PLEASE EITHER MAIL YOUR POPPIES TO P.O. BOX 115 ASHBURTON VIC 3147 OR COURIER TO EAST MALVERN RSL, STANLEY GROSE DRIVE, EAST MALVERN VIC 3145
OR
IF YOU ARE IN THE VICINITY OF THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DROP THEM AT RECEPTION.
OR TO ANY OF THE OTHER COLLECTION POINTS LISTED ON THE BLOG.
1.What are we doing and why?
We are creating a spectacular installation of approximately 62,000 knitted and crocheted poppies on stems for Remembrance Day 2018 installation at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Remembrance Day 2018 to mark the Centenary of the end of WWI.
The number represents the loss of Australian lives in WWI. This number varies in the texts … we will confirm the number required a little closer to the date with the AWM.
The stems will be prepared in Melbourne and assembled in various places closer to the installation date. We currently have around 18,000 to 20,000 completed stems … to be confirmed. So still around 40,000 plus poppies and stems to make.
DEADLINE for the finished stems is mid April 2018. That means poppies should come to us incrementally up until April 2018.
2. What patterns can I use?
We have published patterns on the patterns page of the blog … 5000poppies.wordpress.com and click on patterns. Poppies should be made in RED YARN as the major colour … You can decorate how you like … our makers are very creative with their beautiful centres … and you can see LOTS of poppies posted on the blog. Be creative … enjoy making … its fun and its addictive.
We are NOT doing purple or white poppies for the installation at the AWM If you like you can add purple or white or black/yellow, or green/orange centres to your poppies.
3. Why Knitted and Crocheted
The reason for knitted and crocheted is that the stems are knitted i-cord over a thick bamboo stem and the poppy head needs to attach to the stem. We are particular about the quality of the finished product because they need to be in the elements (wind rain hail snow????) in Canberra for the entire period of the installation.
We need each poppy reasonably tightly made … feel free to use a smaller crochet hook than you would normally or smaller needles so that show their best face to the public over that time.
Any red yarn is acceptable … wool or acrylic.
4. Where can I send my poppies to :
for AWM poppies … you can deliver directly to the War Memorial in Canberra or post them to 5000 Poppies, P.O. Box 115 Ashburton Vic 3147. At this stage the majority of processing will be done in Victoria however, that may change as the number increase in the Canberra Chapter.
for RSL Poppies … Send to 5000 Poppies, P.O. Box 115, Ashburton Vic 3147, RSL Victoria, Anzac House, 4 Collins Street, Melbourne or any one of the addresses on the blog under submit poppies. More addresses will be added as time goes by.
5. What colour should my poppies be ?
RED… coloured centres ok … buttons, beads, decorate however you would like.
5000 POPPIES 