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
ColourBox Prize Giveaway
Colour Therapy with Shott cotton from Oakshott Fabrics: The New ColourBox from Oakshott Fabrics containes 100 1/8thmetres of fabric, all colour themed and numbered; all these small pieces are backed up with yardage in their warehouse so you can really play and design and know that you can order more! To have a chance to win this all you need to do is send us a email to justhandsontvcomp@gmail.com with the word Colourbox in the subject.
Charity event to raise money for Momentum
Val: On Monday 11th Justhands-on.tv together with Creative Quilting hosted a sewing and cardmaking workshop day to raise funds and awareness for Momentum. Momentum is a Kingston-upon-Thames based charity which supports children and their families who are undergoing cancer and other lifelimiting conditions. Janome were kind enough to sponsor the sewing machines and we used the new little CXL301 which was a delight.
April 2011
My goodness 1st April already – spring has sprung (so [...]