How has it been over a month already? For week five of my crochet wall art project, I created small pieces to fill in the gaps and brainstormed my next steps!

This week was cut short due to some traveling, which also means that week six is paused. While I’m a little sad to leave my yarn at home, this trip came at the perfect time, because I could use an extra week to brainstorm the background. 

I spent this short week crocheting a bunch of puff stitch flowers. I used a pattern for this, which you can find in this free video tutorial. Obviously, this is not freeform, but as you know, the overall design will be. Patterns help me get started and learn new stitches and techniques to help advance my skill. 

I made these flowers to include more black in the design and to find a way to fill gaps if I need to later. I think these will work well, and they were fun to make. 

When I get back from my trip, I plan to start stitching all of the pieces together. There is already a lot of color in the smaller pieces, so I want to keep the background pretty simple while still finding a balance. I don’t want to add many more colors and end up with something that looks too busy; however, I don’t want simple rows that make it look like a blanket decorated with clipart. Luckily, thanks to Pinterest, I have a few ideas.

1. Textured

My first idea is to use a variety of lacy stitches to create a net with strong texture. I’d crochet in just one color, so that the other pieces pop. I like this, but I’m not sure the older style fits well with the bright and playful design.

2. Bubble Outlining

Another idea is to crochet around the pieces, outlining them with thick bubbly layers. This style gives a retro effect that better fits the funky style that already exists. 

3. Mesh

I’ve also considered crocheting a simple mesh background. I think an all black mesh would really make the other pieces pop. However, I think it could drown out some of the darker pieces, such as the tree and butterfly.

4. Subtle Swirls

I also like the idea of crocheting ribbons or streams of yarn in swirls around the pieces. I would use a single shade so you can see the texture of the swirls without overwhelming the rest of the pieces. This is the one I’m leaning toward, as I think it will work well with the bold and big shapes and create a cohesive art piece. 

I have a lot to think about! If you have any ideas, feel free to comment below or send me a message! You can find a full inspiration board for this crochet wall art on Pinterest: