Remembrance Day Poppies

Remembrance Day Poppies

Today we observe Memorial Day, honoring the men, women, and dedicated service animals that died while serving in the United States military.

This day was originally known as Decoration Day in remembrance of those lost during the Civil War. In Waterloo, New York the day was first celebrated in 1866 by decorating the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags. In 1968 Decoration Day became known as Memorial Day and became an official federal holiday in 1971.

The tradition of decorating military graves continues today and some people wear a red poppy. The custom of wearing a red poppy was inspired by a World War I poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrae.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

    That mark our place; and in the sky

    The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

        In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

    The torch; be yours to hold it high.

    If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

        In Flanders fields.

In 1922 the Veterans of Foreign Wars distributed the first United States remembrance poppies on Memorial Day. Today, the American Legion Auxiliary receives donations for crepe-paper poppies on both Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

You can make you own Remembrance Poppy.

What You Will Need:

Red felt

Black button with 4 holes

Black seed beads

Pins

Red embroidery thread

Black and red thread

Quilting needle

Beading needle

Instructions:

Print out the free template. Cut out the three shapes of your choice on the page.

Pin each to your red felt and cut out the shapes. Remove the pins and paper templates from the felt and discard or save to make more poppies.

Hand sew a blanket stitch, with the embroidery thread, around the edges of each of the flowers. Leave the circle without a blanket stitch; it will be used to fasten the pin on the back.

Once you finish the blanket stitch edge on the petals, assemble your felt poppy. Place a black button in the center of the smaller layer; next add the middle size, and then the larger. Using the black thread, attach all of these layers together through the button holes, stringing seed beads on the thread,  threading over the button, and through to the back. Repeat, adding as many beads to your liking and then tie off.

Add the pin by placing the felt circle over the pin back and stitching on with red thread.

You can read more about Remembrance Day and poppies in the eBook Remembrance Today: Poppies, Grief and Heroism by Ted Harrison