Stitched Letters And Leaves In A Blue Ring Panama Mola

This is one of the campaign panels the Guna sew at election time. Inside a big rounded ring of white and blue sit three bold letters across the top in gold, green and pink, with a pair of tall cream numerals standing at the center, and on either side a great veined leaf, one red and one green, worked with fine embroidered ribs. The ground is a deep maroon filled with short colored strokes, and more leaves and a small dark bird crowd the corners outside the ring. It is 14 inches wide and 11 inches high. Every line is cut and turned by hand in the reverse applique the Guna are known for.

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: 14"
Height: 11"
SKU: PM2586T

MACHINE WASHABLE To clean, machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle tumble dry on low, do not bleach or iron