I would first ask what her favorite colors are, then if she has any hobbies or sports. I've been seeing a lot of the rectangular blocks made around another rectangle in vivid colors lately and they are pretty. I might also suggest picking out a picture in a quilt magazine and see what she likes. At 12 they can be particular about what they like and don't like - I say this having survived my daughter's tween and teen years as well as early adulthood. Actually, she's 33 now and I would still ask her as she is very particular. When she was living in Florida my girl friend (who became her friend, surrogate mother) suggested that I would make her very happy if I made her a snowflake shower curtain, and curtains. Do you know how hard it was to find that fabric, especially just after Thanksgiving. I finally found some at JoAnn's, then bought white towels and added blue soutashe (sp) to the border - she loved them. Score one for Mom. Good luck.