pheebie jeebies: mola mola mola

To get a taste of some traditional textile craft, Ally gave us a brief intro of some techniques in quilting, knitting and mola. This was all quite insightful and rather interesting to see how interpretations of a technique varied according to the maker. Also through the practise and trials of a particular technique, the possibilities of new methods and processes were bound to occur. Playing around with these techniques also reaffirmed me that knitting is definitely not for me. It’s a tedious and repetitive process that requires much patience, coordination and tension control. I’m not even gonna go there! I have 12 weeks max to produce a collection which is the exact amount of time it would probably take me to knit one garment. Hahaha!

Anyway, I also trialled quilting which is quite fun and can entail a lot of creativity if you really get into it. I’ve actually become fond of sewing onto layers of fabric and wadding, and; I would love to see how quilting could be used in fashion beyond puffer jackets and quilted vests.

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My attempt in quilting

Mola was the most recent technique I played around with. The story behind it is quite fascinating to me personally. Mola is a textile craft that evolved from traditional clothing of the Kuna women. The Kuna people and their culture inhabit the Caribbean side of Panama and Colombia. Mola is a decorative technique that layers different colours of fabric together. Patterns are cut out with each layer and then hand sewn down to create vibrant images. It’s like an inverted or reversed version of appliqué.

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Kuna woman with mola imagery

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Mola art

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My mola samples

I am not sure if this is the direction I am willing to take but it’s worth exploring. I know that converting the method into fashion may seem daggy, but that is where the challenge lies. How can mola become modern and relevant to fashion? Project Alabama is just one label that plays on the concept of mola. Their designs focus on a more commercial setting. This suggests that the potential of mola can be further explored and the possibilities of design are endless.