In Korean culture, yeouiju 여의주 means wish-fulfilling jewel, Yeouijumun 여의주문 means a jewel pattern, and Yeouijumunbo 여의주문보 is the name for a Jogakbo design that is found in the Joseon dynasty period (1392-1910) and in contemporary quilting.
The first documentation of the use of the cathedral window in a quilt appeared at the Chicago World’s Fair in the US in 1933. The technique quickly became popular in North America in the 1930s. In her book, Cathedral Window Quilts, Lynn Edwards made the inference that this technique may have been brought to the United States from the East by missionaries in the early twentieth century.
Each quilt block is made using a folded patchwork technique. This paper folding process is reminiscent of the folded paper fortune teller that many of us learned to construct in childhood.
Youngmin will teach students how to prepare, cut, fold, and connect units of fabric to create the base layer. She will then teach students how to embellish with additional squares of fabric and bakjwi maedeup (bat-figured knot).
Date
Friday, December 4th, 2026
Time
12:00-2:30 pm ET
Location
Zoom, a link will be sent to participants the day before class
Cost
$75
Recording
All Hand Sewn Quilting Series sessions will be recorded. A link to each recording will be emailed to all registrants following the live session. Each link is live for three months after the live session.
Class Materials:
- Light weight, plain woven cotton (voile or lawn) or silk organza or sukgosa (Korean silk gauze)-
- One kind of fabric will be enough.
(Fat quarter will be good to start base units)
- One kind of fabric will be enough.
- Contrasting color remnants for inserts and bakjwi (2”x 2” size or smaller will work)
- Needle (your favorite kind)
- Thread (cotton or silk-Youngmin likes to work with #50 wt.)
- Scissors
- Hera or craft awl (optional)
- Iron
- Rotary cutter
- Grid ruler
- Fabric marking pen
- Glue stick
About the Hand Sewn Quilting Series
Under the guidance of contemporary textile artists, participants of all levels will engage with various quilting techniques. Beginners will gain confidence and a deeper understanding of quilting foundations, while experienced makers will expand their skills and textile knowledge beyond the basics.
Bundle Discount
When four Hand Sewn Quilting classes are added to your cart, a 25% off code will be automatically applied. All classes must be in a single order to qualify for the discount.
Scholarships
We have one scholarship seat available for this workshop. To be considered for a scholarship, please fill out this scholarship application form.
Our Teacher
Youngmin Lee is a textile artist who uses bojagi traditions and techniques to create contemporary work. She studied Clothing and Textiles in college and earned an MFA in Fashion Design. Her practice explores both traditional and modern interpretations of bojagi while preserving its philosophy of recycling and up-cycling through the use of leftover fabric.
Since moving to California in 1996, she has worked closely with Asian American communities through projects and workshops at the Asian Art Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and Saint Louis Art Museum. She created the educational DVD Bojagi: The Art of Wrapping Cloths in 2013, received Alliance for California Traditional ArtsApprenticeship grants in 2019 and 2022, and published Bojagi: The Art of Korean Textiles in 2024.
She founded the Korea Textile Tour in 2017 to introduce Korean textile traditions and culture to wider audiences. Her work has been exhibited internationally and is held in the permanent collections of the Asian Art Museum and Mingei International Museum.