Vintage Red And Black Starry Background Material Panama Mola

Vintage Red And Black Starry Background Material Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Black and red spirals curl outward from a small center, and through the gaps a printed cloth peeks out with tiny white stars and little eyes. Every glance turns up a new little surprise, which makes the panel fun to study up close. It measures 16.5 inches wide and 11 inches high. You will want to look closely, because the printed cloth is half the charm.

From Jan at MolaMagic: This one is a bit dirty and could use a gentle hand wash with mild soap and a scrubbing. And how about that star-eyed background material.

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: 16.5"
Height: 11"
SKU: PM1046T