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
A question about applique
Question: Hi have just recieved Mandy Shaws Follow your own star quilt pattern and have already become stuck with the applique angels. They all have different coloured drsses on, so do l first cut out the whole angel then cut out the different parts of their clothes and then fuse them on to the background angel so it appears they are dressed ?
We reach 100 (with some help from Carolyn Forster)
filming days that is ! How great is that and since we film more than one workshop/event each day it means there are SEVERAL HUNDRED videos for you to enjoy! Had another great day yesterday filming in the studio where we were joined by Carolyn Forster; she showed us how she marks her quilts ready for Big Stitch and Utility Quilting as well as Amish Waves and she showed us lots of wonderful examples too plus two delightful little workshops from her Sew Jelly Rolls Quilts and Gifts book: all to come so keep watching.
Various comments from you
I have just watched 'Knotting Off Your Threads' with Valerie and would like to say thank you for sharing such a great method. I was taking both threads to the back, tying them off and then weaving in the ends which seemed to take longer than the actual quilting! A great time saver thanks :)
Jan Brown Re: Leaders and Enders That's ingenious...Lyn Yet again my fingers are itching to start sewing after watching the Leaders and Enders video.