Jogakbo
Jogakbo · Seams & stitches
Whip/overcast stitch
감침질gamchimjil
A whip stitch over folded edges, the usual way of joining jogakbo pieces.
- Meaning
- From 감치다 'to whip over an edge' + -ㅁ질 'act of'.
- Used for
- Joining patchwork pieces; hems
Wraps thread over a folded edge, in a coil. It is the second most-used Korean stitch after 홈질, and the usual stitch for joining 조각보 pieces. In patchwork it is often worked in a contrasting thread so that the stitches show.
- 1Fold under the seam allowance (about 1 cm) on both pieces.
- 2Place the folds right sides together.
- 3Take a tiny bite through both folds, skipping a couple of threads each time, with the needle held upright.
- 4The thread slants over the edge; keep the spacing even.
- 5Open the pieces flat.
History & tradition
Traditional; Joseon
Whip stitching over folded edges was the usual way to join jogakbo pieces, and the many tiny stitches along each seam are part of the look of a finished cloth. The encyclopedia describes two methods, one used for jacket (적삼) hems.
Contemporary bojagi artists often sew it in contrasting thread to show the seam lines.
Sources for this entry
공그르기gonggeureugi