This curtain turns a doorway into a soft spring garden. Long cream cords hang from a wooden rod, and each cord carries a column of dusty pink tulips and sage green leaves. Light passes between the strands, so the room stays bright while the doorway gets a gentle, cottage-style screen.
The palette has three colors: cream for the cords, dusty rose pink for the tulips, and sage green for the leaves. Each tulip is a small three-dimensional cup with three pointed petals. Each leaf is a slim almond shape with a visible center rib.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished curtain measures 36 in (91.4 cm) wide and 80 in (203.2 cm) long, from the top of the rod to the cord tips.
You make 18 slip-stitch cords with hanging loops, 180 tulips, and 180 leaves. Then you sew the motifs onto the cords at counted stitch positions, staggered between neighboring cords, and slide the loops onto the rod.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 36 in (91.4 cm) wide x 80 in (203.2 cm) long
- Skill level: Easy to intermediate (simple stitches, lots of repetition)
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted weight (#4) cotton
- Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
- Number of pieces: 18 cords, 180 tulips, 180 leaves
- Layout: 18 cords spaced 2 in (5.1 cm) apart; 10 tulips and 10 leaves per cord
- Piece sizes: Tulip 2 in (5.1 cm) tall x 2 in (5.1 cm) wide when pressed flat; leaf 2.75 in (7.0 cm) x 1.25 in (3.2 cm); cord 78 in (198.1 cm)
- Size before border: 36 in (91.4 cm) wide x 78 in (198.1 cm) of cord
- Border depth: 2 in (5.1 cm) of hanging loop at the top
Materials
Choose a smooth mercerized or combed worsted cotton. Cotton holds the tulip cups open and resists stretching on long cords. Avoid acrylic for the cords, because it stretches under the weight of the motifs. These amounts assume about 180 m per 100 g.
- Cream (cords): 250 g, about 450 m
- Dusty rose pink (tulips): 500 g, about 900 m
- Sage green (leaves): 250 g, about 450 m
All quantities include a margin of roughly 15 percent for swatches, sewing tails, and changes in tension.
Tools:
- 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- At least 40 locking stitch markers
- Measuring tape
- Wooden rod, 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across, at least 40 in (101.6 cm) long, with brackets
- Scissors
- Spray bottle
- Optional: light fabric stiffener
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- st(s): stitch(es)
- rnd: round
- MR: magic ring
- BB: back bump of the chain
Special stitch, picot point: Ch 3, then sl st in the 3rd ch from the hook. This makes the sharp tip on each petal and each leaf.
Special technique, back-bump slip-stitch cord: Work a chain, then sl st into the back bump of each chain. This gives a firm, round cord that barely stretches.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Fabric gauge: 17 sc and 19 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Cord gauge: 4 sl sts = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Before you commit to the full project, make one tulip, one leaf, and a 20-stitch test cord.
Checkpoints:
- Tulip after Rnd 3: flat disc 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across
- Tulip after Rnd 8: cup 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall
- Finished tulip: 2 in (5.1 cm) tall, 2 in (5.1 cm) wide when pressed flat
- Finished leaf: 2.75 in (7.0 cm) long, 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide
- Test cord: 20 sl sts = 5 in (12.7 cm)
Too big: switch to a 3.75 mm hook. Too small: switch to a 4.5 mm hook. Cord gauge matters most, because every placement is counted in cord stitches. If your test cord is longer than 5 in (12.7 cm), use a smaller hook for the cords only.
Cord (Make 18, Cream)
Loop: Ch 20, then sl st in the 1st ch to form a ring. Do not fasten off.
Cord chain: Ch 313.
Cord row: Sl st in the BB of the 2nd ch from the hook, then in the BB of each ch back up to the ring. You now have 312 sl sts. Sl st in the ring join. Do not fasten off; the loop is finished in the Border section.
At 4 sts per inch, 312 sts = 78 in (198.1 cm).
Numbering: Count cord stitches from the top. Stitch 1 sits directly under the loop, and stitch 312 is the bottom tip. Each sl st matches one chain, so the count is the same either way.
Keep the chain loose and even. A tight chain makes the slip stitches hard to work and shortens the cord.
