Two Small Birds Above A Trio Of Leaves Kuna Mola

Two small dark birds face each other at the top of this panel, one rimmed in pink and one in green, both filled with fine rows of embroidery. Beneath them a blue bar and a long yellow shape cross the field like a perch, and from that hangs a plant with three broad leaves, each one veined in green and gold thread. The burgundy ground is framed by pale cream maze panels in the corners, and each panel holds a little bundle of bars in pink, orange, teal or lime. It is 14 inches wide and 9.5 inches high, a quiet, handsome piece for a frame or a cushion. Every line is cut and turned by hand in the reverse appliqué the Guna are known for.

A mola is a hand stitched panel 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 every raw edge is turned and stitched closed by hand. The technique is called reverse appliqué. Guna women have been refining it for generations, and the designs draw on the birds, fish, plants and geometric patterns of the islands and rainforest where they live.

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: 9.5"
SKU: PM1369T

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