Gift idea
 

Hi, my sister who is going thru chemo treatments right now asked me (a quilter) to make something for the nurses at the infusion center, so I decided to make them the small tote bags that Jenny Doan makes out of a charm pack. I embroidered their names on one side, purchased different cancer ribbon fabrics and found pink ribbon buttons at Joann's. My problem is that one of the nurses is a man, not to comfortable with giving him a tote bag, any suggestion of what I can make him.
Thanks
Norma

make it a reusable grocery store bag... everyone needs those.
or make him a tidy tray... me giftee loved his https://www.quiltingboard.com/pictur...s-t293295.html

How about a couple of microwave bowl "potholders"?

Why not a tote bag? .... guys still carry things in bags.
Just choose fabrics that are more male oriented. .
.. and if need be, change the style some, to be more suitable for a guy.

My mother made tote bags for all the nurses who took care of my grandmother when she was in the nursing home. Two of them were men and she used men type fabrics to make one for each of them. They were delighted, one used his for grocery shopping and the other man used his to carry his lunches to work. Brenda

My daughter had a spinal cord injury and was in rehab hospital for 81 days. The men and women nurses alike had small bags that attached at the waist, held their pens, tablets and other misc that they carry. Most now carry portable units that they can take pictures with, can be paged and so on.

How about a Dopp kit? Craftsy has a free, make it in an hour tutorial.

Normabeth,
My wife has survived Breast Cancer (15 years). QuiltE and Marjben are on track. If you are making the female nurses a tote bag, do so for the male also (just be a bit masculine). I personally would prefer a Kit Bag to a tote bag.
OBW (oh by the way) I personally would like a less showy item than a tote bag, perhaps a laptop bag, kit bag, or maybe a satchel, (masculine of course).
But that is just me.
What you are doing for your sister is a VERY GOOD thing.
A little appreciation goes a long way.
You might want to make her a chemo quilt too. (Chemo is an IV drip that is generally not warmed up).
Good luck and thank you for what your plans are.
Mike

go for the dopp kit. even women love them too. you can make those for everyone.
everyone loved them as gifts.

I must be living under a bushel basket! What is a Dopp kit?

I have no clue what a Dopp kit is either but I think a tote bag is perfect for a man. I probably wouldn't embroider his name on it though.
Best wishes for your sister.

A dope kit is a small bag for putting your tooth brush, make-up, comb, etc...
I grew up calling it toilet kit.
"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Shakespear.
Mike

Now that we know a Dopp Kit is a Toiletry Bag/Kit ....... I'd vote for that for both the men and women.

It might be a welcome change to "another" Tote Bag.
Many people have so many of them already, and this might be a more original gift.
And to say the least, quite usable too!

I would do a tote for a man or woman. Men go to the beach and buy groceries, and have books and umbrellas and things to carry.

The toiletry kit seems nice for men/women, too, but since you've already made the tote bags and embroidered their names on them, I doubt you're going to want to switch course at this point.

All the ideas are good, but I find tote bags are great. My football team tote holds library books. My cat tote goes to guild meetings. And so on...each tote is for a different activity. They stay packed with items necessary for that activity and I can just grab and go. Saves time and brain power!

Put a flap on it and make it a messenger bag. Make it the size of a tablet, then he has the options of his tablet or his phone and wallet. Or, add some PUL fabric and make it a lunch bag.

I had to google the source of "Dopp", which I heard years ago, but the questions made me curious. According to Wikipedia: "Dopp kit is a term particularly in use in America for toiletry bags. The name derives from the early 20th century leather craftsman Charles Doppelt, whose company designed the case in 1926." So now we know.

I made one for my young grandson one time, and can tell you they're as easy to make as any bag.

I'd go for the tote bags that can be used for grocery bags, I HATE to pay for plastic bags when visiting relatives in states that don't have bags anymore. They can be used for anything.

Look for blue ribbon fabric for prostate cancer awareness? Do they make it? That would be gtreat for a guy, or make a tote with a blue ribbon applique?

We always called them Dopp kits in the military, as did our Dads generation too, and now our sons.