turning ch. Turn. (133 dc)
Checkpoint: the band should measure 33 1/4 in (84.5 cm) wide.
Row 5 (taupe): Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (133 sc)
Row 6 (cream): Ch 3, dc in each st across. Turn. (133 dc)
Row 7: Rep Row 3. (67 dc + 66 ch-1 sps = 133 sts)
Row 8: Rep Row 4. (133 dc)
Row 9 (taupe): Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (133 sc)
Row 10 (cream, shell row): Ch 1, sc in first st, sk next 5 sts, 11 tr in next st, sk next 5 sts, sc in next st; rep from * 10 more times. Turn. (12 sc + 11 shells of 11 tr = 133 sts)
Row 11 (taupe, edging): Ch 1, sc in first sc, sc in next 5 tr, (sc, ch 3, sc) in next tr, sc in next 5 tr, sc in next sc; rep from * 10 more times. Fasten off. (133 sc worked 1 per st + 11 extra sc at the shell centers = 144 sc, plus 11 ch-3 picot sps)
The 11 ch-3 sps sit at the lowest point of each arch. The strands hang from them.
Checkpoint: the header should be 4 3/4 in (12.1 cm) deep at the arch centers and 4 1/4 in (10.8 cm) deep at the valleys and side edges.
Diamond Motif (make 11)
The diamond is worked in the round. It has two point corners at the top and bottom (P1 and P2) and two side corners (S1 and S2). The point corners use tall tr stitches and the side corners use shorter dc stitches, so the diamond comes out taller than it is wide.
Rnd 1 (cream): In MR: ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc, ch 2 (S1), 3 dc, ch 4 (P1), 3 dc, ch 2 (S2), 3 dc, ch 4 (P2), sl st to top of ch-3. (12 dc in 4 petals)
Rnd 2: Sl st in next 2 dc and into S1. Ch 3, (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in S1, dc in next 3 dc, (2 tr, ch 4, 2 tr) in P1, dc in next 3 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in S2, dc in next 3 dc, (2 tr, ch 4, 2 tr) in P2, dc in next 3 dc, sl st to top of ch-3. Fasten off. (28 sts; 7 per side)
Rnd 3 (taupe): Join in S1. Ch 3, (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in S1, dc in next 7 sts, (2 tr, ch 4, 2 tr) in P1, dc in next 7 sts, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in S2, dc in next 7 sts, (2 tr, ch 4, 2 tr) in P2, dc in next 7 sts, sl st to top of ch-3. Fasten off. (44 sts; 11 per side)
Rnd 4 (cream): Work as for Rnd 3, but work dc in next 11 sts along each side. Fasten off. (60 sts; 15 per side)
Rnd 5 (taupe): Join in S1. Ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in each S sp, (sc, ch 3, sc) in each P sp, and sc in each st along the sides; sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (68 sc; 17 per side)
Each side count includes that side’s 2 corner stitches: 2 + 3 + 2 = 7, 2 + 7 + 2 = 11, 2 + 11 + 2 = 15 and 1 + 15 + 1 = 17. Each round’s total is 4 times its side count.
Rainbow Arch Motif (make 11)
Row 1 (cream): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 5 dc in MR. Close the ring only partway so a small center eye stays open. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 2 (taupe): Ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each st across. Turn. (12 sts)
Row 3 (cream): Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st; rep from * to last st, dc in last st. Turn. (18 sts)
Row 4 (taupe): Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st; rep from * to last 2 sts, dc in last 2 sts. Turn. (24 sts)
Row 5 (cream): Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 3 sts, 2 dc in next st; rep from * to last 3 sts, dc in last 3 sts. Turn. (30 sts)
Row 6 (cream, picot edge): Ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, picot, sc in next 2 sts; rep from * across. Do not turn. (30 sc + 14 picots)
Row 7 (base loops): Rotate to work along the straight edge. Sc in end of Row 6, ch 3, sc in end of next row; rep from * down to Row 1. Ch 3, sc in center eye. Work up the other side the same way. (13 sc + 12 ch-3 loops)
Row 8 (scallops): (Sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc) in each ch-3 loop. Fasten off. (12 scallops; 60 sts)
Attachment points:
– Top: the 15th and 16th sc of Row 6, worked together
– Bottom: the Row 7 sc in the center eye
Medallions and Tassels
Medallion (make 33: 17 cream, 16 taupe):
Rnd 1: 8 sc in MR, sl st to first sc. (8 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc, sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (16 sc)
The top attachment point is sc 1 and the bottom is sc 9.
Tassel (make 11, taupe):
1. Wrap the yarn 30 times around the 5 1/2 in (14.0 cm) card.
2. Thread a 12 in (30.5 cm) strand through the top loops, tie it tightly and leave the ends long for attaching.
3. Cut the bottom loops.
4. Wrap the neck 1/2 in (1.3 cm) below the top.
5. Trim to 5 in (12.7 cm).
Make All Pieces
- Header: 1
- Diamonds: 11
- Rainbows: 11
- Medallions: 17 cream, 16 taupe
- Tassels: 11 taupe
Strand A (make 6): cream medallion, diamond, taupe medallion, rainbow, cream medallion, tassel
Strand B (make 5): taupe medallion, rainbow, cream medallion, diamond, taupe medallion, tassel
Layout (left to right, one strand per header arch):
Arch: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Strand: A B A B A B A B A B A
Joining
Lay the header flat with the WS up. Arrange each strand’s pieces in order below its arch. Every connector goes from one exact center point to the next.
