I also just had surgery (minor, Thank G_d) but in advance, I saved up some projects with quilt bindings and some hand quilting. More challenging is that I am going to be out of the country for 6 weeks in November and December and need to have some small, portable hand quilting with me. So, I plan and do some applique wall hangings or challah covers, then just do the hand quilting while I'm away. I did the attached last year with laurel Burch fabric and it was easy and a nice gift.