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This year, National Poppy Day is May 28 and Memorial Day is May 30. Guest contributor Camille Ipsen of @notsomodernmillie has created a tutorial to help you participate in these days of remembrance.
The tradition of wearing poppies is recognized worldwide as a way to honor the members of the armed forces who died in the line of duty. In the United States, we pay tribute to these brave men and women on Memorial Day, the last Monday in May. This sweet and simple poppy pin is a wonderful way to remember the fallen and show support for military families.
Skill Level: Beginner
Time: 1 hour
Additional Supplies:
Poppy Pin and Card Template (click to download)
Directions:
1. Clink on the link above to download the Poppy Pin Template PDF. Print on cardstock and cut out individual pieces.
2. Trace pattern pieces onto the appropriate felt color. Cut. If you do not have a white marking pencil for tracing, a regular pencil or pen will work well.
3. Glue the poppy together by overlapping a small bit of each petal over the one before to form a circle. The base of each petal will meet in the center. For added dimension, you can slightly pinch or wrinkle the base as you glue it to the other petals. Set aside.
4. Cut the pom-pom in half. Use sharp scissors and multiple cutting motions until you have cut all the way through. This will be the flower pistil. If a child is making this craft, this step should be completed by an adult.
5. Cut a 3/4 x 4" strip of Black wool blend felt. Cut slits along the width of the strip without cutting through to the other side. This will be the flower stamen.
6. Working in small sections, glue the black felt strip along the edge of the halved pom-pom. Once you have wrapped the diameter of the pom-pom, trim any excess felt.
7. While cupping the finished petals in your hand, glue the pistil and stamen into the center.
8. Use the wire cutters to cut the wire stem in half. Take one of the halves and bend it in half. Pull gently on one of the ends so it slopes away from the other end. This will be the flower stem.
9. Now it's time to assemble the poppy! Start by pinching the leaf in half and gluing the end where the two stem halves separate. Gluing the leaf while pinched will give it depth and some structure on the stem.
10. Next, glue on the three parts of the flower's fruit. The back piece should go behind the stem with the middle and front pieces in the front. The extra felt circle in the middle makes the fruit more bulbous.
11. Lastly, glue the back circle of the poppy behind the stem with the finished flower on the front. Let dry completely. When the flower can be handled without any shifting, glue the pin back to the back circle of the flower. Let dry completely before wearing.
12. If you intend to give this poppy as a gift, you can pin the flower to the Remembrance Card included with the pattern.
I hope you take the time to make a poppy for yourself and feel great pride when you wear it. I wear mine in honor of my great uncle Alex Scott and all of the noble men and women who died in service to our country.
Thanks to Camille for designing and writing this tutorial! You can follow her on Instagram @notsomodernmillie or visit her website. Stay tuned for more tutorials!
