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 May 2019 – City Lights Cushion pattern from Lina Patchwork
Sorry the competition is now closed. The pattern is available in the Shop
How long are my strips for the 40 minute quilt?
How do I calculate the length of my strips? Answer: The 40 minute quilt is made up from scrap strips, each cut 2.5" wide by whatever length your material is. Valerie joined lots together to get her quilt top. In order to work out how long you want you need to think about the size you want to create and will there be borders? - if not then the calculation goes like this: For each strip sewn it will become 2" wide and if you want it to be 40" in the other direction then just divide the size - say 60" by 2 = 30 strips at 40 This can also be made with a ready-bought jelly roll - just look at the number of strips in it.
The rug did get finished
The jelly roll rug that got started on the weekend away is finally finished - doesn't it look good.