Every few years I think I update the remembrance poppy pattern here on The Knit Guru. This year the idea came because I’m growing poppies in the garden, and the more I looked at them, the more I wanted to knit them. Also, I’ve used buttons on my previous poppies, and I realised this was unnecessary, and probably wasteful in a yarn bombing situation…. so this one uses just yarn. Please donate to your local returned servicemens association or veterans group if you use this pattern.

I also used Naturally Gallipoli DK yarn – which is a fundraiser for the NZ Returned Servicemens Association.

You will need:
– Red and black DK yarn
– 4.5mm knitting needles
– darning needle

Black centre

Cast on 5 stitches in black. Knit into the front and back of each stitch (10 stitches)
Knit one row
Knit into the front and back of each stitch (20 stitches)
Knit one row
Cast off, but continue to knit into the front and back of each stitch as you do so… so you will end up with casting off a total of 40 stitches.

This will twist itself up. Twist and roll this into an almost rose shape. Stitch this in the centre to hold it in place.

Red outer petals

Cast on 40 stitches in red.
Knit 2, purl 2 rib over the whole row.
Repeat for 8 rows total.
Knit 2 together, purl 2 together – repeat over the whole row (20 stitches)
Knit 1, purl 1 rib over the whole row.
Repeat for a total of 3 rows

Cut the yarn with 25cm of yarn tail remaining. Slip the remaining stitches onto the yarn tail and pull tight. Stitch up the sides of the knitting to turn this into a flower cup shape. Stitch the black centre into the middle of the red one.