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
Filming with Paula Doyle and Julia Gahagan
Despite having put in 4 long days at the Festival of Quilts providing workshops and demonstrations these two ladies joined Dave, Matt and Val for a day's filming . Paula Doyle generously allowed us to use her lovely workshop and you can see us getting ready (!) - Look out for workshops with Paula on making her Tulip Tree Bag and on hand quilting but you can enjoy her mini-mosaics workshop now by clicking here: Julia Gahagan is passionate about miniature quilts and showed us how easy it is to create a small shadow applique project.
Take 3 from Mary
Mary says: I like to think that this is either a Quaker or Amish quilt, you know the type that has a deliberate error as nothing can be perfect in this life!! Mind you there are quite a lot of errors, but not too bad for a first attempt I suppose. Well done - Mary - it looks lovely. Interesting that both Mary and Tina redesigned the quilt blocks in to the same design - not the one Jennie and Val did - any others out there?
August 2013
Is it still too hot to sew? But even if [...]