Kuna Mola- reverse applique

De catva timp, aproximativ de vreo doua luni, cautand pe spatiul virtual niste informatii, am gasit un site (si apoi altele asemantoare) care descriu lucrarile unui trib mult uitat de timp , de undeva din canalul Panama, trib care se numeste Kuna.
A while ago, maybe about a couple of months ago, looking on virtual space for some information, I found a site (and then others) describing the work of a tribe long forgotten in time, located somewhere in the Panama Canal; the tribe is called Kuna.

Nu mi-am putut imagina cata indemanare, inspiratie in alegerea culorilor si mai ales rabdare in a crea un proiect mola au acesti oameni atat de simpli!
I could never imagine how skill, inspiration in choosing colors and especially patience in creating a mola project have these so simple people!

Mola inseamna bluza.
Mola means blouse.

Tehnica de lucru principala este reverse applique cateodata combinata cu applique. Se lucreaza numai manual.
The main technical work is reverse applique sometimes combined with applique. It's worked only by hand.
Insa ceea ce este interesant este faptul ca aceste molas se fac din mai multe straturi de material...
But what is interesting is that these molas are made of multiple layers of fabrics ...

Femeie Kuna purtand o mola
Kuna woman wearing a Mola

Pe materialul de fond se deseneaza modelul ales. Apoi in functie de culorile si priceperea "artistului" Kuna se aseaza sub materialul de fond, in mod succcesiv alte materiale ; toate acestea se insaileaza pe margine pentru a le stabiliza apoi se trece la taierea materialului de fond urmarind desenul ales. Se coase ca orice reverse applique insa in tehnica lor cusaturile sunt vizibile.
On the background fabric we're drawing the chosen model. Then, depending on the colors and the Kuna artist skill is gets placed the fabric foundation the other fabrics, in succcesive order; all these are baste to stabilize them, after that we proceed to cut the fabric foundation following the chosen design. It seam like any reverse applique but in this technique seams is visible .

Aici un exemplu de mola cu trei straturi printre care sunt asezate bucatele de materiale diferit colorate .
Here is an example of Mola with three layers on which are placed pieces of different colored fabrics.

Un amanunt : cea mai simpla mola implica doar doua straturi de materiale; la aceasta mola au fost necesare patru straturi de materiale care au fost asezate succesiv pentru a crea acele canale subtiri si diferit colorate, care apar atunci cand materialul e taiat. Pe scurt, vrei sa lucrezi pe fondul acesta rosu un canal verde? tai atunci materialul pe linia desenului pana ajungi la materialul verde... e destul de ciudat si dificil dar eu am incercat
One detail: the simplest Mola involve only two layers of fabrics; for this Mola were necessary four layers of fabrics that were placed in succession to create those different colored and thin channels that occur when the fabric is cut. In short, you want to work on the red background a green channel? in this case cut the fabric following the design until you get to the green fabric ... is quite strange and difficult .

M -a fascinat tehnica- oricum aplicatiile sunt pe locul intai in preferintele mele legate de stitch- si apoi culorile folosite. Indienii Kuna folosesc numai culori contrastante predominand grena , corai , verde , portocaliu , magenta, negru dar nu numai.
Aici o mola mai simpla din doua straturi intre care au fost aplicate bucatele de alte materiale colorate , fiecare la destinatia lor in functie de ce culori indica modelul ales.
I was fascinated by this technique - however applications are still on first place in my preferences related to the stitch - and then the used colors . Kuna Indians uses only predominantly contrasting colors garnet, coral, green, orange, magenta, black, but not only.
Here is a simple Mola of two layers between it have been applied to other pieces of colored fabrics, each at their destination depending on what colors indicate the chosen pattern.

Si aici o broasca testoasa...observati canalele acelea subtiri colorate? Sunt create prin taierea materialului si prin coaserea marginilor acelui canal. In mola moderna apar si elemente de broderie pentru efect
And here a turtle ... do you see those thin colored channels? They are created by cutting fabric and sewing edges of the channel. In a modern Mola appear elements of embroidery for the effect .



