MOLA
I have had very limited time to work on my Mola, but have started revealing the first layer of fabric underneath the black top.
I have also appliquéd the black cut out part of the leaf and one flower.
More excavating of fabric underneath next week.
MOLA - Snippets of Interest
If you are a quilter, when you hear the word Mola, you might instantly think of colourful quilts of reverse appliqué. Actually the name Mola means blouse or garment.This blouse is part of the folk costume worn by the women of the Cuna Indians on the San Blas Islands in Central America.
Onto the highly decorative square panel, a yoke and sleeves are attached.
(Sources: Hemmets HandarbetsLexikon, Eva Köhlmark: Broderiboken, Elizabeth Healey: Stitch, Fabric & Thread)
24 comments:
Thank you for that bit of info.
Although I have been doing applique for a long time, I have only recently had a go at reverse applique, so I find your post very interesting. :-)
xx
your applique is neat and beautiful. the fabric underneath is lovely. A great work. I have developed an interest on this mola quilting through you.
I like the look of your Mola, I must say!
Colour, fabric and design look good. Would the body painting have been for ceremonies? As clothing, the patterns last longer
A lot of work but it is looking good.
My favourite colour combination, blues and browns. Wonderful pattern for the blouse.
How interesting! The blue fabric is beautiful!!
Beautiful work progress, my friend. I am sure it will turn out great!
Thank you. I hope it will; it is a first-time challenge!
I hope to write up more on Mola for each WIPW report.
The blue fabric was a gift from Florida, it is tightly woven and I hope it won't fray AT ALL!
It is actually black..., but then my camera and photographic skills are not that good. The blue, though is a great hue.
It IS a lot of work as I have never done this before and need to THINK, and think in reverse!
I don't know if they used body painting on a daily bases or only for special events.
I agree with you, on clothing the pattern stays on and you could change between the blue floral and the red geometric etc.
Thank you. I have no idea how the end result will look, it is a bit nail-bitingly scary to do reverse appliqué in layers for the first time.
As it is part of a folk garment I thought it would interest you - after all you beautify your clothes with stitches all the time.
The blue fabric is batik from Florida and very tightly woven.
It is very different, isn't it? One needs to be brave to cut just enough of the top fabric, and take care not to accidentally cut the layer underneath.
It is looking good so far, and I agree it is scary cutting into the fabric.
Very beautiful so far Queenie. It will have a textured 3-D look won't it?
Nice start! I love that blue fabric Cutting through just one layer can be hard and my best pointy scissors like to grab more than one layer. Lots of oops happen.
it is so difficult to estimate how much seam allowance you need! I am struggling with too narrow a cut.
The Cuna Indians made up to five layers so it would indeed get a textured 3-D look.
I have to be very carful when I cut! I don't want to spoil the fabric underneath the blue, and I realize the blue areas are a bit too narrow; there is not much seam allowance to turn under!Yes, lots of oops happen!
Your mola is looking great! If I ever do mola again I'm not going to use red! I'm getting tired of it.
You HAVE to make another Mola, to show me and Julie at the quilt show in Tokyo!!!! Don't forget!!!!!
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