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
Greg’s Quilt by Tina
This lovely quilt was made with a machine quilt-as-you- technique in vertical strips which were then sashed and Tina made the clever decision to make the sashing scrappy; This is a technique we will be sharing with you but what a great quilt this turned out to be Tina.
Hampden Park Alzheimer Quilt Project
How would you like to be part of a huge worldwide project for quilters? Ann’s latest project calls for quilts to be donated to the Hampden Park Quilt Project, taking place around May 2013.
5,000 quilts of 40” square (or close) are needed to cover Scotland’s international football pitch at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Aerial photographs will be taken and sold.
Foundation Piecing with the Ladies from Southampton Quilters
Despite being a technique class the ladies got lots of blocks done - and here is a selection of them - they look good put together!