A number of clever residents at The Sterling, Kaiapoi retirement village have spent two years working on the masterpiece, which comprises hundreds of hand-knitted and crocheted poppies as well as family war memorabilia donated by residents.
The blanket will be hung in the village clubhouse in the lead up to ANZAC Day 2025, and will be a focal point for the village’s ANZAC service.
Irene Coman, who instigated the project after working on a similar item in Christchurch some years back, says the blanket is a way for the village residents to work together on a commemorative piece that holds meaning for them and their families.
“We’ve had poppies made by many people within the village. It really is a combined effort that has been a work in progress for quite some time.”
Started in 2023, the approximately two-metre-long blanket is now completely covered in several hundred red and purple poppies, each of which took around an hour to make. The use of different wools and patterns adds variety and texture to the piece. Soldiers’ badges, pins and even some medals will be incorporated into the design for the ANZAC Day service, along with the names of those who will be remembered.
“We’ve left a space at the bottom of the blanket so residents can write the names of those they want to remember, and pin them on,” explains Irene.
“Many of our residents have a family connection to WW2, or even WW1. We put a call out for medals and other memorabilia from the wars, and we were inundated with the most amazing items. One person even brought along some tags that were worn by dogs in the world wars. You can see each dog’s number etched into the leather tags. It’s quite incredible.”
Irene has donated her own father’s badge, from his time in the New Zealand Medical Corps in WW2. It is pinned proudly to the centre of the blanket.
“That will stay there and be part of this blanket long after I’m gone. It will always serve as a reminder.”
With the original blanket now complete, the residents have already started on a new blanket that will house the many poppies still needing a home. Additionally, they have crafted a horse rug adorned with knitted purple poppies – the international symbol for animal victims of war.
“The animals did so much, and they are often forgotten,” says Irene. “We hope that this rug will one day be worn by a horse in an ANZAC ceremony, to remember all those animals.”
