This café curtain sets 40 cream flowers inside a lacy teal grid. Each square motif starts with a solid teal center, then a cream flower with eight rounded petals, then an openwork teal frame that turns the circle into a square. Once the motifs are joined, the frames form a lattice of small diamond openings, so light filters through while the flowers stay crisp.
The palette is just teal and cream. That keeps the look cottage-style but tidy, and it works in a kitchen window, over a door pane, or in a breakfast nook. Teal tab tops slide over a standard rod, and alternating teal and cream tassels finish the lower edge.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The panel measures 46 in (116.8 cm) wide by 19 in (48.3 cm) tall. With the tabs and tassels, the total height is 24.5 in (62.2 cm).
You’ll crochet 40 identical motifs, join them with slip stitches into a grid 10 motifs wide and 4 motifs tall, then add a two-round border. Last come the tabs and tassels.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished panel size: 46 in × 19 in (116.8 cm × 48.3 cm)
- With tabs and tassels: 46 in × 24.5 in (116.8 cm × 62.2 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK / light worsted cotton (#3)
- Hook: 4 mm (US G-6)
- Number of pieces: 40 motifs
- Layout: 10 motifs wide × 4 motifs tall
- Motif size: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) square
- Size before border: 45 in × 18 in (114.3 cm × 45.7 cm)
- Border depth: 0.5 in (1.3 cm) on each side
- Tabs: 10 loops, each 2 in (5.1 cm) wide and 2.5 in (6.4 cm) deep when folded
- Tassels: 21 tassels, each 3 in (7.6 cm) long
Materials
Use a smooth mercerized or combed cotton in DK weight, about 115 m per 50 g. Cotton keeps its shape in sunlight, washes well, and gives clear stitch definition. Avoid fuzzy blends, because they blur the lace.
- Teal: 250 g (about 575 m) for the motif centers, frames, joins, border, tabs and 11 tassels
- Cream: 100 g (about 230 m) for the flowers and 10 tassels
These quantities include a margin of about 15% for gauge differences, swatching and tails.
Tools
- 4 mm (US G-6) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch markers
- Stiff card 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide, for tassels
- Sharp scissors
- Tape measure
- Blocking mats and rust-proof pins
- Spray bottle
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet (yarn over twice, insert, pull up a loop, [yarn over, pull through 2] three times)
- sp(s) – space(s)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rep – repeat
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
Special stitch: petal. Work (sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc) into the same chain space. One petal is 7 stitches, and its center dc is the 4th stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc and 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc. More importantly, one finished motif should measure 4.5 in (11.4 cm) from side to side.
Make one complete motif before you start production. Pin it flat without stretching and measure it at each stage:
- After Round 3 (flower): about 3 in (7.6 cm) across, tip to tip
- After Round 4 (chain frame): about 3.75 in (9.5 cm) square
- After Round 6 (finished motif): 4.5 in (11.4 cm) square, with 18 sc per side
If the motif is too big (4.75 in / 12.1 cm or more), go down to a 3.75 mm hook. Across 10 motifs, an extra 0.25 in (0.6 cm) each adds 2.5 in (6.4 cm) to the width.
If the motif is too small (4.25 in / 10.8 cm or less), go up to a 4.5 mm hook.
Measure again after any hook change. Every later measurement depends on this one.
Motif (make 40)
Round 1 (teal): Make a magic ring. Ch 1, work 16 sc into the ring, then join with sl st to the first sc. Pull the ring tight and fasten off. (16 sc)
Round 2 (cream): Join cream with sl st in any sc. Ch 1, sc in the same st, ch 3, skip the next sc. Sc in the next sc, ch 3, skip the next sc. Rep from * 6 times, then join with sl st to the first sc. (8 sc, 8 ch-3 sps)
Round 3 (cream): Sl st into the first ch-3 sp. Work 1 petal in each ch-3 sp around, then join with sl st to the first sc. Fasten off. (8 petals, 56 sts)
The petals sit side by side with their sc’s touching, which gives the rounded, scalloped flower. Check that it lies flat and measures about 3 in (7.6 cm).
Round 4 (teal, chain frame): Join teal with sc in the center dc of any petal.
Ch 5. In the center dc of the next petal, work (tr, ch 5, tr) to make a corner. Ch 5, sc in the center dc of the next petal. Rep from * 3 more times. On the last repeat, skip the final sc and join with sl st to the first sc.
