New York, NY: Thames & Hudson (2023)

Hardback.

New decorated boards.

A vibrant, in-depth survey of the techniques and traditions of patchwork around the world.

What do Korean bojagi wrapping cloths, Cameroonian Bamileke boubous, Peruvian montera hats, and Hungarian cifraszür shepherd cloaks have in common? Each is made using the ancient technique of patchwork—the art of juxtaposing fabrics and motifs to create blankets, clothes, accessories, and more.

This volume follows Catherine Legrand as she sews together an ethnographic patchwork map. Legrand has spent many years traveling and researching textiles and has a deep knowledge of the techniques and traditions that characterize patchwork, enabling her to create an engaging fabric-inspired travelogue.

Pieced together much like the gorgeous textiles it portrays, Legrand’s beautifully illustrated history features over 300 dazzling photographs of patchwork from around the world and takes the reader from Europe and the Americas to Africa and Asia, where these ancient traditions survive, and patchwork is part of the fabric of everyday life. Textile artists, patchwork enthusiasts, and designers of all stripes will discover an endless source of inspiration.

Catherine Legrand worked as a graphic designer at the foundation of the Théâtre du Soleil and in New York and Paris before becoming a freelance textile designer. In the course of her many "textile voyages," she has become a passionate collector of fabrics, outfits, jewelry, and accessories. She is also the author of Indigo: The Color that Changed the World.