Saskatchewan woman using beading skills to remember

A Saskatoon woman is remembering this year with a new type of poppy.

Morgan Esperance is from the Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation community near Duck Lake, about an hour northeast of Saskatoon. She lives in Saskatoon now, and about two years ago she decided she wanted to learn how to bead a pair of moccasins for herself.

She reached out to a friend who knew how to bead and began attending her twice-a-week class. Once Esperance finished her first project, she started on a pair of moccasins for her partner. Several lanyards, medallions, earrings and pins later, Esperance still calls herself a “learner.”

My first time trying poppies, they’re cute🙃 pic.twitter.com/wPXGdNyBtq

— Morgan Esperance (@morganleaah) November 5, 2021

Most importantly, it’s a hobby that gives her time to relax.

“It kind of makes me chill for a bit because I’m always trying to sanitize and clean and chase my baby,” she said. “It’s more so like my me time.”

While her first pair of moccasins took her roughly two months of daily beading, each poppy takes her “about a naptime” or around two hours, she explained with a chuckle.

This year, her brother was wearing an orange shirt keychain Esperance had beaded for him while he was working. His co-workers loved it and asked if Esperance would sell them beaded poppies.

You should’ve seen my grandpa’s face when he got his orange shirt from me. Without him there would be no me, or Tipiskaw. 🥰 #OrangeShirtDay pic.twitter.com/C9kxe3L92I

— Morgan Esperance (@morganleaah) September 30, 2021

She agreed, but still feeling new to the skill she only charged for a few of her creations. She plans to donate part of what she made to the Rosthern Lions Club and give away the rest of the pins to family and friends.

Esperance was worried about the strength of the poppy pins, but has been pleasantly surprised.

“They’re holding up nice and people love them,” she said.