I am an engineer, my co-workers are all male, and when I get invited to dinner at one of their homes I like to bring something homemade. Most guys will bring flowers or wine as a hostess gift. I made embroidered tea towels on nice kona cotton (tone on tone) tied together with a satin ribbon. Every one of the wives were awed and truly touched. They were so used to getting other things that they never received a homemade gift.
For a wedding gift once (which would work here since it is a bigger gift) I made two sets of embroidered white towels, (bath/hand/face) with GUEST embroidered on them in white on white. Then got a large basket with a lid (from Michaels) and rolled up the towels, put small bottles of shampoo/conditioner/body soap in it. It was a guest basket for them to place out for guests. It was a really cool gift and my friend who got it actually cried (male friend) cause it was so sweet. Most people forget to have sets for guests, or use the mismatched whatnots in the linen closet. I liked this enough I made one for myself.
and with the closed basket, it stays fresh and ready for next use, and looks pretty in the meantime.
But I vote for a lap/throw quilt. Homemade items to me are so very special, and rare. Not to mention all the love stitched into them.