The Poppy Motif for Memorial Day
Good Morning, Quilters!
The poppy motif is a symbol of Memorial Day. Did you ever wonder why?
While Memorial Day is the official kick-off to summer and a day for family picnics, the day has an important history.
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who lost their lives in the service of the United States. It has been celebrated since the Civil War. Read more about the history of Memorial Day here.
During WWI, Lieutenant Colonel, John McRae, a brigade surgeon, wrote the now famous poem, In Flanders Field. The poem memorializes the soldiers who died at the Battle of Ypres,in a field covered with poppies. As a result, the poppy motif became a symbol of remembrance.
In 1922, the Veterans of Foreign Wars began making and selling the Buddy Poppy to support VA hospitals and other veteran causes.
The Poppy Tutorial
The poppy is a gorgeous, large flower. Stitch the poppy motif in your quilts to cover a large background of showy flowers. To create a flower that really “pops”, use heavy weight thread.
Find the poppy motif tutorial HERE.
Open Line Friday
Do YOU have someone you are remembering this Memorial Day?
Any special plans for Memorial Day?
Are YOU ready for summer?
Grilling recipes?
We’d LOVE to hear!
As we kick off the summer, please take a moment to remember those who have given so much!
God Bless America!
Lori
BOOK SALE!
Flash book sale in my Etsy shop! 20% off all books! (Ends Memorial Day) . Get YOUR signed copy (and a little stitched treat) today!
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy Quilts and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to LKQ. For all other purposes, please contact me at Lori@LoriKennedyQuilts.com. Thanks!
There is a small family cemetery, and we place flags for veterans from several wars.
Yes … the words we memorized in school, but did not know the full import of until much later, written by a Canadian son, on the step of an ambulance wagon the day after the burial of a friend in Ypres. His birthplace stone cottage in Guelph, Ontario, is now the John McRae House Museum. Such powerful words, with such depth of knowledge behind them, spoken at Remembrance Day services across Canada on November 11th, as well as your Memorial Day services this coming weekend, and many other places across the globe. Will we ever see the end of war?
Your poppy motif is a lovely tribute.
Yes. My husband who passed away 5 years ago of cancer. He was a Vietnam veteran. He arrived in Saigon during the Tet offensive 1968. We were married 47 1/2 years. I will definitely be making something with the poppy motif. Thank you Lori.
I know the veterans always give out little poppies for donations this time of year but I always think of peonies at Memorial Day. I grew up in Iowa. The peonies were usually blooming so we would make bouquets in Miracle Whip jars covered with aluminum foil to place at the grave stones. My 91 year old mom and one of my sisters still decorate the graves; although they now buy silk flowers.
It is said that there is not a drop of French soil that hasn’t been watered with American blood.
Lori, you are AMAZING! I am glad I came across your site. I purchased one of your books, and through your generous sharing, you have enabled me to learn. Thank you. God’s blessings. Marge, from PA.
Thank you for the poppies. I am remembering visiting WW 1 battlefields on a trip to Belgium, especially Ypres. Rows upon rows of graves. The following year I visited northern France and toured the Normandy battle sites and cemeteries. What loss of life! How many grieving families! And now with the rise of far right/populist parties in the EU, I fear the lessons of those wars are being forgotten. If only quilters ruled the world, we would have lasting peace.
Just wanted to let you know the proper spelling of the poet’s name. His name is John McCrae. I remember learning this poem in school. I grew up in Guelph.
This is a beautiful poppy motif, Lori. I love it. I do not have time to fmq, but I have been using paper and pen. I love doing the designs this way, and practice it always good. (I love the back ground of your blog page too btw)
I do remember my husband’s father, he was in WW2 as a paratrooper. We have a flag and a plaque with his name in a special frame.
Memorial Day is a special day. It is good to remind ourselves of the sacrifices our brave military took, and really be grateful for what we have today.
I hope you have a delightful week-end.
I will take my father to a park tomorrow, the one in Leesburg, on the Potomac River. It is named Balls Bluff. It has a nice trail that takes us to the Potomac. I have to be careful bc dad is 95 now. I take care of him every day.
He was never in the military. He lived in Holland with his family, and then he was taken up in a razzia by the Nazi’s and went to a work camp and was a prisoner of war.
We have had 3 generations of military in our family. Sadly, some are deceased – several Army privates (including my dad who fought the “desert fox” Rommel in northern Africa), and a Navy Captain.
Of those remaining, we have a former Marine, an Army Master Sergeant, a former Navy Chief Petty officer and a member of the National Guard.
Among them they have fought in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan.
We honor them all and those who are gone we remember with love.
“Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G.I.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.”
(This quote is generally attributed to British PM Tony Blair. Actually, it was penned and/or
forwarded by and unknown internet user. Tony Blair is credited for repeating it. But regardless of its
source, it is testament to those who gave all and God’s endless love.)
God bless our Military.
Amen, and thank you…
My uncle J.B. Daugherty, was in the army twice he is deceased now we always put out poppies on soldiers graves we cleaned the graves before any holidays especially any that looked like they didn’t have family to attend to them.
When I was a young girl, I was a “buddy poppy girl.” We sold the poppies in front of stores for the VFW. I got to ride in a car in the Veteran’s Day Parade. We had to write an essay. One luck essay winner was chosen for the title. This Memorial Day I remember my father who did not die in any war or conflict. But did die of a service connected cancer.