some more theme ideas... hearts, suns or bees
I've started doing an online stitching class called whispering hearts with Jude Hill. it's a really great class — I've read through all the posts from when the class was run live in 2011, and will listen to the audio "whisperings" and watch the videos in the next few weeks when I have a better internet connection. the theme is hearts. it's great to see Jude go through the process of doodling ideas in a sketchbook, make some small stitched fabric samplers and then stitch the final selections into a larger piece. this is what I'll have to do for my theme work for class (I think).
I like the hearts theme too — I'm not really into pink and girly colours and hearts but after seeing some that Jude made and some of the ideas around them I think it's good to try something out of my comfort zone of technology-based topics.
other possible themes might be the sun, or bees — something fairly simple, recognizable, easy enough for me to draw (with my basic drawing skills), something that allows me to stitch in circles (a favourite thing to do atm), and somethings that have wider meaning. bees could be good for the problems happening in the world atm where many of the bees are dying off and it's causing problems with food supply and the cycle of life. also, the colour themes could work out well and I can probably draw them in circles and stripes — quite striking patterns. and it would mean that it's different to the hearts and "suns and moons" themes of Jude's classes (so I can be inspired by her working methods but not copy the pieces). yes, bees.. this could work out.
I think if I choose something too complicated at the moment then I'll be creating too much work for myself and likely get frozen by too many possibilities, so I think it's best I stick to something quite simple at this stage.