To take to dr. visits, ect, ect, I would go with embroidery blocks. They make colorful quilts, and it is so relaxing to embroidery while waiting, riding in the car, ect.
After getting all of the blocks embroidered, we can help you on this site to learn what to do next. Doing the embroidery will take quite awhile.
If you don't have patterns, Aunt Martha's are good. Try your local Wal-Mart, and if they don't have them, just type in Aunt Martha's.com, and bet you can bring up some sites. Big Horn Quilts had them last Summer.
Enjoy!