Tulip (Make 180, Pink)
The tulip is worked from the base up as an open cup.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in a MR. Join with a sl st to the 1st sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around. Join. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, *sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * 5 more times. Join. (18 sts)
Checkpoint: the disc is 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.
Rnds 4–8: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (18 sts each round)
Checkpoint: the cup is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall, with straight sides.
Rnd 9 (petal round): Each petal uses 6 sts of Rnd 8.
*Sc in next st, hdc in next st, 2 dc in next st, picot point, 2 dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st; repeat from * 2 more times. Join with a sl st to the 1st sc.
Count: 18 sts worked 1 per existing st, plus 6 extra from the 2-dc increases = 24 sts plus 3 picot points (8 sts and 1 picot per petal).
The increases flare each petal slightly, and the picot between the dc pairs forms the sharp tip. Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing. Weave the starting tail into the base. Pinch the three points upward and slightly inward.
Leaf (Make 180, Sage Green)
The leaf is worked around both sides of a foundation chain, and that chain becomes the center rib.
Foundation: Ch 12.
Rnd 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 9 ch, then 3 sc in the last ch. Working along the opposite side of the chain, sc in the next 9 ch, then 2 sc in the same ch as the 1st sc. Join. (24 sts)
St 1 is at the stem end. Sts 1–10 are side A, sts 11–13 are the far tip, sts 14–22 are side B, and sts 23–24 close the stem end.
Rnd 2: Ch 1.
- Side A: sl st in st 1, sc in st 2, hdc in sts 3–4, dc in sts 5–8, hdc in st 9, sc in st 10. (10 sts)
- Tip: sc in st 11; in st 12 work (sc, picot point, sc); sc in st 13. (4 sts plus 1 picot)
- Side B: sc in st 14, hdc in st 15, dc in sts 16–19, hdc in st 20, sc in st 21, sl st in st 22. (9 sts)
- Stem end: sl st in sts 23 and 24. (2 sts)
Join to the 1st sl st. Count: 10 + 4 + 9 + 2 = 25 sts plus 1 picot.
The dc groups make the widest point at the middle of each side, and the sc and sl sts taper both ends into an almond shape. Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail at the stem end.
Make All Pieces
- Cream: 18 cords
- Pink: 180 tulips (10 per cord)
- Sage green: 180 leaves (10 per cord)
Work in batches of 10 tulips and 10 leaves. Check one piece from each batch against the checkpoints.
Placement rule: T is the cord stitch where a tulip base sits. Its leaf’s stem end sits at L = T + 4, which is 1 in (2.5 cm) below the tulip. Tulips repeat every 28 sts, or 7 in (17.8 cm).
- Odd cords (1, 3 … 17): T = 24, 52, 80, 108, 136, 164, 192, 220, 248, 276
- Even cords (2, 4 … 18): T = 38, 66, 94, 122, 150, 178, 206, 234, 262, 290
Even cords are shifted down 14 sts, or 3.5 in (8.9 cm). That is exactly half a repeat, and it creates the diagonal stagger.
Layout grid (cord stitch positions from the top):
Cord sts Odd cord Even cord
1-15 plain plain
16-24 TULIP (T=24) plain
25-27 plain plain
28-39 LEAF (L=28) TULIP 30-38 (T=38)
40-41 plain plain
42-53 TULIP 44-52 (T=52) LEAF (L=42)
... repeat every 28 repeat every 28
280-291 last leaf -
294-305 - last leaf
312 bottom tip bottom tip
A tulip rises 8 sts, or 2 in (5.1 cm), above its base. That puts the first odd-cord tulip at stitch 16, exactly 4 in (10.2 cm) below the loop. Each leaf covers 11 sts, or 2.75 in (7.0 cm), below its stem end.
Joining
Joining means two things here: sewing the motifs onto the cords, and spacing the cords on the rod.
Mark first. Lay a cord flat without stretching it. Place a marker at every T and L position.
Sew each tulip. Place the tulip with the cord running behind it and the cup opening upward. Using the pink tail, sew the magic ring to cord stitch T with 3 small stitches. Then go up inside the cup and tack the back of Rnd 7 to cord stitch T − 6. These two anchors keep the tulip upright.
