Seed Pods And Leafy Branches On Wine Mola

Seed Pods And Leafy Branches On Wine Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Two fat seed pods split open at the center to show their bright insides, leafy branches curve in from either side with a stitched cross on every small leaf, and a labyrinth frames the whole plant out to the edges. It suggests growth and fresh beginnings without saying a word. At 17 inches wide and 12 inches high, it hangs well on its own or beside a second panel. Try it in your kitchen, a garden room or a home office.

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: 22040257T