ANZAC Day, in Australia, is a significant day of observance and reflection to honour the sacrifices made by our soldiers to ultimately provide us with the lifestyle and freedoms we enjoy today. A beautiful way that craft has been involved in ANZAC Day is through the 5000 Poppies Project. Knitting poppies for ANZAC day is a way of remembering, honouring and thanking our service men and women.
In 2019 I was lucky enough to be involved with assisting in creating one of these amazing poppy groves of knit and crocheted poppies. I knit many flowers, but also helped in “planting” hundreds of poppies into a beautiful display.
Take the time this ANZAC Day to reflect, by knitting your own poppy.
Pattern to knit your own poppy
My version of this pattern is based on Lynn’s Easy Knitted Rib Stitch Poppy. I have modified the instructions to include three colours, rather than attaching a button or felt for the centre.
Materials
– 8ply/DK yarn in three colours: Red, Black and Green
– 3.75 or 4mm needles (you want quite a tight gauge)
– darning needle
Instructions
With red yarn cast on 52 stitches, using the long tail cast on
Knit 4 rows of 2 x 2 rib
Cut red yarn, leaving a tail for weaving in
Join black yarn
Knit 1 row of 2 x 2 rib
Next row, k2tog across entire row
Cut black yarn, leaving a tail for weaving in
Join green yarn
Knit 2 rows of k2tog across the entire row (when there are an odd number of stitches knit the last stitch)
Cut green yarn and thread through remaining stitches and pull to form the centre of the poppy.
Finishing
Stitch the side seam, using the black and red tails to join those sections to form the flower.
I attached a safety pin to the back of mine, so I could wear it on ANZAC day.