Flowers of Remembrance
80 years on from the end of WWII, how did the poppy become synonymous with remembrance?
This time of year many of us will be proudly wearing a red poppy in honour of the men and women who fought and gave their lives in war, especially poignant this year as we reflect on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. The poppy has become a symbol of remembrance and of hope for peace in the future, but how did this delicate bloom become this enduring symbol?
The poppy was adopted by the Royal British Legion in 1921, inspired by the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ written by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian doctor, in 1915. He was inspired to write the poem after the death of a friend and fellow soldier. It is believed that he discarded the poem initially as he was not happy with it. Fellow soldiers rescued it and in December of 1915, it was first published in Punch magazine in London.
The poem became popular immediately and lines taken from it were used in efforts to recruit soldiers. References to the red poppies which grew across the graves of the fallen resulted in its adoption as the symbol most recognised throughout the world in memorial of those fallen in conflict.
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields, the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae
I love to use flowers in my creative projects, in particular using free machine embroidery. My favourite technique is to use water soluble fabric to make individual petals before assembling the flowers. I find this extremely satisfying and it allows me to create unique, one-off pieces.
Another technique which is fun and quick to do is appliqué incorporating free machine embroidery to add details. A very simple design can be built up using scraps of fabrics which are initially attached to the ground fabric using fusible web or fabric glue. Free machining can then be used to add outlines and smaller details which really brings it all to life! It is essentially ‘drawing’ with your sewing machine, and the beauty of it is that it doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, the odd wobble here and there adds to the charm and appeal of the piece.
So next time you feel like creating something on your sewing machine, why not have a go at incorporating flowers into your project and try out free machining too? It’s a wonderful technique and is easy to master - just relax into the stitching and see where it takes you!
Happy sewing!
Suzanne, Charlotte and Rebecca