Sew each leaf. Place the stem end at stitch L with the tip pointing down. Sew the stem end, run the tail down the rib on the wrong side, and tack the picot tip to stitch L + 11. Weave in the end along the rib.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: Sew into the sl st loops on the cord surface, not through its center. One cord stitch is 0.25 in (0.6 cm), so small counting errors stay small.
Tension: Pull sewing stitches snug, not tight. Tight stitches bunch the cord and shorten it.
Size checkpoint: Hanging freely, each cord measures 78 in (198.1 cm) from stitch 1 to stitch 312, within 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
Border: Hanging Loops and Top Edge
This curtain has no worked outer border. Its edge finish is a reinforced hanging loop on each cord, and those loops form the top edge.
Border gauge: 4 sts per inch, the same as the cord.
Loop round: With the cream yarn still attached at the ring join, ch 1 and work 20 sc into the ch-20 ring, enclosing the chains. Join to the 1st sc. Count: 20 sts worked 1 per ring chain, plus 0 extra = 20 sts. Fasten off and weave the tail into the top 2 in (5.1 cm) of the cord.
Per-side counts:
- Top: 18 loops x 20 sc = 360 sts
- Left and right: cords 1 and 18, at 312 sts each, with nothing added
- Bottom: 18 free cord tips, with nothing added
Why the math works: The ring is 20 ch, or 5 in (12.7 cm) around. The rod is 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across, or about 3.9 in (9.9 cm) around, so the loop slides easily. One sc per chain keeps the loop flat without ruffling. The loop adds about 2 in (5.1 cm), so 78 in (198.1 cm) of cord plus 2 in (5.1 cm) of loop gives 80 in (203.2 cm).
Rod spacing: Slide the loops on in order, from 1 to 18, with centers 2 in (5.1 cm) apart. That makes 17 gaps x 2 in = 34 in (86.4 cm). With 1 in (2.5 cm) of tulip overhang on each side, the curtain is 36 in (91.4 cm) wide.
Final Blocking
- Lightly mist each tulip and leaf.
- Shape each tulip over a fingertip, then pinch the petal points upward.
- Optional: brush diluted stiffener inside each cup.
- Smooth each leaf flat and pinch both ends to a point.
- Hang the curtain and let it dry in place; the weight of the motifs straightens the cords.
- After 24 hours, recheck the drop and spacing.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 18 cords, each 312 sl sts and 78 in (198.1 cm) long
- 18 loops, each with 20 sc
- 10 tulips and 10 leaves on every cord
- Odd and even cords offset by 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
- Tulips anchored at T and T − 6; leaves anchored at L and L + 11
- All tails woven in
- Loops 2 in (5.1 cm) apart, spanning 34 in (86.4 cm)
- Total drop 80 in (203.2 cm)
Troubleshooting
Cords are different lengths. Your chain tension changed. Measure each cord before sewing, and remake any cord more than 1 in (2.5 cm) off.
Tulips flop forward. The T − 6 anchor is loose. Add another tack stitch inside the cup.
Petal tips look rounded. Pull the picot snug and pinch it while it is damp.
Leaves curl. Rnd 2 is tighter than Rnd 1. Steam them flat, or go up 0.25 mm for Rnd 2.
Loops are too tight. Rework with ch 24 and 24 sc, which gives 6 in (15.2 cm) around, for rods up to 1.75 in (4.4 cm) across.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and lay flat to dry. Reshape the tulips and rehang the curtain while it is still slightly damp.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is short. 4 cord sts make 1 in (2.5 cm), so 312 sts make a 78 in (198.1 cm) cord. A 20-st loop adds 2 in (5.1 cm), for a total drop of 80 in (203.2 cm). Tulips repeat every 28 sts, or 7 in (17.8 cm), and even cords are offset by 14 sts, or 3.5 in (8.9 cm). Eighteen cords spaced 2 in (5.1 cm) apart fill a 36 in (91.4 cm) doorway. Check your gauge once and mark carefully, and the whole garden falls into place.
Happy crocheting!