Number Eleven In A Leafy Circle Panama Mola

Number Eleven In A Leafy Circle Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. A crisp number eleven sits at the heart of a ring, wrapped in curling leaves and vines, with more leaves and a small flower crowding the field outside the circle. It feels personal and a bit lucky, a piece that comes with a story you get to write. It is 13 inches wide and 10 inches high, small enough to tuck onto a shelf or a crowded wall. Give it for an eleventh birthday or anniversary, or hang it by a door marked with that number.

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: 13"
Height: 10"
SKU: 22052817T