Strand A: All connectors are ch 8. Join in this order:
1. Header ch-3 picot sp to the top of the first medallion
2. Bottom of the first medallion to diamond P1
3. Diamond P2 to the top of the second medallion
4. Bottom of the second medallion to the rainbow top
5. Rainbow bottom to the top of the third medallion
6. From the bottom of the third medallion, ch 8 and tie the tassel to the last ch.
Strand B: Join in the same way, using the Strand B order. The only difference is the first connector (header to medallion), which is ch 20. This drops every B motif by 3 in (7.6 cm) and creates the staggered look.
Tension: Chain loosely and evenly, and keep the chains untwisted. Tight chains shorten the strands.
Size checkpoint: measured from the picot to the tip of the tassel, Strand A is 30 1/2 in (77.5 cm) and Strand B is 33 1/2 in (85.1 cm).
Border
The border is worked in taupe along the top and both side edges of the header only.
Border gauge: 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm), which is 4 sc per inch. Keep the same density along the row-ends.
Border Row 1: With the RS facing, join at the lower right corner (end of Row 11). Work 17 sc up the side edge: 1 sc per sc row-end and 2 sc per dc or tr-edge row-end. Ch 1 for the corner. Sc in each of the 133 foundation ch. Ch 1 for the corner. Work 17 sc down the left side. Turn. (17 + 133 + 17 = 167 sc + 2 corner ch-1 sps)
Border Row 2 (rod loops): Ch 1, sc in 17 side sc, sc in corner sp, sc in next 11 sc, ch 12, sk next sc, sc in next 9 sc; rep from * 10 more times, ch 12, sk next sc, sc in last 11 top sc, sc in corner sp, sc in 17 side sc. Fasten off. (157 sc + 12 ch-12 loops)
Why the math works:
– The side edge is 4 1/4 in (10.8 cm) deep. At 4 sc per inch, 17 sc covers exactly 4 1/4 in.
– Across the top, 11 + (11 x 10) + 1 + 11 = 133, so every foundation stitch is used once.
– The corners have their own ch-1 sps, so no stitch is counted twice.
– The two sc rows add 1/2 in (1.3 cm) per edge. The width becomes 33 1/4 + 1/2 + 1/2 = 34 1/4 in (87.0 cm). The depth becomes 4 3/4 + 1/2 = 5 1/4 in (13.3 cm) at the arch centers.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends through stitches of the same color.
- Soak the curtain in cool water for 15 minutes. Press out the water without wringing.
- Roll it in a towel to remove the excess moisture.
- Pin the header to 34 1/4 in x 5 1/4 in (87.0 cm x 13.3 cm), opening each shell into an even arch.
- Pin each diamond to 4 1/2 in x 6 1/4 in (11.4 cm x 15.9 cm) with sharp points.
- Pin each rainbow to 5 in (12.7 cm) wide, opening the picots and scallops.
- Straighten the connectors and comb out the tassels.
- Let everything dry completely, then hang the curtain from the rod.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The header is 34 1/4 in (87.0 cm) wide.
- There are 11 arch picots and 12 evenly spaced rod loops.
- Each diamond has 17 sc per side on Rnd 5.
- Each rainbow has 14 picots and 12 scallops.
- The 6 A strands and 5 B strands alternate correctly.
- Strand A is 30 1/2 in (77.5 cm) and Strand B is 33 1/2 in (85.1 cm).
- No connectors are twisted, and all ends are secure.
Troubleshooting
- The header flares: The shells are too loose. Go down a hook size for Row 10 only.
- The header narrows: Check that each mesh row has 67 dc.
- The diamond cups: Loosen the ch-4 point spaces.
- The diamond looks square: Use tr, not dc, at the P corners.
- The rainbow ruffles: Each row should add exactly 6 sts.
- A strand hangs crooked: Rejoin the connectors at the exact center points.
- The tassels are uneven: Trim them all together while damp.
Care
Hand wash in cold water and dry flat, reshaping the motifs while they’re damp. Shake the curtain out gently between washes.
Final Notes
Here is how the measurements build on each other:
– A gauge of 16 dc = 4 in (10.2 cm) gives a 133-st header that is 33 1/4 in (84.5 cm) wide.
– The border brings the width to 34 1/4 in (87.0 cm).
– Eleven arches anchor strands of 30 1/2 in (77.5 cm) and 33 1/2 in (85.1 cm).
– The total drops are 35 3/4 in (90.8 cm) and 38 3/4 in (98.4 cm).
Check each link as you go and the curtain will hang straight.
Happy crocheting!