My name is Marcella Morton, a 74-year-old Cherokee woman living in Westville, Oklahoma. My journey with sewing began in the early 1990s, when my two daughters expressed a desire to participate in local powwows. To help them, I reached out to a respected Cherokee elder named Pearl Cole from Wagoner, Oklahoma. Renowned for her exquisite tear dresses and other crafts sold at the Cherokee Nation Gift Shop, Pearl generously invited me to join her for a day of learning.

I remember arriving at her home on a Saturday, eager to learn the art of creating tear dresses. At that time, fabric widths were narrower than what we have today, so Pearl taught me the intricacies of both the front and back seam Tear Dresses, as well as her "easy way" to craft diamonds into the border design. Over the next two years, I created numerous "Pearl Cole" Tear Dresses which my daughters wore proudly. As my daughters grew older and drifted away from Powwows, I eventually set my sewing machine aside. However, three years ago, I noticed a resurgence in the popularity of ribbon skirts, stomp skirts, ribbon shirts, and stomp dance vests. Inspired, I began to sew ribbon skirts for my youngest daughter and myself, gradually expanding my repertoire to include traditional clothing for men and women alike.

This year, I revisited my notes and sketches from Pearl Cole, reigniting my passion for making dresses. My creations are designed for Native and non-Native individuals who appreciate unique, culturally significant clothing. From elegant ribbon skirts to tear dresses and stomp dance attire, my pieces can be donned in business casual settings or during occasions celebrating Indigenous traditions. Although my eyesight may not be as sharp at 74, the joy I find in transforming fabric into something beautiful remains a therapeutic and fulfilling experience.