What is found most helpful when I underwent chemo was my Kindle Fire. I downloaded free movies, used my head phones, and before I knew it I was done! Best of luck to your family member and prayers for swift recovery.

I, too, had a double mastectomy, followed by 6 months of chemo and 28 days of radiation. You are very sweet to do this for her, and she will treasure it. However, I agree completely with the above comment. Avoid pink altogether unless she has a particular passion for pink. I, along with other breast cancer patients, do not want a constant reminder in a quilt of my bout with cancer. I would much prefer something in the colors I like, or perhaps a scrap quilt that makes me feel good when I look at it. That is my preference, and I have heard others express the same sentiment. But your loving gesture will be much appreciated, I'm sure.
Marcia

I used just different pinks and purples in my SIL's chemo quilt and wound up making a couple just like it out of flannel for my daughter and I in the cool evenings here. It was a simple pattern that was large squares with a narrow cord like strip lengthwise down each one. Very simple and fun. Didn't have a pattern, but, it sure was fun

I made a quick, easy quilt for someone using flannel for the front and minkee back using the Missouri Star method of making self-binding receiving blankets http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqwdNqMZ8Ro

Instead of making it square I made it as wide as the width of the minkee would allow and used about two yards of the flannel (maybe less but it was rectangular, not square). That means the minkee was about 9 or 10 inches longer and wider than the flannel. It made a nice sized, but light and cozy cover. It all went together in a couple hours and my friend loved it.

It was for a man with bile duct cancer. I found a white flannel with sail boats because I thought he would rather be sailing than doing chemo. The minkee was white, also.

I think the suggestions about NOT using pink are spot on.

Your fabric choices are wonderful. Instead of putting a saying on the quilt back why not write it to her on a card when you give her the quilt so she read it whenever she wants and her quilt will stay generic.

thank you you everyone for the great advice and kind comments. I can't make things better, but I can do this for her. I think this is a good idea, stitchnripper, I will give her a card with it. I need to get out tomorrow and look for some minky or flannel for the back.

Thank your for saying this. I know several people who are survivors and who do not want the constant reminder of their ordeal with chemo. froggyintexas

This past winter my friend had her bladder removed because of cancer. She was also on chemo. I made her a lap quilt. I'm sorry, I don't remember the name of it. When I gave it to her I told her that she doesn't have a teddy bear to cuddle, but could cuddle with a quilt and keep warm with it. It made her day! I spent some time with her last week and she still tells me how much she enjoys her special quilt.

I am in a Yahoo quilt group, we're all very attached to each other. A couple of years ago, one of our members announced that she was terminal, and had a very short time left. I organized (unknown to her, which was hard to do, considering it was a Yahoo group) a Friendship Block plan, where anyone who was interested could make as many block(s) as they wanted, inscribe the block(s) with words of hope and inspiration, and send them to me for assembling into the top, then I quilted it, and sent it to one group member who lived close to the patient. She was thrilled and COMPLETELY surprised.
Her husband told us later that he put it in her casket with her, but that it was an absolute comfort to her in her last days.
BTW, there was NO pink ribbon fabric in the entire quilt.
It was about 50x70 in size. We didn't "assign" colors or anything, just had everyone use the same pattern. It was wonderful seeing all the inscriptions everyone put on their blocks.
Good luck, and blessing on both you and your friend!!

Chemo Quilt
 

I made a rag quilt for my sister because she had to go thru Chemo. I used Warm and Natural batting. I also made a bag for her to carry it in.