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
Contribution from Catherine in France
Hello, I have joined your club as I was looking for an idea to recycle men's ties. I did find your excellent project and have started working on it. I also want to show you the entirely handmade bed cover that I have just finished. It took me about 12 years. In 1994 I stopped working as an English teacher and joined the patchwork club of Alençon.
Log cabin by Lucy
Lucy is one of Val's students and was given patchwork classes as a gift (she chose these over a skydive!); She had no knowledge of sewing or indeed a sewing machine and her first quilt was a Trip Around the World. This is her second quilt which was given as a Christmas present to her Mum and now proudly displayed on her bed.
Colours of Autumn
As quilters don't we just love inspiration: here are a couple that I wanted to share of the Buchart Gardens in Victoria BC, Canada: