Turquoise Outlined Birds With Striped Wings Mola

Turquoise Outlined Birds With Striped Wings Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Two birds rise on either side of a turquoise maze column with their wings lifted, a mirror image layout that shows up constantly in Guna sewing, where balance between the two halves is part of the craft. The energy feels upward and hopeful, as if the whole panel is about to take off. It measures 16.5 inches wide and 11.5 inches high, a size that works in a frame over a dresser or as a cushion cover. Try it in a home office where you could use a lift between tasks.

Molas are built by stacking several layers of colored cotton, then cutting down through one layer at a time so the colors underneath show through, and turning every raw edge under and stitching it closed by hand. The technique is called reverse appliqué, and a good panel is judged by how fine the stitches are and how many layers deep the cutting goes. This one came from Guna Yala, the San Blas islands off Panama's Caribbean coast, where the designs draw on the birds, fish, plants and geometric patterns of the islands and rainforest. It is ready to frame, mount, or sew into a pillow or a quilt panel, and no two are ever alike.

Founded in 1991, TraderBrock celebrates the handcraft of Latin America's indigenous peoples. Every piece comes from Guna, Wounaan and Emberá artisans we know by name, and all profits are reinvested in their communities for education, tools and the teaching of ancestral techniques. Buying from TraderBrock helps keep their culture and their traditions alive.

Width: 16.5"
Height: 11.5"
SKU: 22040363T