Five years ago I was diagnosed with a rare aggressive uterine cancer. Long story short: big operation in Hobart followed by 5 weeks of radiation therapy.
My body did not cope well with the treatment. To help me get through I did 2 things:
A. I made 16 small handstitched art quilts featuring red and other colours, which I called dare to dream. I usually could work at least a few minutes each day on these little artworks, sometimes more.
B. I wore something red when going into the clinic for treatment. This was usually a scarf, a necklace or my red shoes.
I didn’t know for quite a while why the colour red was so important. Then it came to me: red was for courage. It has other meanings too of course, but this was what it meant to me.
Last Monday, I got the final all-clear. No more scans, no more specialist appointments! I am officially cancer-free.
So now I want to celebrate! I would also love it if you could participate in this celebration.
Here’s how you can take part:
‘Red for Courage’ (slow stitched square) -
1. Select one or more red thread/s
2. Collect some small fabric scraps
3. Cut one or more 4 inch* square pieces of white or cream fabric for the background [*or 10 cm]
4. Arrange and pin (or invisibly baste) a few scraps onto the background
5. Stitch over the layers with your chosen red thread/s
5. Embroider your initials (also in red thread) on the lower right hand corner of your square
6. Send your completed square to:
Rita Summers, Gone Rustic, PO Box 12, St Marys, TAS 7215, Australia
The plan is to make a scroll with all your contributions, quite a long one I hope! This will be displayed in the very first exhibition in our new art shed, which is in the planning stages right now.
i look forward to celebrating together!
Deadline: please mail your square to arrive on or before 31 August 2025
I am so delighted for you Rita. More than happy to contribute to your scroll. A beautiful, heartwarming idea.
Congratulations that’s fantastic news.
Congrats. Huge healing to you. We haven’t met, but I’ve been following along for a while. I would love to send a little square to celebrate your journey.
Hello from Canada 🍁
I am so happy for you Rita! Such wonderful news. You are a bright shining star in my life.
Cancer touches so many peoples lives in so many ways. My husband has been living with Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia since 2007. There were two episodes where I almost lost him. He has an amazing team of doctors who are on this journey with us. They call him their miracle patient. My husband says, better living through chemistry” and for him that is very true. I don’t think anything could have brought us closer to each other than his cancer journey.
Congratulations Rita I’m over the moon. How beautiful to be able to share your story and contribute. Thank you. I’m in. Very happy that you thought about this.