The staff of the Campbell River and Courtenay Immigrant Welcome Centres were presented with three art quilt wall hangings from Panama on June 13.
The quilts, also called Molas, were carefully chosen by quilt artist Marilyn Koch from Courtenay, when she and her husband, Win, visited Panama on vacation. They were pieced together and quilted by Barb Round of Campbell River, and donated in memory of Marilyn Koch.
While one quilt will remain in the Campbell River office, the other two will be displayed in Courtenay’s Welcome Centre.
Mola is Kuna Indian textile art from the San Blas Islands of Panama. Women there wear these designs in their traditional clothing and make panels for sale. Molas are hand-made using a reverse appliqué technique. Coloured cotton is layered and the design is formed by cutting away parts of each layer, exposing the one below.
The edges are turned under and sewn down with tiny stitches using thread to match each fabric. Layers of colour surround each shape, reflecting traditional designs, birds and animals. Very fine embroidery is sometimes added to enhance the design. Mola can take weeks to months to complete, depending on the complexity of the design.
