Blush Woodland Owl Curtain Tieback Crochet Pattern

I have been on the hunt for the perfect nursery accent piece, and this adorable owl curtain tieback is exactly what I was looking for! The soft dusty blush paired with sage green wings gives such a sweet woodland feel, and this little owl actually works for a living — it sits right on your gathered curtain and holds it back with a hidden band while looking absolutely precious.

The clever part is the construction: a concealed fastening band wraps around your gathered curtain and buttons closed behind the fabric, so the decorative crossed scalloped wings do not bear any weight at all. They just look pretty while the sturdy band does all the work. We will make two blush head discs, two flat body panels, cream eye rounds with brown centres, a tiny beak, two ear tufts, two shell stitch wings, and the adjustable band.

This is an intermediate project that uses basic stitches you probably already know. A quick safety note from me: this is a decorative curtain accessory, not a toy, so keep the band and curtain cords out of reach of children and secure all sewn pieces and buttons firmly.

Materials

• 100 g dusty blush smooth DK or light worsted weight cotton or cotton-rich yarn (approximately 110 to 125 metres per 50 g)
• 100 g sage green yarn, same weight
• 25 g cream yarn, same weight
• 10 g dark brown yarn, same weight
• 5 g tan yarn, same weight
• 3.5 mm crochet hook for the dense pieces and the band
• 4 mm crochet hook for the wings
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Stitch markers
• Sewing pins
• Small handful of washable stuffing
• Matching sewing thread and needle
• Two 20 to 25 mm sew-on buttons
• Optional: 2.5 to 3 cm wide cotton tape for reinforcing the band if you have heavy curtains

Abbreviations

• ch: chain
• sl st: slip stitch
• sc: single crochet
• dc: double crochet
• st(s): stitch(es)
• inc: increase, work 2 sc in one stitch
• dec: decrease using sc2tog
• sc2tog: single crochet two together — insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, repeat in the following stitch, yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on hook
• MR: magic ring
• RS/WS: right side / wrong side

Special Stitches

• Shell: work 5 dc in the same stitch. The wings are built from full shell rows and offset shell rows that alternate to create the layered fan effect.

Gauge & Size

• Finished size: the owl measures approximately 22 to 25 cm tall when assembled; the head spans about 11 to 12 cm across, and each wing measures roughly 10 to 11 cm wide by 12 to 15 cm long depending on your shell gauge. The band is custom made to fit your own curtain
• Gauge: with the 3.5 mm hook, 18 sc and 20 rows = 10 cm. To swatch: ch 22, work sc in the second ch from hook and in each remaining ch across (21 sts), then work 23 more rows of sc, chaining 1 and turning at the end of each row. Wash and dry flat, then measure the central 10 cm. Aim for dense fabric with no stuffing showing through
• Construction: padded head and body sewn from flat pieces, with sewn-on face, crossed shell wings, and a buttoned band sewn to the back
• Skill level: Intermediate
• Numbers in parentheses are your final stitch counts. The turning ch 1 never counts as a stitch; the turning ch 3 counts as one dc in the wings only. Work circular pieces in a continuous spiral and mark the first stitch. Change colour on the last yarn over of the previous stitch, and leave 25 to 35 cm sewing tails on small parts. Left and right always mean as you look at the owl from the front

Head Discs Pattern

Make 2 in blush using your 3.5 mm hook.

Round 1: 6 sc in MR. Tighten securely. (6)

Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Round 3: (Sc 1, inc) 6 times. (18)

Round 4: (Sc 2, inc) 6 times. (24)

Round 5: (Sc 3, inc) 6 times. (30)

Round 6: (Sc 4, inc) 6 times. (36)

Round 7: (Sc 5, inc) 6 times. (42)

Round 8: (Sc 6, inc) 6 times. (48)

Round 9: (Sc 7, inc) 6 times. (54)

Round 10: (Sc 8, inc) 6 times. (60)

Round 11: (Sc 9, inc) 6 times. (66)

Sl st in next st and fasten off — the slip stitch is not part of the count. Leave a 90 cm tail on the back disc for sewing later. Lay both discs flat; a little cupping is fine, but if they curl strongly, your tension is too tight. Keep them unjoined until the face is sewn on.

Ear Tufts Pattern

Make 2 in blush using your 3.5 mm hook. Start with ch 7.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and next 5 ch. (6)

Row 2: Sc across. (6)

Row 3: Dec, sc 2, dec. (4)

Row 4: Sc across. (4)

Row 5: Dec twice. (2)

Row 6: Dec. (1)

Fasten off with a sewing tail. The 6-stitch starting edge is the base, and the final stitch is the tip.