Am incercat si eu o mola, prima mea mola si hotarat lucru vor urma si altele. Pe aceasta prima mola am lucrat-o in trei zile dat fiind faptul ca este relativ simpla; insa! nu m-am documentat suficient in privinta tehnicii si am aplicat sapte straturi de materiale simultan! rezultatul a fost ca trebuit sa cos un teanc gros de materiale deodata ceea ce nu este estetic si in primul rand nu e corect.
Aceasta e mola mea. Aici am asezat cele sapte straturi si le-am cusut pe margine; fotografiile sunt facute deja cand avansasem cu lucru
I tried myself a Mola, my first Mola and decided to work and others will follow. On this first Mola I worked on it took me three days because it was relatively simple, though! I didnt documented myself enough about the technique and I applied seven layers of fabrics simultaneously! the result was that I had to sew a thick pile of fabrics at once what is unaesthetic and is not the specific technique.
This is my Mola. Here I sat down seven layers, and I sewed them on the edge, the photos are already taken when work was in an advanced stage.



Aici in lucru , nefinalizata

Here in progres , not finalized

Si aici deja la locul ei

On its place

Atat de mult imi place tehnica si ceea ce rezulta dupa aceea incat am in lucru o noua mola , un desen cu flori stilizate din doua straturi intre care am asezat si insailat peticele de materiale colorate.

I like so much this technique and what are the results afterwards that I already work on a new Mola, a design with stylized flowers, two layers, between them I placed down and baste scraps of colored fabrics.

Primul strat e alb, cel de dedesupt, si e materialul pe care am asezat bucatile de petice apoi stratul negru care acopera totul si pe care se lucreaza
The first layer is white, below, and it is the fabric on which I sat down pieces and then black patch layer that covers everything, on wich the work is going to be placed.

Bineinteles ca nu am pretentia unei mole adevarate pentru ca cere foarte multa rabdare si mai ales experienta; deja trecand prin faze de lucru mi-am dat seama ce greseli am facut si pe care trebuie sa le evit la urmatoarea mola; dar din experienta se invata.
Designul unei mole este inspirat din fauna si flora zonei in care traieste tribul Kuna.
Executia unei mole dureaza de la 2 la 9 luni! Ma refer la acele mole care implica de la 4 straturi in sus , design complex si dimensiuni mult mai mari decat a mea.
Nu exista patternuri pentru un proiect mola, fiecare mola fiind unica si individualizata in functie de talentul si inventivitatea celei care o coase.
In lume, numai indienii Kuna lucreaza astfel de opere, pentru ca aceste mola isi merita pe deplin numele de opere.
Pentru mai multe informatii si fotografii : http://www.galenfrysinger.com/mola_panama.htm

Din pacate, nu am gasit decat un singur tutorial de mola, dupa parerea mea destul de bine explicat si de fapt singurul. ..
Se pare ca arta Kuna va mai apartine destul de mult timp celor care au initiat-o si celor care o creeaza in permanenta.
Aici se afla mola tutorial in engleza http://charlottepatera.com/html/Molas%20How%20Made/pajaromola.html

Of course I did not claim to work a real Mola because requires a lot of patience and experience, especially; already passing through phases of work, I realized what mistakes I made and I have to avoid them at the next Mola, but we all learn from experience .
The design of mola is inspired from animals, birds and flowers originated from the area where Kuna tribe exists.
Execution of a mola takes from 2 to 9 months! I am reffering to those molas which are involving from 4 layers up, design and complex dimensions much larger than mine. There are no patterns for a project Mola, each of the molas being unique and individualized according to the talent of the artist.
In the world, only Kuna Indians sew these molas.

Unfortunately, I have found a single tutorial for Mola, in my opinion pretty well explained and in fact only one. ..
It seems that the Kuna art will belong quite a long time to those who initiated it and to those who are permanently creating it.

For more information and photos: http://www.galenfrysinger.com/mola_panama.htm > and mola tutorial

http://charlottepatera.com/html/Molas% 20How% 20Made/pajaromola.html