A Letter M Among Jungle Blooms Kuna Mola

A Letter M Among Jungle Blooms Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. A tall letter M stands in a pale oval, threaded with zigzag stitching, while a small eared creature with leafy wings perches on top and flowering plants lean in from both sides. If your name, or the name of someone dear to you, starts with that letter, it feels like it was cut just for you. It is 17 inches wide and 12 inches high, a good size for a framed monogram piece. Hang it over a child's bed or in a home office, or give it as a personal gift with a story behind it.

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: 17"
Height: 12"
SKU: PM0365T