I’m thrilled to share a gorgeous free crochet poppy pattern with you. It’s no secret that I love flowers. Not only are they beautiful and delicate and just full of wonderful color and scent, but they also hold special meaning for different people and occasions.
It is Armistice Day on the 11th November, a commemoration to mark the truce that was signed between opposing sides during World War I. The armistice came into effect at the eleventh hour (11am) of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. Nowadays, while it still marks this significant historical moment in the history of Britain and the Allies, Armistice Day is also a day of remembrance to commemorate all soldiers who have fallen in the line of duty.
So what does the poppy have to do with this all? During the First World War a poem called “In Flanders Fields” was written by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. It is a war poem that mentions the poppies growing in the fields between the crosses that mark the soldiers’ grave sites. The poppy, said to represent blood spilled in war, is now worn across the world in remembrance of fallen soldiers.
I made both red poppies and pink ones (known as Iceland poppies), but this poppy flower crochet pattern can be worked up in any color you like!
Materials
I used Vinni’s colors for these lovely poppies, but any double knit (light worsted) cotton yarn would work.
Red or Pink (petals)
Green (centre)
Black (red poppy) or Yellow (pink poppy)
2.75 mm hook
NOTES
- This pattern uses US terminology (see abbreviations here)
- Don’t know how to do the magic ring? Head over to my tutorial here
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Free Crochet Poppy Pattern
This poppy is worked from the centre outwards. First, you make the centre circle, followed by each petal and finally a back piece.
Step 1: Centre circle
This part of the flower is worked in continuous rounds. Start with green
Rnd 1: mr 6 sc (6)
Rnd 2: sc around in blo (6)
Rnd 3: change to black (if doing a pink poppy, change to yellow), in blo 2 sc in each st around (12) Slst and finish off
Step 2: Make the first petal
This part of the flower is worked in rows, back and forth. First one petal is worked and then a second.
Special st – hdc dec: yo, insert hook into st, yo and pull yarn through (3 loops on hook), insert into next st, yo and pull through (4 loops on hook), yo and pull through 4 loops.
R1: Attach red yarn (or pink if doing pink poppy) anywhere to the centre circle. ch 1, 2 sc, (2 hdc) 3 times, 2 sc (10)
R2: ch 2 (counts as a st), turn. In blo, 2 hdc, 2 hdc, hdc in next 6 st, 2 hdc, 2 hdc (into ch)
R3: ch 2 (counts as a st), turn. hdc dec, hdc in next 10 st, hdc dec in last st.
R4: ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 8 st, sc2tog. Finish off.
Step 3: Make the second petal
With the first petal pointing downwards (see picture) attach red/pink yarn to rnd 3 in the next stitch (if you crochet right-handed, you will join your yarn on the right-hand side of the first petal. The opposite is so if you crochet left-handed). Work the second petal by repeating R1 – 4 of the first petal.
Step 4: Back petals
Rnd 1: Starting in red/pink, mr 6 sc (6)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around (12), slst to close the ring. Do not finish off.
Continue around in red/pink and make the petals using the same steps that you used for the first set of petals (as below)
R1: ch 1, 2 sc, (2 hdc) 3 times, 2 sc (10)
R2: ch 2 (counts as a st), turn. 2 hdc, 2 hdc, hdc in next 6 st, 2 hdc, 2 hdc (into ch)
R3: ch 2 (counts as a st), turn. hdc dec, hdc in next 10 st, hdc dec in last st
R4: ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 8 st, sc2tog. Finish off.
Add on a second petal as per Step 3 above.
Place the back petals behind the main petals and stitch in place.
More floral patterns
>> Narcissus flower
>> Boho flower bracelet
>> Floral clutch bag
>> Namaqualand granny square
>> Impressions of spring granny square
Did you like this free crochet poppy pattern? Why not try my free Narcissus flower crochet pattern? Or check out all the other Thoresby Cottage patterns over on the Tutorials page.
Until next time,
Yours in craft, Caitie x
Hi Caitie, Thanks for this fabulous pattern. I am crocheting the first side of the back petal right now. It is at least 1/2 inch shorter than my first petal, should I lengthen my Hdc (make it a bit taller)? Should the First petal and the Back petal be the same height?
Hoping to hear your advice. Thanks again.
The back and front petals are a similar size. I’d suggest finishing the back petals and seeing how the petals fit together. If the back petals are too big then the flower will be out of proportion. But you can absolutely lengthen the hdcs if you find that the back petals are too short. Hope that helps!
Hi!
I am having trouble understanding this instruction:
Attach red yarn (or pink if doing pink poppy) anywhere to the centre circle. ch 1, 2 sc, (2 hdc) 3 times, 2 sc (10)
I don’t understand what instruction applies to each stitch.
Is seems like too much to fit into one stitch, and I did see on another person’s comment where you said that “(2 hdc) 3 times” means 2 hdc into 3 consecutive stitches. But for example with the 2 sc after you chain 1, do the 2 sc go into the same stitch or 2 consecutive stitches? And then do the 2 sc at the end go into one, or into 2 consecutive stitches. I know that the previous round created 12 stitches I need to go into, but I am confused because even if the 4 single crochets are put into separate stitches, the 3 half double crochets only use 3 stitches, for a total of 7.
Also what does the (10) mean at the end of the round instruction?
I am a beginner, and most of the instructions I have come across so far specify “in the same stitch” and “in the next stitch”. They are instructions for beginners, so I am sure they are dumbing it down for us.
Thank you for your help!!
Great questions! So, when the instruction is inside brackets, it means that those stitches need to be done into one stitch. So if I was to write out the instruction in full, it would say ” 2hdc, 2hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st”.
2sc means 2 sc into the same stitch (2 stitch increase). You can chain 1, and work 2 single crochets into that stitch, and then continue to work around.
The number in brackets at the end is the number of stitches worked. For the petal, you aren’t working all the way around the circle (as you will see from R2, the instruction calls for turning – this means that turn your work and continue back along the stitches you have just worked, rather than around the circle). If I wrote out R1 of the petal in full it would be: ch 1, 2 sc in next st, 2 hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next, 2 hdc in next st, 2 sc in in next st. If you count up the stitches that you worked in that round, it adds up to 10. I hope that helps!
i think these will make a beautiful flower arrangements to decorate my residents shelves
a lovely pattern!
But I am having some trouble with the first petal. is is an increase when you say 2 sc ? And the 2 hdc 3 times is giving me trouble. Any help would be wonderful! I’ve been self teaching myself crochet on and off for a few years now so forgive me if I am misunderstanding something simple.
Thank you! Yes, 2 sc is an increase (i.e. 2 single crochet stitches into 1 stitch). 2 hdc is also an increase (2 hdc stitches into 1 stitch). So 2 hdc 3 times means: Work 2 hdc in each of the next 3 stitches. The shorthand can get a bit confusing, so thanks for reaching out! Let me know if you have any other questions.
So pretty, Thank you for sharing
Could I have a pattern of the poppy please?
Hi Daphne, you can read through the pattern here (https://thoresbycottage.com/2018/10/30/poppy-flower-crochet-pattern/). At this time I don’t have a PDF version.
They are very pretty but please still buy a poppy for Remembrance Day because they support out Veterans and their families.
Absolutely! 🙂
These are prettiest poppies I have seen. Will be crocheting one for my lapel for next week.
Oh my goodness, these are just beautiful. thank you for sharing. I’m pinning this now.
I’m so glad you like them!