Turtles And Fish Swimming The Green Labyrinth Panama Mola

Turtles And Fish Swimming The Green Labyrinth Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Two turtles meet in a dark pool at the heart of the cloth with a fish above and another below, and a wide labyrinth of squared spirals surrounds them on every side. There is a cozy, sheltered feeling to it, as if the sea life has found a quiet cove to rest in. It is 16 inches wide and 11.5 inches high, just right for framing over your bathtub or a vanity. Hang it in a bathroom, a lake house or a nursery with an ocean 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: 11.5"
SKU: PM2666T