Ice Dyeing & Hawaiian Applique

with Sue Cortese

4-day, August 11–14, 3:00–6:00 p.m.

Tuition: $300

Materials Fee: $30

Using the ice-dyed fabrics, students will create their own unique Hawaiian Appliqué piece. Ice-dyed fabric has a wonderful watercolor effect. The ice can act as a resist but also distributes the MX Fiber Reactive dyes and students can experiment with folding fabric to create patterns or scrunching fabric to create texture. We will discuss the history and impact of Hawaiian Applique and learn to transfer folded paper designs to our dreamy ice-dyed fabrics, recreating striking Hawaiian textiles. Students of all levels are welcome, we will walk through the process alignment, basting, and needle turn appliqué (sewing around curves, point, and crotches), as well as needle and thread choice.

Plan to bring: N95 dust mask, colander (or cooling rack, screen/mesh with binder clips), bucket or container that fits the colander, applique needle and thread. Optional: cotton t-shirt, scarf, bandana or tea towels to dye. Some yardage of fabric for dyeing will be provided.

Sue Cortese is a quilter, fabric dyer, teacher, vendor, and NACQJ Certified Quilt Judge. Her current work falls into the art-quilt realm, combining her love of dyeing and surface design into her quilted compositions. Her goal in the beginning was to make a quilt in every style and/or pattern.  This quest led Sue to taking a lot of classes and learning many different techniques.  She enjoys hand quilting as well as machine quilting, and hand applique as well as machine piecing.  Judging is a means for encouraging quilters, as well as promoting excellence in quilting.  Judging has helped Sue improve her work, and she hopes to help others through judging.  Sue has been fortunate to have her work displayed in places like Muskegon Museum of Art, The View Gallery, and The Diary Barn to the International Quilt Show in Houston and American Quilt Show in Paducah.

Photo courtesy of artist. Hawaiian Applique quilt created with snow-dyed fabric.