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
Subscriber Giveaway for December 2019 – Knitted Animal Nursery by Fiona Goble
Sorry this competition is now closed. The good news is that you can buy the Knitted animal nursery book from the publisher's website at MAKEetc. by clicking on this link: https://makeetc.com/collections/knitting-and-crochet-books/products/knitted-animal-nursery AND: If you enter the code JUSTHANDS before 31 March 2020 at their checkout then you can buy the book for £10 (with free UK P&P) instead of £12.99
Exclusive Prize draw for readers of Regional Guild Magazines
Prize draw is open exclusively to Guild members who read about it their regional Guild magazines.
Quilt Now Readers’ Makes Competition Winner – Issue 70
Quilt Now magazine love to see what their readers have been making. This months Star Make winner for Issue 70 was Sharon. Her version of Naomi Clarke’s Windmill Garden quilt uses Tilda Lazy Days fabric. Great job! Congratulations Sharon.