Twin Hatted Figures With Curled Mustaches Panama Mola

Twin Hatted Figures With Curled Mustaches Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Two mirrored figures in patterned caps stare out with wide eyes, each with a curled mustache and a red tongue, and the oval windows dotted over their plump bodies are cut through to show the layers of cloth beneath. The joke lands right away and keeps landing, so it is a sure way to make a guest laugh. At 15.5 inches wide and 11.5 inches high, it fits a standard frame or the front of a throw pillow. Put it in your family room or a playroom where a bit of silliness is welcome.

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: 15.5"
Height: 11.5"
SKU: 22051328T