Canadian knitters creating massive poppy blanket to be unveiled this Remembrance Day

Local knitters and crafters in Winnipeg are busy putting the final touches on a massive, beautiful poppy blanket in time for Remembrance Day.

 Sheilah Restall started the Poppy Blanket project, after seeing a post on Reddit about a group in England who had worked on a similar project.

 “I was so inspired by the blanket they had made that I went to the Facebook group called Handmade Winnipeg and shared the photo, asking if anyone would be interested in making something like this for Remembrance Day 2019,” says Restall.

 The response was overwhelming. Within one hour, Restall had over 100 comments, private messages, and likes on her Facebook Post.

 The next day, she started setting up a website, and the interest has continued to increase ever since.

 Since November of last year, the Poppy Project has been hosting poppy making parties. The group is now hosting Poppy Attaching Parties where people can visit various locations throughout October to help tie the poppies onto the blanket.

Restall explains the Poppy Blanket is dedicated to all those who sacrificed and will be unveiled this upcoming Remembrance Day.

“We currently have 7,000 plus poppies, and I know that people are still making them,” says Restall. “I would not be surprised if we had 9,000 by the end of October.”

 Sheilah and members of the Poppy Project are working to finalize locations where the blanket will be displayed and accessible to everyone in Winnipeg.

The next Poppy Attaching party is taking place on October 11 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at the Kildonan Place Shopping Centre – Center Court, 1555 Regent Ave W, Winnipeg, MB.

For more Poppy Attaching Party dates visit, please visit the Poppy Blanket website.