This bird is drawn so large that she barely fits her own cage. Her wine red body swells across the center of the panel, ribbed inside with teal, blue and green bars, and a magenta crest runs along her back. The cage around her is built of doubled arches in grass green, gold and burnt orange, and the two lower corners hold small pointed shapes in navy and hot coral. Orange and blue bars stand guard in the outer panels. It is 17.5 inches wide and 10.5 inches high. The whole design is cut and turned by hand in reverse applique, layer upon layer of cotton.
Molas are traditionally hand stitched panels made by the Guna people of Panama, once known as the Kuna. Several layers of colored cotton are stacked, then cut down through one layer at a time so the colors underneath show through, and the raw edges are turned and stitched closed. The technique is called reverse appliqué. On this panel the artisan worked with a sewing machine rather than closing every edge by hand, which keeps the lines crisp and makes it a sturdy, practical choice for a pillow cover or a sewing project.
TraderBrock has bought directly from Guna, Embera, Wounaan and Ngäbe artisans since 1991, and sales revenue goes back into those communities for education, medical care, tools and land. This panel came from Guna Yala, the San Blas islands off Panama's Caribbean coast. It is ready to frame, mount, or sew into a pillow or a quilt panel, and it can be hand washed. No two molas are ever alike, and small variations in size, stitching and color are normal in handmade textiles.
Width: 17.5"
Height: 10.5"
SKU: PM2676T
