About Dionne
Dionne paints with stitches to create dynamic, vibrantly coloured textiles. Her needle becomes her pen and thread her ink. The scale, emotion, and energy of her landscapes are inspirational.
Dionne is a graduate of Goldsmith’s College, London University. She has a Masters in Textiles from UCE. And she has been recognised by the industry for her incredible work, e.g. Shortlisted Finalist in the Fine Art Textiles Award at The Festival of Quilts 2020.
Now based between Yorkshire [UK] and Abruzzo [Italy], she exhibits and tutors internationally.
You can watch Dionne demonstrate how to use free motion embroidery to create a range of patterns, textures, tones, and shades in an episode of The Makers Studio series, brought to you by Janome and justhands-on.tv.
Signature Technique
Painting with stitches
Top Tips
- Use a vibrant mix of thread weights, colours, and styles to build up a more dynamic texture.
- A machine with an extra wide throat makes it easier to manipulate your piece.
- Cover your hoop with fabric to give it more grip. You need the fabric to stay drum like as you manoeuvre it.
- Drawing your subject first, with pencil on paper, can help improve your observation and knowledge of your subject – try not to work from a photograph.
- Practice by stitching your signature to get started. Your muscle memory will help you.
- Think of painting with stitches as an orchestra with the sewing machine, threads, fabric, hoop, and you (!) coming together to work as one.
- Don’t be afraid of the machine. After a few hours of speed sewing it becomes second nature.
- Try not to have a set image of the outcome. You are not stitching an exact replica. The result is where you get to. There is no wrong in there. Enjoy the journey.
Videos
Patterns
Posts
Changing Places Quilt for Project Linus
We do love it when we inspire you, especially when it's all for a good cause. One of our lovely members, Liz, wrote to us recently as she had enjoyed Jennie's video Changing Places and thought it would be ideal as a scrap quilt for Project Linus. For those of you not familiar with Project Linus, it's a volunteer organisation. who provide new home made patchwork quilts and knitted/crocheted blankets to sick and traumatised children of all ages, and give volunteers across the UK the opportunity to contribute to their local community.
Bold Geometrics from Love Patchwork & Quilting
Love this pattern designed by Emily Dennis and in issue Thirty Eight of this magazine; plan to raid my stash but how much easier it will be to make with my Tri-Recs ruler!!!
2 September 2016
New Videos Every Friday Catch up with Sylvia [...]