Mola
Compare the pictures to see the progress
(No, I did not dye the fabric! The difference in colour is a trick of my camera!)
Mola - Snippets of Interest
The Cuna Indians use many kinds of motifs, not only tropical birds and animals or exotic plants, but religious symbols, rockets, sporting events, as well as illustrations from advertisements, for their Molas.
Many Cuna Indians are illiterate and the letters of the alphabet are simply seen as decorative symbols, so letters might be missing or turned upside down.
A Swedish match-box with a parrot and the text: 'Made by Jönköping-Vulcans T.F. AB Sweden' was the inspiration for a Mola, but the text became: 'ADEBYJOPINGS&VULCANSTFABSWEDEN'.
(Source: Broderiboken - Eva Köhlmark)
I found a similar reference to a Swedish matchbox parrot Mola here.
18 comments:
You are making more progress than I am this time. Oh, trying to figure out what to do next takes much longer than actually doing it.
I think you work is fabulous and the small touch of red brings out the other colours.
My progress is slow because I simply don't know what to do! I regret not simply copying someone else design, it would have been so much easier to figure out how to do it.
I hope to add more colours to spice it all up, but I don't want the flowers to be swamped up by the background.
It is SO difficult!
It may be one of those techniques which doesn't really come alive until close to the end...
I love this! I have put molas on my "want to learn" list.
I hope you are right. I will plod on and see what's round the corner.
I hope you will get along with it better than I am. One tip, the black fabric is too loose in the weave, so it frays. Opt for a tight weave!
I liked the original section to begin with - the red and little 'beans' have lifted the work more. Every exposure will add to the brightness of the Mola. Are you flying blind or do you have a design in mind?
I doubt I'd take on this work but love watching your developments.
I think its very pretty and I think Mola when I look at it. Perhaps it would look more Mola-ish with more red because that seems to be the predominant colour in traditional Mola?
I started out with a design, but now I am flying, and sewing!, blind! I don't think I have ever been as uncertain with a project as I am with this one.
Although I wish I had never started on it, I WILL complete it, and hope to get to like it eventually.
You are right, red of often the most obvious colour of Mola. I chose the colours I did as I want to make something that would look good with other things I have. In Japan, Ms Nakayama and her followers, often use other colours than red, black being very popular. It does give a great contrast to other colours.
I think your work is looking good.
How else do you learn something if you never give it a try?
And the middle of a project is hardest, but you are an accomplished
embroidery/stitch artist with experience in starting and finishing
lots of projects. I think this project will turn out fabulous.
Thank you for your kind support. Do YOU ever have moments where you don't know how to proceed with a project?
Great progress on your mola. These splashes of colour adds to the beauty!
It IS getting to look a bit more like Mola - maybe I am just impatient, but I would have liked faster results.
The red really brings it all life doesn't it! I find the hardest part is starting something. By the middle I'm usually thinking "ANYTHING is okay as long as I keep sewing."
I don't want to give up either, but look forward to the day this piece is completed. The red gave me some motivation to go on.
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