Chapel Cross And Bell With Leaf Sprays Mola

Chapel Cross And Bell With Leaf Sprays Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. A tall cross with a bell hanging beneath it fills the center, a church scene that shows how the mission chapels on the islands found their way into Guna sewing alongside the leaves and blossoms of home. It brings a quiet, steady feeling to whoever pauses in front of it, more like a small prayer than a picture. At 17 inches wide and 12 inches high, it suits a frame of its own or a spot above a small table. It would sit well in an entryway, a reading corner or anywhere you keep the things that matter to your faith.

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: 17"
Height: 12"
SKU: 22040357T