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
What a week
Jennie: I would never have thought that a week could go by and me not prattle on the blog! Tempus certainly fugits when you don't look. Had fab day yesterday as filmed Mandy Shaw doing some amazing Christmas stuff from dolls to other delights and then went to see Kim Thittichai who did hot stuff with Hot Spots - Wow - am I going to have twinkles and sparkly bits and not necessarily on my lizards either - you will have to hang on for that salient titbit (or is it tidbit?) until the film comes out!
How to Change the Rotary cutter blade
Want to know how to change the blade on your rotary cutter, then this video will show you how.www.justhands-on.tv/videos/1/
How to rotary cut strips, squares and rectangles of fabric.
In this video you will see how quickly, and more importantly, accurately you can cut strips of fabric and then turn then into squares and rectangles with the rotary cutter.www.justhands-on.tv/videos/1/