What began as a small community craft project grew into one of Australia’s most memorable handmade tributes.
The 5,000 Poppies project invited knitters and crocheters to create red poppies in honour of Australians who served during wartime. Volunteers from across Australia and overseas contributed thousands of handmade flowers, turning leftover red yarn into a powerful symbol of remembrance.
The project originally aimed to collect 5,000 poppies, but the response from the crafting community was far greater than anyone expected.
Poppies for the Australian War Memorial
In the lead-up to the centenary of the end of the First World War, knitters were asked to help create a large commemorative display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
The goal was to represent the Australians who died during the First World War with thousands of handmade poppies. Volunteers were also making lapel poppies for the Victorian RSL’s 2018 Poppy Appeal.
At the time of the original campaign, the organisers were working towards approximately 62,000 poppies for the memorial display, with tens of thousands already completed by volunteer knitters and crocheters. The flowers were eventually arranged as part of a large outdoor installation commemorating the Armistice centenary.
Although the original collection deadlines have now passed, the story remains a beautiful example of what can happen when a crafting community works together.
Why Poppies Are Used for Remembrance
The red poppy became a symbol of remembrance after the First World War. Poppies grew across the disturbed soil of battlefields in France and Belgium, including the region of Flanders.
Their connection to remembrance was strengthened by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae’s poem In Flanders Fields, which describes poppies growing among the graves of fallen soldiers.
Today, red poppies are worn in Australia, Britain, New Zealand, Canada and other Commonwealth countries to remember those who served and died in war.
A handmade knitted poppy can be worn as a brooch, added to a wreath or incorporated into a community remembrance display.
A Community Knitting Project That Kept Growing
The 5,000 Poppies project was established by Australian crafters Lynn Berry and Margaret Knight.
What began as a personal tribute soon attracted knitters and crocheters from around the country. Craft groups, schools, retirement communities and individual makers all contributed flowers.
Each poppy may have been small, but collectively they created an extraordinary visual statement.
The project also demonstrated why community and charity knitting projects can be so meaningful. They allow people to contribute their time and skills, even when they cannot participate in an event in person.
Making Poppies Suitable for Outdoor Displays
Poppies made for the Australian War Memorial installation needed to be tightly worked and sturdy enough to withstand outdoor conditions.
A loosely knitted flower may look beautiful as a brooch, but an outdoor installation requires a firmer fabric that will hold its shape.
When knitting poppies for a community project, it is helpful to:
- Use a smaller needle than you might normally choose for the yarn.
- Knit at a firm tension.
- Secure all yarn ends carefully.
- Avoid embellishments that may fall off.
- Follow the organiser’s specified colours and dimensions.
- Check whether the flowers will be displayed indoors or outdoors.
Always contact the organisers before sending handmade items. Older campaigns may have finished, changed their requirements or stopped accepting contributions.
Knit Your Own Remembrance Poppy
You do not need to be part of a large installation to make a meaningful remembrance flower.
Our collection of free poppy knitting patterns for Remembrance Day includes simple brooches, gathered flowers, layered poppies and designs with knitted leaves.
Most poppies require only a small amount of red and black yarn, making them ideal quick knitting projects and a practical way to use leftovers from your yarn basket.
You can also browse our free knitting patterns for more small handmade projects.
Ideas for Using Knitted Poppies
A finished poppy can be:
- Worn as a remembrance brooch.
- Added to a knitted or crocheted wreath.
- Attached to a community banner.
- Used in a school remembrance display.
- Sewn onto a scarf or bag.
- Added to a table arrangement.
- Combined with other flowers in a commemorative installation.
For more floral inspiration, see our roundup of 12 free knitted flower patterns.
Can You Sell Handmade Poppies?
A free knitting pattern does not necessarily include permission to sell the finished flowers.
Before selling poppies for fundraising, check:
- The copyright and usage terms of the pattern.
- Whether the nominated charity has approved the fundraiser.
- Whether the organisation’s name or logo can be used.
- Whether it is currently accepting handmade poppies.
- How proceeds should be collected and donated.
When in doubt, contact the pattern designer and charity directly.
A Lasting Handmade Tribute
The original 5,000 Poppies campaign has ended, but its legacy remains inspiring.
Thousands of knitters and crocheters contributed their time, yarn and skills to create a tribute that was much larger than any one person could have made alone. The resulting displays demonstrated how handmade crafts can carry stories, memories and shared emotion.
Whether you knit one poppy to wear on Remembrance Day or help create hundreds for a local display, every flower can become a small act of remembrance.
Looking for more knitting patterns for Poppies? Check these out on Etsy.