Body Panels Pattern

Make 2 in blush using your 3.5 mm hook. Start at the lower edge with ch 19, and ch 1 and turn between every row.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and each ch across. (18)

Row 2: Inc, sc 16, inc. (20)

Row 3: Inc, sc 18, inc. (22)

Row 4: Inc, sc 20, inc. (24)

Row 5: Inc, sc 22, inc. (26)

Rows 6–18: Sc in every st. (26 each row)

Row 19: Dec, sc 22, dec. (24)

Row 20: Sc across. (24)

Row 21: Dec, sc 20, dec. (22)

Row 22: Sc across. (22)

Row 23: Dec, sc 18, dec. (20)

Row 24: Sc across. (20)

Row 25: Dec, sc 16, dec. (18)

Row 26: Sc across. (18)

Fasten off. Leave a 100 cm tail on the back panel for sewing.

Eyes & Beak Pattern

Cream eye rounds — make 2 using cream and your 3.5 mm hook, working head rounds 1 through 5.

Round 1: 6 sc in MR. (6)

Round 2: Inc in each st. (12)

Round 3: (Sc 1, inc) 6 times. (18)

Round 4: (Sc 2, inc) 6 times. (24)

Round 5: (Sc 3, inc) 6 times. (30)

Sl st in next st and fasten off with a sewing tail. The expected diameter is about 5 to 5.5 cm.

Deep brown centres — make 2 using dark brown and your 3.5 mm hook.

Round 1: 6 sc in MR. (6)

Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Sl st in next st and fasten off. Sew one centre to each cream disc, centred or shifted slightly toward the middle of the face. You can optionally embroider one tiny cream highlight in each brown centre for that classic eye sparkle — this version uses sewn yarn eyes with no plastic eye hardware.

Tiny tan beak — make 1 using tan and your 3.5 mm hook. Start with ch 5.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and next 3 ch. (4)

Row 2: Sc across. (4)

Row 3: Dec twice. (2)

Row 4: Sc across. (2)

Row 5: Dec. (1)

Fasten off. Sew it as a flat triangle with the wide end above and the point facing down, overlapping the inner lower edges of the cream eyes slightly.

Wings Pattern

Make 2 identical panels using sage and your 4 mm hook. These flexible shell panels create the beautiful layered wing effect — the starting edge becomes the shoulder and the final scalloped edge becomes the feather tips. Start with ch 20 loosely.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and each remaining ch. (19 sc)

Row 2 (full shells): Ch 1, turn. Sc in first st. (Skip 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in next st) 3 times. (3 shells + 4 sc = 19 sts)

Row 3 (offset shells): Ch 3, turn — this counts as the first dc. Work 2 dc in the first sc. Skip 2 dc, sc in the third dc of the first shell, skip 2 dc. (5 dc in next sc, skip 2 dc, sc in the third dc of the next shell, skip 2 dc) twice. Work 3 dc in the final sc. (2 full shells + two 3 dc edge groups + 3 sc = 19 sts)

Row 4 (full shells): Ch 1, turn. Sc in first dc. (Skip 2 dc, 5 dc in next sc, skip 2 dc, sc in next dc) 3 times. The final sc goes into the top of the turning ch 3. (3 shells + 4 sc = 19 sts)

Rows 5–10: Repeat Rows 3 and 4 three times, alternating offset and full shell rows. Row 10 is a full shell row. (19 sts each row)

Row 11: Repeat Row 3 in sage. Change to blush on the final yarn over of the last dc. (19 sts)

Row 12 (pink feather tips): Repeat Row 4 in blush. Fasten off without straightening or filling the valleys between the 3 shells. (19 sts)

Weave the ends into the back of solid stitches, not across open gaps. Wet block both wings to the same size, preserving the three pink scallops, and do not stretch the gaps aggressively. For longer wings, add pairs of Rows 3 and 4 in sage before Rows 11 and 12; for shorter wings, omit one pair from Rows 5–10. Always finish with an offset sage row followed by a full shell blush row.

Curtain Band Pattern

Measure your curtain first: gather your curtain at the intended height, wrap a measuring tape around the bundle without compressing it hard, and record that circumference as C. Make the finished band approximately C + 5 cm long to allow button overlap — for example, for C = 30 cm, make a band about 35 cm long. Always check on your actual curtain before fastening off. Use sage and your 3.5 mm hook.

Row 1: Ch 8. Sc in second ch from hook and each remaining ch. (7)

Row 2 onward: Ch 1, turn. Sc in every st. (7)

Repeat until the strip measures approximately C + 1 cm, finishing on a full row. At the target gauge, each 2 rows adds about 1 cm.

Buttonhole Row A: Ch 1, turn. Sc 2, ch 3, skip 3 sc, sc 2. (4 sc + 3 ch)

Next Row: Ch 1, turn. Sc 2, work 1 sc in each of the 3 chains, sc 2. (7)

Next 2 Rows: Ch 1, turn. Sc across. (7 each row)

Buttonhole Row B: Repeat Buttonhole Row A. (4 sc + 3 ch)

Next Row: Ch 1, turn. Sc 2, 1 sc in each of the 3 chains, sc 2. (7)

Final 2 Rows: Ch 1, turn. Sc across. (7 each row)

Fasten off and weave in ends. These last 8 rows add approximately 4 cm, giving you the target C + 5 cm. Confirm that your buttons pass through the holes snugly — if needed, choose buttons that fit the completed holes rather than forcing oversized buttons through the crochet.

