Applique is what my mom worked on when she was taking my dad to chemo and now for follow up visits and checkups - I am blessed to still have both of them well and very silly :) - I remember when we were putting it together she learned from her applique teacher.. she keeps it in a trapper keeper (a notebook that zips all around) with sleeve protectors we bought at walmart and a zipper pouch we got in the school supplies aisle. Straw needles in a little tube and a couple of spools of silk thread (grey and cream match most) those were kept in the zip pouch in front. She was working on 6" squares, a very simple pattern of baskets and flowers, and she put them all together in a very pretty lap quilt. It was handy because it was all inclusive in the trapper keeper - all she had to carry or worry about grabbing on the way out the door. She could leave the square she was working on the little hoop and just drop it in and zip it up. :)

Your being there for your daughter is wonderful and I hope you are blessed with a good outcome! Prayers and good thoughts your way!

Grandma's Flower Garden is made of hexagons and goes very quickly by hand. You can have the satisfaction of finishing the units, knowing they will get put together later. I used to piece them between classes at UofA.

I hope your daughter does well.

What about hand-piecing a tumbler quilt made of charm squares?
There was just a post here on how to cut them without a template, very simple, and charm squares are very portable. (and fun to buy). I like the trapper keeper idea for holding everything. You could fit a mini cutting board in it with a small rotary cutter. 6 inch ruler would work for this pattern.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-116674-1.htm

I used to hand piece at board meetings. It is very relaxing.

I love the idea of using a trapper keeper. That is clever. I have a ton of the paper protectors. I really like that. Thank you for your prayers. You can never have enough of them at a time like this. :)

I've never done these and I've always thought they were so cute! See, I knew you guys would be a great help! :)

I like to bring Redwork with me when I'm going to be sitting at the hospital or elsewhere. All you need is a small bag to carry: the piece of cloth with the outline of the redwork on it, a small pair of scissors, a spool of thread ( I use Sulky 12 weight in whatever color I choose )needle and needle threader, and a small bag to put trash in.

How about embroidering? U could make baby blankets, pllow cases. Whatever. Knot baby hats and booties and taKe them up to nursery. Take scraps and make little bags 5-6 inches to put ice in for patients. I've seen those too. Hospitals need all kinds of little things! Ask a volunteer!U get rid of scraps, don't take anything home and help another patient!! Hope your DD gets better and problem is stabilized so u don't have to go too much to hosp.

The last hospital stay my husband had was 1 month long. I always have my hexagons with me and finished a lot of a quilt while sitting with him. Presently I am working with QAYG framed hexagons. I take a piece of felt and cut out the hexagon pattern, I cut another piece the same size as the felt piece, and then a hexagon about 1/2 inch larger. I safety pin through the middle to stabilize and then I fold under each side as I come to it and sew it down <it miters the corners as it goes.> If you are interested, pm your address and I will send you a sample or two. And if you get energetic, you can use them to embroider, quilt or add pictures, embellishments, so you do not get bored with them.

Linda Franz's Inklingo makes hand piecing much easier. For more information see ...

http://www.inklingo.com/

Of course, it is also for machine piecers She has a number of freebies for those who want to try it before buying a collection ...

http://www.inklingo.com/shop/inklingo-getting-started/3

She has oodles of info on using Inklingo on her site as well as her blog ...

http://www.lindafranz.com/blog/

NAYY

I am so thankful to have you guys to help. You guys have way better ideas than just doing yo-yo's....lol :) Thanks