For those of you who have been asking me about the Mola quilt, it's not finished but here is the latest. After a year in Panama and having bought enough molas to sink the boat, I am slowly but surely finishing up some craft projects that these beautiful textiles lend themselves to so well.

Molas are the national treasures of the Kuna Indians of the San Blas Islands of western Panama and the main income source for the Kuna Yala. Handmade, layered appliqués, these beautiful pieces of artwork start out as the front and back panels of the multicolored blouses worn by the women; they also keep the panels separate and sell them to visiting cruisers and tourists.



As soon as you drop anchor in any one of the hundreds of beautiful islands a dugout canoe will make its way to your boat with a wide selection of molas available for purchase. Stoic and harsh bargainers, these resourceful women are the main income producers of this matriarchal society. One of the last independent nations not seduced and conquered by modern civilization, the San Blas Islands remain one of our favorite places.