Somewhere Inside The Birdcage A Song Is Brewing Panama Mola

Somewhere Inside The Birdcage A Song Is Brewing Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. A heavy beaked bird plants its feet in the center behind upright bars, and a wide border of interlocking hooks runs all the way around like a frame within the frame. Somehow it feels like the hush just before someone starts to sing. At 15 inches wide and 11 inches high, it is a handy size for a small frame on a side wall. Give it a spot in a music room, a sunroom or anywhere you like to sit with your morning coffee.

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: 15"
Height: 11"
SKU: PM3946T

Each mola is stitched entirely by hand, so gentle care keeps it looking its best.

Hand wash in cold water with a mild soap, on its own. Do not wring, bleach, or tumble dry. Lay flat to dry, out of direct sun. If needed, press on the back with a warm iron, with a cloth between the iron and the mola.