Remembrance Day

There are 7 posts filed in Remembrance Day (this is page 1 of 2).

Remembering Animals on Remembrance Day

Why isn’t this a horse rather than a dog? Is this really about animals or something for self-indulgent pet owners? I’m sure there were far more horses used in wars than dogs.

If it is for the pets… why are they always dogs?

I hope everyone wearing a purple poppy is also wearing at least one red poppy, for the humans lost to the wars.

Source: THE Purple Poppy Lapel PIN Remembering OUR Animals ON Remembrance DAY NEW | eBay

For Remembrance Day

In Flanders Fields

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.

John McCrae

From the Canadian Legion site:

The Lapel Poppy

The lapel Poppies that are worn in Canada today were first made, beginning in 1922, by disabled veterans under the sponsorship of the Department of Soldiers Civil Re-establishment. Until 1996, Poppy material was made at the “Vetcraft” sheltered workshops run by Veterans Affairs Canada in Montreal and Toronto. The work provided a small source of income for disabled ex-service persons and their dependants, allowing them to take an active part in maintaining the tradition of Remembrance.

When it no longer became practical for Veterans Affairs Canada to maintain the “Vetcraft” operations, the Legion volunteered to take on the continuing responsibility for the production of Poppies. In so doing, Dominion Command has awarded a production contract to a private company to produce the Poppies but all operations are conducted under strict Legion control and oversight.

Crochet a Poppy Pin

For some inspiration you could start with a look at the Red Poppy group on Flickr, mostly real flowers rather than designs or art/ crafts. But, there are different shades of red with poppies, some are pink and white too. You might decide to make a batch of flowers in all shades of colour.

Maggie’s Crochet has one of my favourite crochet poppies. Includes video instructions for right or left handers. She calls it a button poppy because you pin it on, or wear it in a buttonhole, traditionally. But, you could use a shiny black button in the middle. I think that would be especially pretty. Something a little sparkly would set it off nicely.

Here are her free instructions:

Button Poppy Flower

Skill Level: Easy

Materials: This flower can be worked with any weight of yarn. Finer weights will create a smaller flower, and bulkier weights will create a larger flower. Use the hook size appropriate for the yarn you choose.
We used: Worsted Weight yarn and a size H-8 hook. You will also need a button, approx. 1″ in diameter.

Abbreviations:

ch – chain
slst – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
tr – treble

Special Stitches:
Double Treble Crochet (dtr): yo 3 times, insert hook into the next st, draw up a lp and pull through (5 lps on hook). [Yo and pull through 2 lps] 4 times.

Directions

Rnd. 1: with Red, ch2, 4sc in 2nd ch from hook, join with slst to beginning sc. 4sc

Rnd. 2: ch1, 2sc in each sc around, join with slst to beginning sc. 8sc

Rnd. 3: ch1, sc in first sc, ch3, skip next sc, *sc in next sc, ch3, skip next sc*, repeat from *to* twice, join with slst to beginning sc. 4 ch-3 sps

Rnd. 4: *Sl st in next ch-3 sp, ch4 (counts as first tr), 13tr in same sp, ch 4, sl st in same ch-3 sp*, repeat from *to* in each ch-3sp. 60 tr

Rnd. 5: Ch, sc in skipped sc from rnd 2, ch3, *sc in next skipped sc, ch3*, repeat from *to* around, join with slst to beginning sc. 4 ch-3 sps

Rnd. 6: *sl st in next ch-3 sp, ch5 (counts as first dtr), 13dtr in same sp, ch 5, sl st in same ch-3 sp*, repeat from *to* in each ch-3sp, weave in ends. 60 dtr

Note: for smaller flower, omit Rnds. 5-6.

Purfylle has a fast crocheted poppy with printable instructions.

Flowers by Irene has a pretty knit/ crochet poppy.

Frayed at the Edges makes a knit poppy.

Eirawen has a crocheted poppy with images to help understand how to make it.

Kittyboo Crochet has a nice poppy pattern

Red Poppy in Rememberance

In Canada it’s Remembrance Day today. Draw a poppy as a memorial. It doesn’t have to be good, it’s just a tribute to real people after all, not intended to be perfect. If you have a red crayon, pencil or pen fill in the colour too. Now you have your own personal poppy you can pin to your jacket today instead of those factory issue flowers everyone else is wearing. Kind of nice isn’t it?