In 1917, Alice Osceola, the wife of William McKinley Osceola, became the first known woman to wear patchwork adornment on her clothing. As more women took up the practice, the clothing became more elaborate and colorful. Indigenous women made patchwork articles to sell to tourists visiting their camps and settlements. Patchwork clothing and goods became a hallmark of the tribes' handicrafts and sales of these items helped support many Seminole and Miccosukee families before the arrival of the gaming industry. Seminole seamstresses made these dolls out of red palmetto fibers and dressed them in patchwork-style clothing like that of the tribe's women. The dolls are highly prized today by collectors of Seminole Indian artifacts. These specific dolls date to the 1940s and were donated to the Museum of Seminole County History by Clarabel Van Tuyl.]]>
Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.]]> Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Museum of Seminole County History by Clarabel Van Tuyl.]]> Museum of Seminole County History and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>