Diane has been involved in needlepoint since she explored the media in a project during her formal graduate art training at Cal State University. Since 1976, she has spent full time designing and teaching needlepoint, concentrating on the use of decorative stitches. She has devised and patented a handy see-through plastic pattern guide to aid in matching stitches to design shapes as well as to aid in the exact location of those stitches. Her designs are marketed both directly and in kit form through several commercial needlework firms.