Vintage Maroon And White Six Square Spirals Panama Mola

Vintage Maroon And White Six Square Spirals Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Six square spirals sit in two neat rows, each one coiling inward in white satin-like cloth against a maroon ground. Tracing a coil to its center feels like taking a slow breath, and the whole panel has a quiet, hypnotic pull. It measures 15 inches wide and 12 inches high. Give it a spot where you can catch the soft shine of that white cloth in the afternoon light.

From Jan at MolaMagic: Likely made in the 1960s. The white here is a satin-like cloth with a hue all its own. Any serious mola collector or museum would welcome it. You could also cut it into pieces to brighten your own creations, faded blue jeans most of all.

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.

MolaMagic was founded by Janet Marie Brockman with a simple but powerful mission: to help indigenous women of color in Panama share their art with the world. For over twenty years, all profits have gone right back into the artisan community, supporting education, medical care, land, tools, and daily needs. Buying a MolaMagic mola means you are part of that story too.

Width: 15"
Height: 12"
SKU: PM1021T