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
Can I mitre the corners on my quilt?
Yes of course you can - BUT you need to be aware that you need more fabric at the corners to work with than you think you might - so not one to be attempted if you are short of fabric! You can also use more than one fabric - so a double or triple border with a mitre is also possible.
What can I use to hold up my quilt sandwich when basting?
If you are using the basting gun it is so much easier to have the quilt sandwich lifted up from the surface; there used to be a basting grate that could be purchased, but this seems to be a thing of the past; a tip from one viewer is to use the cake cooling tray, and another uses an upturned plastic cutlery tray - just a couple of lateral thinking ideas!
Take 9 a great success
Hi all Just giving an update on my king size quilt,I decided to try take nine for the side of quilt and cut all the pieces out ,this wasn't easy for me but I got there eventually,I purchased my fat quarters from Hobby craft in Havant & I just want to tell you not all of their fat 1/4s are good size some in the 6 packs are a bit smaller and I used some pieces from my stash.I have sewn 4 of my blocks together and am so chuffed with them - each 1 is exact size and went together so easily.Thanks Valerie for pattern and video couldn't have done it without you xxxxx from Sheila (learner) Want to know what Sheila was making?