Bojagi: The Art of Korean Textiles, Youngmin Lee

In this title, cloth comes alive as both medium and metaphor — wrapping, carrying, storing, revealing stories stitched through time. Rather than being a decorative sidelight, bojagi are revealed here as a profound textile tradition from Korea, where squares of cloth — whole or patchworked from scraps — have been used for centuries to envelope daily life’s essentials and celebrations alike. Rooted in practical use yet minutely attuned to colour, shape and composition, these textiles trace a line from folk utility to contemporary art, and in doing so sit comfortably alongside modern abstract aesthetics. The careful arrangement of shapes and colours — whether on a covering cloth, wall hanging or tote — makes bojagi resonate with makers and textile lovers seeking texture and narrative in cloth.

Youngmin Lee blends history and hands‑on craft in a book that is part cultural guide, part workshop manual. Drawing on the tradition’s deep roots in Korea’s Joseon dynasty, she situates bojagi within everyday life and ceremony, before leading the reader through tools, materials, stitches and finishes. From traditional materials such as ramie and silk to modern eco‑printed fabrics, and from gift wrap to cushions, each project underscores how simple stitches and thoughtful composition carry centuries of meaning. For anyone who delights in cloth made by hand, this is both an accessible primer and a celebration of textile’s ability to wrap not just objects but memory and intention.

About the Author
Youngmin Lee is a textile artist and educator known for her work with bojagi and Korean traditional textiles. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, she studied Clothing and Textile and holds an MFA in Fashion Design from Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul. Lee has worked as a fashion designer in Seoul and now teaches workshops on traditional Korean textile craft, with her own work exhibited and collected internationally. Her practice bridges history and contemporary making, bringing ancient stitch traditions into creative dialogue with today’s craft communities.

Publication date: 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing / Herbert Press
Pages: 160
Binding: Paperback
ISBN: 9781789941838