Something Missing Here

The good molas generally have some sort of foundation under them and reverse appliqué is used. There are several layers. But I am finding on many of the smaller molas that are clearly made for the tourist trade, there is no foundation, and the work is just appliquéd on, sometimes with some embroidery stitching, but it definitely is not the same. Here is a good example of one I have. I think if you wanted to make something that was a contemporary piece with the look of a mola, this might be a good way to start. It would be nice on jackets, jeans or other clothing. You can click on the mola to see a larger view.

Every Now and Then

Sometimes it is good to go from the regular path and surprise the reader/viewer. I have another love besides textiles, and that is my garden. And I have some plants that seem pretty unique to me. They are all rescued, and it seems that once rescued and in the ground, they must be very thankful because things get huge in my yard! Here is my Bird of Paradise I literally rescued from a garbage bin at a construction site. I was horrified to see the workmen just digging them up one by one and dumping them to go to their deaths in a few more hours. I opened up the back of my little Honda Civic Hatchback and one by one, hauled them home, giving them to neighbors and friends so that they all ultimately got adopted. There were other plants too and those all went to other friends. But this Bird of Paradise is clearly happy to be rescued. A few feet high when I rescued it and put it into a pot, it has long since broken through the pot and is now way over the top of the nearby mobile home, and it is clearly happy. Every year some manure and some mulch and small redwood chips and everything thinks it is apparently in the Garden of Eden!

Victorian Themed Mola

This mola seems to be older than my others, and I am honestly not sure of the age of it, but the fabrics seem older than some of my other ones. The style as well leads me to believe it is older. I think it is interesting that it incorporates themes from Victorian times - the highly stylized vase with stylized flowers and birds in it. I often wonder about the influences that affected these people. I like that it is just the two colors as well. I don't think I will ever tire of molas. You can click on this mola to see a larger view.

My Newest Mola

A friend just sent me this mola and it appears to be perhaps something from the 2nd quarter of the 20th century. It is an octopus, but note how instead of eight arms, it seems to have only seven arms, and two of them are somewhat different from the others. The arms are different sizes as well, and different shapes. There is an overall lack of symmetry in the piece, but that makes it more interesting to me. It's not uncommon in molas. The fabrics are somewhat heavier than some of my other molas, and there is a lot more intricate stitching on it, another sign of something older. Some of the fabrics used for the reverse appliqué underneath are prints or unusually pieces, something I have not seen on many molas. I love the almost evil face of this octopus with its eyes that are both different sizes and shapes. Wonderful addition to my collection. You can click on the photo to see a much larger view.

A Mellow Yellow Day

This is not the sky. It is a mobile home nextdoor to mine. Now some people would think that this home was really ugly because it is such a bright blue. But I wonder if you would get such a good photo as this if it were a washed out color.

Keep your sense of proportion by regularly, preferably daily, visiting the natural world. - Catlin Matthews