(4 sc, 8 tr, 12 ch-5 sps: 4 corner sps and 8 side sps)
Every other petal now anchors a corner. The petals in between are caught at the middle of each side, which squares off the flower. Each side has 2 side ch-5 sps.
Round 5 (teal, lacy V’s): Sl st in the next 2 ch to move into the first side sp. In that sp, ch 3 (counts as dc) and work (dc, ch 2, 2 dc).
In the next corner sp, work (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc). In each of the next 2 side sps, work (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc). Rep from * 2 more times.
In the last corner sp, work (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc). In the last side sp, work (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc). Join with sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3.
(48 dc: 12 dc per side, plus 2 ch-2 sps per side and 4 corner ch-3 sps)
Count one side: half a corner gives 2 dc, each side V gives 4 dc, and the other half-corner gives 2 dc. That is 2 + 4 + 4 + 2 = 12 dc. These ch-2 gaps and the Round 4 arches make the lace you see between the flowers.
Round 6 (teal, sc edge): This is a conversion round. Ch 1. Sc in the same st and in each dc. Work 2 sc in each ch-2 sp, and (sc, ch 2, sc) in each corner ch-3 sp. Join with sl st to the first sc. Fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.
Per side, the count is 12 (1 sc per dc) + 4 (2 sc in each of the 2 ch-2 sps) + 2 (the corner sc at each end) = 18 sc per side. The round total is 72 sc plus 4 ch-2 corner sps.
In this pattern, “18 per side” always includes that side’s 2 corner sc. The ch-2 corner spaces are not counted as stitches.
The motif now measures 4.5 in (11.4 cm). Weave in all ends except the teal tail.
Make All Pieces
- 40 motifs total
- Teal per motif: about 7.3 m (Rounds 1, 4, 5 and 6)
- Cream per motif: about 3.3 m (Rounds 2 and 3)
Every motif is identical. Here is the layout, with M = one motif:
Row A: M M M M M M M M M M
Row B: M M M M M M M M M M
Row C: M M M M M M M M M M
Row D: M M M M M M M M M M
(10 across × 4 down = 40 motifs)
Block all 40 motifs to 4.5 in (11.4 cm) before joining. Joining is much easier when every edge already has the same length.
Joining
Method: Slip stitch seam on the WS, in teal.
- Place two motifs RS together, with the edges lined up.
- Start in the matching ch-2 corner spaces of both motifs. Work a sl st through both.
- Sl st through the outer loop of each sc on the front motif and the matching sc on the back motif, one stitch to one stitch. Work all 18 pairs.
- Finish with a sl st through both of the next corner ch-2 spaces.
Join the motifs into 4 strips of 10 (row by row), then join the strips along their long edges. Where four corners meet, work the sl st through all of the corner spaces together so the intersection stays flat. That point is the center of one of the diamond openings.
Tension: Keep the sl sts as loose as the sc’s they join. If they’re tight, the seams pucker and the curtain pulls narrower than 45 in (114.3 cm). If you tend to work tightly, use a 4.5 mm hook for the joins only.
Checkpoint: The joined panel should measure 45 in × 18 in (114.3 cm × 45.7 cm). Each long edge has 10 × 18 = 180 sc and each short edge has 4 × 18 = 72 sc. No stitches are added at the seams.
Border
Border gauge: 4 sc per in (2.5 cm), the same as the motif edges. That is why the border adds depth but no width.
Round 1 (teal): With RS facing, join teal in the first sc after any outer corner. Ch 1 and sc in the same st.
Sc in each sc along the edge. At each seam, go straight from the last sc of one motif to the first sc of the next. Do not work into the joined corner spaces at the seams. In each of the 4 outer corner ch-2 sps, ch 2 but work no stitch. Join with sl st to the first sc.
- Top and bottom: 180 sc each (10 motifs × 18)
- Sides: 72 sc each (4 motifs × 18)
- Total: 504 sc, plus 4 ch-2 corner sps
Round 2 (teal): Ch 1. Sc in each sc, and work (sc, ch 2, sc) in each corner ch-2 sp. Join with sl st and fasten off.
- Top and bottom: 180 + 2 = 182 sc each
- Sides: 72 + 2 = 74 sc each
- Total: 512 sc, plus 4 ch-2 corner sps
Why the math works: The motif edges already have the right length: 180 sts ÷ 4 sts per in = 45 in (114.3 cm), and 72 ÷ 4 = 18 in (45.7 cm). The border matches them stitch for stitch. It adds only the corner turning stitches, so the edges stay straight and don’t ruffle. Each sc round is about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) tall, so the two rounds add 0.5 in (1.3 cm) all around. The panel becomes 46 in × 19 in (116.8 cm × 48.3 cm).
