Quick Ribbed Poppy

Poppy flower sitting on rose foliage in our garden

A free knitting pattern by Megan Mills
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Every year at about this time in New Zealand, we start thinking about poppies. Summer is only just drawing to close, so it isn't the imminent arrival of Spring that brings on the poppy fever. In New Zealand, like Australia, we have a public holiday every year in April for ANZAC Day. And, of course, the symbol here to commemorate soldiers is the same as it is in many other parts of the world, the red poppy I've seen variously described as the Soldier's, Flander's, Field or simply Corn Poppy.

Some people like to decorate public places with thousands of knitted and crocheted poppies and this year is no different. A friend of mine ran a story on her website about someone who wanted to do just this, creating a "blaze of poppies along the Te Awa Cycle Way, and over the Perry Bridge".

So that got me looking at poppy patterns online, (various people around the world have put on some truly incredible displays of knitted and crocheted poppies!). However all the knitted patterns I thought looked good also took too long to make, and most were just too big if anyone wanted to actually wear it, or put it on a hat or whatever. So I twiddled around a bit and came up with this quick, smaller version, for knitters who'd like a free pattern that doesn't take up too much time (or wool) but haven't been able to find one - and don't fancy crocheting one instead.

Whatever your reason for making a poppy, I hope this one brightens your day.

Front view

Rear view

The pattern is available here.