A Big Bold Peace Dove Bird Project Panel Panama Mola

A Big Bold Peace Dove Bird Project Panel Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. The big peace dove has a speckled head and a ringed eye, with a body and wings built from broad cut slats all outlined in bone white. It feels open hearted and unfussy, like a friendly wave from across the street. At 17 inches wide and 12 inches high, it is one of our more affordable panels, with simpler and bolder stitching than our finest pieces, which is why it so often ends up as a pillow front, a tote or a quilt block. It would be just as happy framed in your casual living room or a craft room.

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: PM2553T