Tab Tops (make 10)
Number the top edge stitches of Round 2 from 1 to 182, starting with the right corner sc. Each motif sits under 18 stitches. Center one 8-stitch tab over each motif:
- 6 stitches at each end are left free: the corner sc plus 5
- 8 stitches per tab
- 10 free stitches between tabs
Check: 6 + (10 × 8) + (9 × 10) + 6 = 182 ✓
Tab 1 sits on stitches 7–14, Tab 2 on stitches 25–32, and so on, adding 18 each time. Mark the tab positions before you start.
Rows 1–22: Join teal in the first stitch of the tab. Ch 1 and sc in the 8 sts. On every following row, ch 1, turn, and sc in each of the 8 sts. After 22 rows, the strip measures about 5 in (12.7 cm).
Fold the strip to the WS and sew the last row across the base of Row 1. This makes a 2.5 in (6.4 cm) loop, which fits rods up to 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.
Tassels (make 21)
Wrap yarn 30 times around the 3.5 in (8.9 cm) card. Tie the loops at the top, cut them at the bottom, and wrap a neck 0.75 in (1.9 cm) below the tie. Trim to 3 in (7.6 cm). Each tassel uses about 6 m of yarn.
Use the same 182-stitch numbering on the bottom edge. Each motif has 18 stitches: motif k covers stitches 18(k−1)+2 through 18k+1.
- Teal (11): on stitch 1, on stitch 182, and on the last stitch of motifs 1–9 (at the seams: stitches 19, 37 … 163)
- Cream (10): on the 9th stitch of each motif (stitches 10, 28 … 172)
Tie each tassel through its stitch with its own top ties, then hide the ends inside the tassel.
Final Blocking
- Weave in any remaining ends along the WS seams.
- Pin the panel face up to 46 in × 19 in (116.8 cm × 48.3 cm). Start with the four corners, then pin the midpoints of each edge.
- Pin out every diamond opening and petal tip so the lace opens evenly.
- Spray with water until damp, but not dripping.
- Let it dry completely, which takes 12–24 hours.
- Steam the tabs flat, and smooth the tassels with damp fingers.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] 40 motifs, each 4.5 in (11.4 cm) with 18 sc per side
- [ ] Each flower has 8 petals, 4 at corners and 4 at the side midpoints
- [ ] Seams lie flat with no puckering
- [ ] Panel before border: 45 in × 18 in (114.3 cm × 45.7 cm)
- [ ] Border Round 2: 182 / 74 / 182 / 74 sc
- [ ] 10 tabs, evenly spaced and securely sewn
- [ ] 21 tassels alternating teal and cream, all 3 in (7.6 cm)
- [ ] Final panel: 46 in × 19 in (116.8 cm × 48.3 cm)
Troubleshooting
The flower cups or ruffles. Check that there are exactly 16 sc in Round 1 and 8 ch-3 sps in Round 2. If it still cups, your Round 3 tension is tight, so loosen your dc.
The motif comes out rectangular. A corner (tr, ch 5, tr) was probably placed on the wrong petal. Corners alternate with the side-midpoint sc’s on every other petal.
There aren’t 18 sc on a side. Recount the Round 5 V’s: there should be 2 per side, each with a ch-2 sp. The most common slip is working only 1 sc into a ch-2 sp.
The panel narrows at the seams. The sl st joins are too tight. Redo them more loosely or with a larger hook.
The border ripples. You worked into the corner spaces at the seams. Remove those stitches.
Tabs twist on the rod. Re-sew them so the fold sits square to the edge.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, roll it in a towel to remove water, and dry it flat to size. Avoid long periods of harsh direct sun if you want the teal to keep its depth.
Final Notes
All the measurements follow from the motif gauge. One motif is 4.5 in (11.4 cm) with 18 sc per side. Ten across gives 180 stitches and 45 in (114.3 cm), and four down gives 72 stitches and 18 in (45.7 cm). The two-round border makes the panel 46 in × 19 in (116.8 cm × 48.3 cm). The tabs add 2.5 in (6.4 cm) above and the tassels add 3 in (7.6 cm) below. If you check the first motif carefully, the rest of the curtain falls into place.
Happy crocheting!