A Crested Swan In The Green Labyrinth Kuna Mola

A Crested Swan In The Green Labyrinth Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. A small swan with an orange bill floats at the center with a blue crest fanning up behind its head, while a maze folds back on itself all around it. The little figure at the heart of all that busy line work gives you something steady to hold on to. At 16 inches wide and 13 inches high, it is nearly square enough to work as a cushion front as well as a framed piece. It would look lovely in a nursery or a bathroom with a water theme.

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: 16"
Height: 13"
SKU: PM1084T