a peek inside the fishbowl

09 Nov, 2016

Make your own Remembrance Day poppy

Posted by andrea tomkins in: Easy ways to make kids happy|File under crafty|parenting

With a little bit of help, kids can make their own felt poppy brooches.

Poppy craft

November is the time of year to wear a poppy. Why not try making your own this year?* Not only is this an easy craft to do with the kids, but it’s a great opportunity to talk about the importance of Remembrance Day and the significance of wearing a poppy.

You will need:

  • red felt
  • black felt or black buttons
  • chalk
  • scissors
  • black thread and a needle
  • alligator clips
  • glue gun

You can make this craft in two different ways, either by gluing each layer of felt together or by sewing them together. We took the sewing route in order to get some button-sewing practice!

How to:

  1. 1) Using the chalk, trace three circles on the red felt in descending size. The largest should be about 2-3” in diameter. Don’t be afraid to freestyle it! Precision isn’t important here, in fact, it makes the finished product look nicer if the circles are a little bit uneven.
  2. 2) Thread the needle and sew the layers together, largest to smallest. This is great sewing practice, especially if you’ve used a black button for the centre of the poppy.
  3. 3) Glue the finished poppy to the alligator clip. That’s it! The poppy can be worn in the hair or clipped to a coat or sweater. Traditionally poppies are worn over the heart, as a symbol of our respect and gratitude to those who serve.

Pro tip: if you have the supplies, make extra poppies for friends and family, and wear them with pride on November 11.

Talking to kids about Remembrance Day

Children are never too young to learn about the sacrifices people have made for our country. Here are a few things families can talk about in the lead up to Remembrance Day:

  • Remembrance Day ceremonies honour veterans and soldiers who are serving today.
  • Remembrance Day is observed on November 11 because WWI officially ended at 11:00 am on November 11, 1918. This is called Armistice Day.
  • Why poppies? Red poppies covered the graves of the soldiers who were buried in France and Belgium during the Great War. The symbol of the poppy was immortalized in Flanders Fields, a poem written by John McCrae, a Canadian military doctor.

This article was originally published in Capital Parent Newspaper.

**We make our own but still donate our loonies and toonies! I’m currently sporting a crocheted poppy a friend of mine made and I love it.


No Responses to "Make your own Remembrance Day poppy"

comment form:

Archives

Me and my pet projects

Ottawa Bucket list

Subscribe via email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.


  • Bernie: I freeze ball sizes of bread dough for beavertails each winter season.Easy to thaw, roll out and fry. Best winter treat!
  • Jen_nifer: I feel very much the same about my SUP. Floating with snacks is fantastic! When I go on water with some current, I make sure that I paddle into the cu
  • sports betting: Great article. This is very insightful. Thanks for sharing
  • company: acquire the whole shooting match is unflappable, I encourage, people you intent not regret! The entirety is critical, tender thanks you. The whole
  • performance: corrupt the whole kit is cool, I apprise, people you command not regret! The entirety is bright, sometimes non-standard due to you. Everything works
  • itself: buy the whole shooting match is cool, I guide, people you intent not cry over repentance! Everything is fine, sometimes non-standard due to you. Th
  • parent: buy everything is unflappable, I advise, people you transfer not regret! The whole is sunny, as a result of you. The whole works, blame you. Admin,

The Obligatory Blurb

My name is Andrea and I live in the Westboro area of Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Piper who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. We also have two human offspring: Emma (24) and Sarah (22). During the day I work as a writer at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

If you'd like to contact me, please use this form. If you're so inclined, you can read more about me here. Thank you for visiting!

 


Connect with me at these places too!

Still calling it Twitter