Have you thought about a child-size sewing machine that just does straight stitching and skip the handwork? You and your daughter both can get many hours of entertainment from sewing simple 4 or 9-patch blocks that you can partially sew into tops (until they become unwieldy for the sewing machine) then finish at home. You can take a kit with the machine, scissors, a seam ripper (yes you'll still need it-lol), thread etc. You can precut the squares or strips and take a small cutting mat and rotary cutter with your travel kit. The small machine will sit on the hospital bed tables. Will be fine if your daughter can be sitting up part-time. If not, you can do the sewing and your daughter can do the block layout on her bed (or directing you on how to place them!).

How about red work. Sorry about your daughter.

I love to do the English paper piecing of hexagons to make Grandmother's Flower Garden. Very addictive....and even start to put together a block when you get all the hexagons done for one block. I have a plastic box with this and ready to go when I need to go.

FYI to all who have or want Niffty knitters. I carry one on occation when I know I will be waiting somewhere. I have been working on a large one on the same project for 2 years because I have weak hands from so many broken fingers as a child. Anyways- my son unwittingly set his trumpet and backpack ontop of the backpack holding the knitter in the back of the van and snapped off 3 pegs. I wrote to Provo craft asking about replacement pegs and instead they rushed me a brand new knitter- no charge.
Ideas for sewing in the hospital. Tiny items for your daughter and friends to enjoy. Doll cloths or quilt. A small sleeping bag, carrying bag, hat etc for a stuffed animal who is a companion through the stays. Buttons in different shapes, colors and design that say things like- Brave, True Friend, Courage, Smile God Loves You and so on (Pin backs can be found most craft stores. A Soft picture frame. Some other small craft ideas which are usually quick can be found at www.favecrafts.com.
Make a Necklace or bracelet of fabric and other colorful beads-Rolled paper beads would be fun too. A bracelet made of braided embroidery floss in clors your daughter likes and share them with eveyone as a symbol of their friendship. Find things to make both yourself and others there smile. You may already have a great staff around your daughter but those little things can help them to remeber your daughter is extra special.

I appliqued all 13 of the Dear Jane Blocks when my husband was in the hospital for a 5-way heart by-pass. Kept the pre-cut out parts to each block in a separate zip-lock - packed silk thread in a few neutralcolors, needles, and sharp scissors. My other favorite thing to take is hand quilting - usually something small and aleady basted(one of my miniatures, or a "white on white" (or any solid color fabric), marked with a quilting pattern and basted. Then all you have to take is thimble, thread, scissors, extra needles and a needle puller. Great time to practice hand-quilting or learn how to do it). Cross-stitch is portable, crocheting is portable too.

Everyone is coming up with such great ideas...I like them all. Now I think I'll have to use a suitcase on wheels to haul it all around with me. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Thank you everyone!!!! :)

One Block Wonders! Stack and Whack cut them.
Make 6 piece hexagons. Put each stack in its own little baggie. Put the needles in a needle case, and put it and thread, little scissors, etc in another little baggie. You can carry a few, or a lot. and the fun thing is how the design comes out differently on each set.....not much sewing either! JP

Try making a Grandmother's flower Garden quilt with a lot of quilt as you go hexagons. You cut the top hexagon and batting the same size. Then you cut the backing fabric hexagon half an inch bigger all around. Sandwich them together by folding the back fabric over the batting and top fabric. Sew the edges down and hand quilt as desired. When you have a lot of hexagon sandwiches you whip stitch them together to form a quilt and everything is finished. It is sort of like English piecing but you don't remove the template as the batting acts as the template. The Japanese do this type of quilting and the reverse side is just as interesting as the front. You could make squares if you don't want to cut hexagons.

It's so wonderful that you can do something with your hands to keep busy while sitting at the hospital. I wish you luck with whatever project you choose. I will be praying for your daughter!
Have you ever tried hardanger? Google it...you might want to give that a try!

I take a large bag. I often cut out a lot of quilt blocks and keep them, needles, thread, sizzors, a book of word games, Power bars, pen and paper, and a scrap book to write down things. When I was in the hospital for several days I sent a small gift each day for each of the boys. Why not try a small gift for her Lie a hair bow, a connect the dots book or a story book, Maybe do her nails for her. How about a small hand lotion? Maybe you could make her a bag to keep all her treasures in. Just hope some of this helps. Best wishes and God Bless all of you.