I love to have handwork when I am traveling or visiting my mother. Lately I have been working on redwork blocks from a group that I belong to. If you like to embroider, then that is always a possibility. But my favorite project is making potholder blocks for memorial quilts for our fallen heroes. A man by the name of Don Beld, with Home of the Brave Quilts, spoke at one of our guild meetings and taught us how to make these very simple 8" blocks. They must be made out of 1800's reproduction fabrics and on the front is printed the name and rank of a fallen hero (from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars), his/her branch of the service, home town and date of death. On the back, which is made of muslin, is printed a tribute to this person and then signed by the one making it. I send the finished blocks to Don and he puts them together into quilts which go on display where ever he visits and teaches. He has several places lined up in the next couple of years where they will be on display. He doesn't have instructions on the internet, but I would be happy to send them to anyone who might be interested, just PM me. It is so easy to do them from start to finish by hand, but you can also use a machine if you wish. Another project I am contemplating now is to make prayer blocks like was discussed on this board a day or so ago (sorry I can't remember who wrote about it). I would like to make a stack of them for our troops to take overseas with them. They are just a single block with tiny knots representing the prayers of each person who tied one. Very simple to take along and do where ever you go. Good luck with your projects and many prayers and blessings are wished for your sweet daughter.