Thread Crochet Poppy Broach

A pretty Crocheted Poppy for Remembrance Day.  Remembrance Day is a memorial day in all the commonwealth counties since the first world war to remember members of the armed forces who have lost their lives in the line of duty.  This day is celebrated in many other countries for the same purpose. Here in the UK and in Australia the poppy is the emblem for Remembrance Day and is taken from the poem “In Flanders Field” written by Canadian physician  Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae.  Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November in most countries to recall the end of hostilities of World War I on that date in 1918. Hostilities formally ended “at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month”.

My Great Grandfather was in the army in the First world war and my Grandfather was in the army, stationed in the middle east in the Second World War.  Whilst my Grandfather survived the Second World War many of his comrades did not.

The British charity, The Royal British Legion, supports families and armed forces personnel in many, many ways. There work is amazing.  Remembrance Day is their biggest annual fund raising event.  They sell poppies, among other initiatives, to raise money to continue their amazing work. Every year I make lots of poppies and sell them to help raise money for The Royal British Legion.  I can never make enough to satisfy demand and I never seem to start soon enough.

This year is the first year I’ve designed my own poppy for wearing.  It is an intermediate level crochet pattern because it’s thread crochet and uses surface crochet in the center.  Using thread can be a bit tricky when you start, its fiddly until you get used to it and surface crochet needs a little practice.

This year is no different to others I’m late designing and making poppies late for this year. Added to my lateness my father is terminally ill, he always, always observed Remembrance Day. I have many happy memories of spending a Sunday observe it with him and in more recent years, taking my children with us to do the same.  His illness is progressing rapidly as I write making it very hard to find time for crochet.   No matter how late I am or how difficult life is at the moment I can still manage a few poppies.

These are quite a quick to make poppy, I can manage one an evening with embellishments added the following day. So even if you only make a few every penny counts for your chosen charity in whichever country you are in.

 

Supplies

25g ball Scheepjes Maxi Bonbon Colour 392 Lime Juice

25g ball Scheepjes Maxi Bonbon Colour 192 Scarlet

25g ball Scheepjes Maxi Bonbon Colour 110 Jet Black

You can use any size 10 mercerized crochet cotton

Size 1.75mm crochet hook (US 5 Steel)

Black seed beads

Beading needle (Size 10 long)

Black thread

Tapestry needle to weave in the ends

Pattern (UK Terms)

Note the ch at the start of each row does not count.

Start with an adjustable ring

1. Start in the black yarn, Ch 1, 12 dc in the adjustable ring sl st in the first dc to join. (12 sts)

2. Ch 1, 2 dc in each dc to the end, sl st to join changing colour to the red yarn. (24 sts)

3. In the red yarn, Ch 1, *1 dc in the next st, 2 dc in the next st*, repeat * to * to the end. Sl st to join.  (36 sts)

Centre complete now to add the petals, 5 in total.

4. Ch 1, 6 dc, turn.

5. Ch 1, 2 dc in the same st, 2 dc in of the next 5 sts (12dc) turn

6. ch 2, 1 trc in the same st, 2 trc in each of the next 11 sts (23trc) 3 sl sts in the side of the last three rows. Ch 1 miss one st. Do not cast off, do not change colour.

Repeat rows 4-6 four more times to create all five petals.

Petals complete, now to finish the centre.

1. Surface crochet 24 dc’s around the row 2, dc posts. Sl st changing to the lime green yarn. Raised center formed.

2. 24 dc, in the 24 dc to complete the centre, cast off.

Finish by weaving in the ends and (optional) adding the beads to the green center row. I use bulb pins for attaching. Alternatively you could attach a broach pin.