Sight loss resources Wellbeing and hobbies

Hobbies with sight loss: Remembrance poppies

Published on 16 Sept 2026

On this page, we show you how to make your very own poppy to wear with pride, or send to us to add to our growing Remembrance display.

Watch our tutorial video

What you’ll need

Red four-ply wool or red felt
Size 4mm knitting needles or a crochet hook
A black button
Green felt
A safety pin
Scissors
A large needle
Red thread
Glue

Step-by-step instructions

Using the knitting needles and red wool, cast on 20 stitches.
Knit a garter stitch until work measures 10cm x 10cm, or thereabouts.
If you’re knitting, cast off and leave a long enough tail. Then thread the end with a large needle. For felt, thread a needle with red yarn.
With the threaded needle, weave the needle in and out around the sides of the knitted or felt square.
Gather in the sides by pulling in the yarn. This should create a round poppy-like shape.
When you’re happy with the shape of the poppy, secure the middle with a few stitches then weave in any loose thread and sew the button on top.
With the button sewn on and poppy nicely shaped, cut a leaf out of green felt.
Glue or sew the leaf on to the back of the poppy.
Sew the safety pin on to the back of the poppy.
Your knitted poppy is ready to be worn with pride.

Tips for knitting with a vision impairment

Good lighting

Ensure you have adequate lighting. A headlamp or LED lamp can be particularly useful.

Use chunky yarn and large needles

Thicker yarn and larger needles are easier to handle and feel, making it simpler to distinguish stitches.

Stitch markers

Use stitch markers to mark the end of rows or pattern changes. You can buy them or make your own with items like paper clips or beads.

Organise your supplies

Keep your knitting supplies organised. Label your needles and yarn with raised markers to easily identify them.

Add a poppy to our Remembrance display

Our Remembrance blanket brings together hundreds of knitted and crocheted poppies made by blind veterans, supporters, community groups and organisations across the UK.

Each year, the blanket forms part of our Remembrance display at our Rustington Centre. You can help it grow by knitting or crocheting a poppy of your own.

When your poppy is ready, send it to us:

2026 Poppy Display, Blind Veterans UK, Seafield Road, Rustington, Littlehampton, BN16 2JG

Please make sure it reaches us by 23 October 2026 to be part of this year’s Remembrance display.