For heavier curtains, you can reinforce the band: cut cotton tape to fit the solid portion of the band, ending before the first buttonhole, turn the tape ends under by 1 cm, and stitch the tape to the inside of the band with small sewing stitches, keeping the buttonholes clear.

To set the closure, wrap the band around the gathered curtain with the buttonhole end over the starting end, mark two button positions on the starting end through the holes, and sew both buttons securely at those marks with matching sewing thread. Both buttons close together for stability. Place the closure behind the curtain or at its wall-facing side — do not rely on the wings to tighten the curtain.

Finishing & Assembly

Step 1 — Build the face: place the front head disc right side up. Pin the cream eye discs side by side, with their inner edges almost touching and their centres slightly above the head centre, leaving a narrow blush outline around the face. Sew the cream outer edges down with small whipstitches, catching only the front disc. Sew the beak between and just below the eyes, and secure all tails on the wrong side.

Step 2 — Close the head and add the ear tufts: put the two head discs wrong sides together and align all 66 edge stitches. Insert the 6-stitch base of one tuft between the discs at approximately 10 o’clock and the other at 2 o’clock, tips pointing outward. Using the back disc tail, whipstitch corresponding outer loops around the discs and through the tuft bases where they meet the seam, leaving an opening of about 12 stitches at the bottom. Add a thin, even layer of stuffing — aim for a softly padded disc about 1.5 to 2 cm thick, not a ball. Close the remaining seam, secure the yarn and bury the tail, then flatten gently with your hands.

Step 3 — Pad the body: place the body panels wrong sides together, aligning the starting edges and all row ends. Whipstitch the lower edges and both sides, catching corresponding edge stitches or row ends. Add just enough stuffing to prevent hollowness, keeping the body fairly flat, then close the top 18-stitch edges together. Secure and bury the tail.

Step 4 — Join the head and body: place the head over the top of the body with about 2 cm of overlap and pin centrally. Sew across the overlap on the back, then take a second line of small stitches along the underside of the head on the front. Catch solid crochet fabric, not stuffing alone — the join should span roughly 7 to 8 cm so the head does not flop.

Step 5 — Embroider the narrow sage chevron: mark a V shape on the upper body just below the head, with the arms about 6 cm apart and the centre point about 2 cm lower. With sage yarn, work short chain stitches along the marked V: bring the needle up, insert it close to the same point, bring it up a short distance ahead inside the yarn loop, and draw gently snug. Finish with a tiny anchoring stitch, and keep this accent narrow — do not fill the whole breast.

Step 6 — Attach the hidden band: close the band on the curtain and mark the front centre, then remove it. Centre the owl over that mark with the band running horizontally behind the upper third of the body, just below the head join. Sew a rectangle about 6 cm wide by the band’s width through the band and the back body panel, keeping stitches off the owl’s front, and add a second pass at both vertical ends. Avoid sewing the band into a permanent closed loop.

Step 7 — Position the two wings: with the owl face up, pin the first wing’s foundation edge along the upper left side of the body, just beneath the head. If it is too wide, run a gathering stitch through the foundation edge and ease it to about 6 cm. Point the blush scallops diagonally toward the lower right. Pin the second wing the same way at the upper right, pointing toward the lower left, so the two panels overlap in an X below the chevron. Keep both eyes, the beak and the narrow V visible, place the second wing over the first at the crossing, and adjust the angles until the scallops sit evenly.

Step 8 — Sew without closing the open fans: sew each gathered foundation edge firmly to the upper side of the body, and add a few discreet anchoring stitches down the outer side of each wing. Secure the crossing with 2 to 3 small stitches through solid shell stitches and the front body panel. Leave the pink scalloped tips and most fan openings free, and hide all tails inside the body.

Step 9 — Fit on the curtain: wrap the band around your curtain with the owl facing the room, and close both buttons behind the gathered fabric. Arrange the curtain folds evenly above and below the owl, and check that the head is upright and the crossed wings lie against the body. Reposition the buttons or the body-to-band seam if the owl tilts.

Tips

If the head leans forward, remove excess stuffing and widen the head-to-body seam, and make sure the band is attached high enough on the body.

If the tieback slides, adjust the band fit or add the optional cotton tape if the crochet stretches. A very heavy curtain may need a conventional wall-supported tieback behind this decorative owl.

If a wing edge flares, check that each full shell contains exactly 5 dc and each row totals 19 stitches, then block gently. If the wings hide the chevron, move the crossing lower and angle the shoulders outward. If the face puckers, loosen the eye sewing stitches — do not pull the cream rounds tighter than their natural circumference.

For care, follow your yarn’s care instructions. For washable yarn and stuffing, gently hand wash, press out the water in a towel, and dry flat with the wings shaped. Do not hang it wet, avoid ironing the padded parts, and check the button and band seams periodically.