San Blas or Mola Applique

The art of Mola Applique is believed to have originated on the island of San Blas Archipelago, located off the Caribbean shore of eastern Panama.  Given it's name by Christopher Columbus in 1501, the Cuna Indians; the indigenous people of San Blas, have been mentioned by many explorers and traders who frequented the island throughout the 16th to 19th centuries. Originally, they were most noted for their colourful and artistic body painting.  Though Cuna men preferred to go naked, the women were more modest and covered their nudity with living art.  Their pigments came from berries and local clay, and were applied with a wooden stick, gnawed at the end until the softness of a brush.

This vibrant example of San Blas is part of the collection of the Canadian Textile Museum

By the 17th century, cotton was being cultivated on the island and the Cuna women were weaving brightly colored fabric which they made into skirts.  Then as a variety of fabrics became available through trade, intricate designs could be made in a variety of colours, and the San Blas Molas are  the most sought after  items in all of Panama. The actual technique of Mola is more cut-work, than applique, and is made by layering contrasting fabrics; cutting a unique portion from each layer and stitching it to the last; to create a lithopane like image.

Of course, you don't have to create the complex works of the Cuna,  but can use San Blas or Reverse Applique, with simpler projects.  Getting Started.  Choose a different coloured fabric for each layer that you would like to have appear in your Mola.  If this is your first attempt, stick with three, but later you can try as many as six.  You should begin by cutting small patches from every colour; cut a hole in each and experiment with how they will look together and draft your design. Once you have decided on the arrangement of the layers, and the design you would like to create, baste the fabric pieces together around the edges and diagnally to hold them securely in place and mark your desired pattern on the first layer.  To reveal the next colour, cut away the central image of your pattern from the first layer only, using a sharp pair of scissors.  Clip the edges at curves and corners and turn in about 1/8".  Slipstitch edge to layer below with matching thread.  Pull this portion back and in the second layer make small cut-outs for inserts.  They can be slashes, diamonds, squares; or whatever your design calls for.   Now carefully pull portions of the next layer through these inserts and applique in place.  Repeat one layer at a time, putting inserts in strategic locations; flip over and begin working again on top layer, cutting away and slipstitching until work is complete. Remember that the colours in the piece above from the Canadian Textile Museum, each represent a separate piece of fabric that has been pulled through and fastened in place between the layers.  You can also use additional applique to further accentuate your work.

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