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
Look what Lyn Made
Hi Valerie...loved doing these projects.. .decided to mount the clock over a canvas board for stability...Lyn The Celtic clock is available as a kit through the shop and the Iron Caddy Tote you can watch the workshop video and/or purchase the pattern again from the shop patterns section.
What you can watch during May 2013
Well we have 5 Friday’s in this month so lots to enjoy and we start off with Part two of the visit we made to the Great Northern Quilt Show in Harrogate back in 2012; this time we are enjoying meeting some of the traders and catching up with what they have to offer as well as a very enjoyable interview with Susan Briscoe who is well known for her Japanese quilts.
Filming in Ledbury
We had a brilliant day filming the Living in the Middle exhibition at the Weavers Gallery in Ledbury - it runs until Sunday 12th May - more details on the events page; Lots of brilliant textile art by well known artists - amongst them Lesley Brankin, Edwina Mackinnon, Amanda Wright (the event organiser) and Hilary Beattie. the town is lovely too as you can see.