Yellow Throated Toucan Flashing A Red Wing Molita

Looking for a gift with a story behind it? This Yellow Throated Toucan Molita was hand sewn by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. The cheerful bird on black is the kind of present that ends up framed, not forgotten. At 8 inches wide and 6 inches high, it fits a small frame, a shadow box, or the front of a pillow. Hang it in a kitchen, a reading nook or a child's room where a little brightness goes a long way.

A molita is a small mola, made the same way as its larger cousins. Layers of colored cotton are stacked and cut down one layer at a time so the colors below show through, then every edge is turned under and stitched by hand. This technique, called reverse appliqué, comes from Guna Yala, the San Blas islands off Panama's Caribbean coast, and no two pieces are ever alike.

Founded in 1991, TraderBrock celebrates the handcraft of Latin America's indigenous peoples. We work with Guna, Wounaan and Emberá artisans we know by name, and all profits go back into their communities for education, tools and the teaching of ancestral techniques.

Width: 8"
Height: 6"
SKU: ML0162T