Twin Four Leaf Clover Under Spiral Hooks Panama Mola

Twin Four Leaf Clover Under Spiral Hooks Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Two four leaf clovers sit under a row of square spiral hooks, each leaf filled with thin lines of pink, blue, green and orange on deep maroon, all outlined in bright yellow on black. It feels like a lucky charm drawn twice, just to be sure. It measures 16 inches wide and 11 inches high, so it fits a small frame or the front of a throw pillow. Give it to someone who could use a little luck, or hang it by your front door.

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"
SKU: 21110516TE