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 was made with the London prize fabrics:
I got the idea from Boxed Squares in Lynne Edward's book Stash Buster Quilts. Lynne came to Jersey last autumn to do workshops for my quilt group - Caesarea Quilters. Have done few workshops with Lynne now, she is a mine of information and very funny. Very much like Jennie and the two of them have to be my favourite tutors.
View us on your Ipad
You can now view us on your ipad: information as follows from one of our viewers: FYI, I found a way to watch your video's on my IPAD. Iswifter.com is a free app for IPAD users....I use it to access Justhandsontv to watch your videos....works like a charm. I now have access everywhere I go! Awesome!
Olympic Weekend sewing
Well we all know you can watch and sew, and while the road cycle race was running I was busy sewing - made this simple quilt as a class sample for beginners with a lovely bundle of 1930's strips and squares: the binding is being checked by Kissy!