Rolling Letters That Read M Or W Panama Mola

Turn this panel upside down and it says the same thing, which is half the joke. Two rows of rolling letters run across the cloth in doubled outlines of orange and deep forest green, reading as an M from one side and a W from the other, and inside four of the curls the maker has set pointed leaves in blush pink, teal, sea green and black. Between the rows sit small upright shapes in lilac, gold, cyan and hot pink, and the ground is a burgundy that has gone almost chocolate in the shadows. It is 16.5 inches wide and 12 inches high, a wide panel that hangs well above a doorway. Every rolling line is cut and turned by hand in reverse applique.

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: 16.5"
Height: 12"
SKU: PM2502T

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