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
Textiles Fair – Teddington Middx
Textiles Fair Teddington – more detail Diversity Textile Group This was such a fun few hours and I met some really interesting artisans; of course there was Lois Bellew and Julie Winter from Diversity (who we have met before) (www.diversity-textileart.com )who are mixed media textile artists; Made in the United Kingdom Golden Trees Bridget Skanski-Such who creates pictures of golden trees and magical landscapes – https://www.bridgetskanskisuchtextiles.com/
mine is in shades of burgundy but there were some in blues and turquoises; Vintage fabrics and Stitch for Home Decoration Zara Day who trades as Rosemary Rose (www.rosemary-rose.co.uk) who takes pieces of antique and vintage fabric and adds to them her own hand and free machine embroidery to create stunning pieces including upholstered chairs;and here's one that was made for me: Woven silk scarves and finally Nick Ozanne who creates wonderful woven silk scarves in his studio in Thrupp – (www.letoariadne.com) wonderful as a gift for the adult male in your life.
Worth checking out – and certainly a date for next year.
Don’t waste your selvedges
Myra and Valerie met at the Textiles in Focus exhibition at Cottenham Village College and here is a picture of the bag that she was using - great use of selvedges Myra.