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
Update 20th March 2015
Out & About Are you a fan of the current [...]
Mystery Quilt still a hit
A quick note to say how much I enjoyed the Midsummer Mystery Quilt ... and although it's taken me a little while to finish it, here is a picture of the end result. I am thrilled with it. I'm going to do another one to fit my double bed because I like it so much. This is still available for you to work on - you just need to get a large bundle of 2 1/2" strips, and/or a jelly roll handy and you are ready to start.
Do you struggle with accurate piecing?
Here are a couple of tips which I hope you will find useful: You do need to make sure that when you have two pieces of fabric being sewn together that they start and top together - don't assume that the machine will do that for you because the way the machine works is the top fabric is being pushed towards you and the bottom fabric being pulled away from you; this 'drag' varies on the machine and on the fabrics you are using and a little with the foot you are using. So always hold onto the fabric with a pin or with your hands until you have sewn right to the bottom and if you are using a thread catcher, this will encourage you to do this.