Veterans Day and Remembrance Day are observed on the 11th of November every year to honor those who have served in the armed forces.  The 11th was chosen because it is the anniversary of the day the armistice was signed ending World War I.

Because the red poppies really did cover the graves of the soldiers who were buried in France and Belgium during the Great War, and because of the poem written by John McCrae, poppies have been used ever since to remember the sacrifice of those who serve in the armed forces.  

Veterans Day Poppy Craft

Make this Veterans Day poppy craft. You’ll need the Veterans Day Poppy Craft template, red felt, brown or black felt, black thread, a needle, sewing scissors, and a black button, plus a large safety pin or metal hair clip, depending on if you want to wear it on your shirt or in your hair. 

Cut out the pieces of the poppy from red felt, except for the center piece which should be from black or dark brown felt. You should be able to get two poppies out of one 8½” x 11” sheet of felt. Hint: Trace the poppy pieces with a red sharpie. You can see the line to cut the felt out, but it won’t show up on your finished project.

Layer the pieces from largest to smallest and sew clear through all layers including the button on top.

Some tips. When you thread the needle, pull the thread through until it is doubled up and then tie a knot in the end. This leaves a loop through which you can pass your needle after the first stitch, tying off the thread automatically. So your first stitch comes up from the back, back down from the front and then pass your needle through the loop left on your thread and pull tight to tie off the first stitch.

Stitch through the button three to four times through each set of holes, if you have a four hole button. If you have a two hole button, sew through five or six times, same for a shank button. Then tie it off on the back of the flower by making a small stitch just through the lowest level of fabric and passing your needle through the loop of thread you made. Do this twice, pull tight and trim.

Next make four small slits through the lowest level of fabric only and push your hair clip or safety pin through the slits. It should hold just fine, but you can add a drop of glue if you feel like you need to.

Additional Layers

• Watch this video. It is the poem, In Flander’s Fields by Lt. Col. John McCrae.
• You can read the story about the poem here.

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