©2003 Charlotte Patera

I call this mola "Feathers" although I don't really think they are feathers. Sometimes the subject of a mola is difficult to define. It is almost like a crest with a shield in the center and colorful leaves surrrounding it.
This mola has a slight variation in the channel. The central red outline is actually "inlaid" within the yellow channel instead of being the red foundation showing through as it is done on some molas. Each feather shape also has a wide outline, green on the left and orange on the right appliquéd on the top, with a red top line appliquéd over each. This mola has only two layers, black over a yellow foundation.
Step 1. The foundation layer is yellow. I marked the faint outline to show the basic placement of the dominant shapes. It would not be on the mola at this point although the maker would have an idea of placement. She might use a white pencil to mark it so she knows where to put the patches. They were basted on to be revealed in the final steps. Step 2. The top layer of black was placed over the yellow layer. The channels were cut and stitched under on both sides to form the outline revealing the yellow foundation. They were made wide enough to accomodate a narrow inlay of red later. All of the colored patches were covered up at this point to be revealed later through the vertical slits.
Step 3. All of these appliquéd leaves and flowers were added in many colors after the wide green outline around the left feather shape and the orange outline around the right one. All were appliquéd to the black top layer. Step 4. As in all traditional molas, each appliqué is topped with a smaller appliqué of red so that the colored shape under it is shown only as a narrow outline. The channel also had its own red outline in the form of an inlay strip cut to fit. All of these red details could be cut from one layer of red if done very carefully.
Step 5. The vertical slits were cut and stitched down to reveal the colored patches that were placed in Step 1. This shows half of them finished. It is also possible to slip a small colored piece within a slit under the black top layer to add colors instead of in the first step. Step 6. The remaining vertical slits were finished to complete most of the fill-in detail. Fine chain stitch embroidery was also used to fill in the leaves and flowers with the final detail.

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