Baby Moccasins with Turtle Pattern -- Fully Beaded by Elena Carol Pate (Choctaw)

These delightful baby moccasins by the talented Carol Pate have been beaded with the design of a turtle. The design is formed by a pattern of glass beads in the colors of blues, yellow, and red on a background of white deer hide that is soft to the touch.

 

After the birth of her daughter, Carol wanted to reconnect with her Choctaw heritage. She began by teaching herself and researching styles and patterns and attended classes offered by the American Indian Cultural Society. Encouraged by her mother, she began selling her work and has since won many awards. She has graduated to a level that allows her to produce work in either traditional or contemporary style and often approaches her designs in a very organic attitude. She explains that, "when I begin a piece, I choose my colors and put the ones I want into one bowl. My husband thinks I'm crazy, but I like picking each bead out and seeing how the design evolves."

 

Carol often works with the design of the Turtle as she says, "Turtles are important to the Choctaw...we even have a Turtle Dance to honor them."

 

To learn more about Carol Pate, click here.