In an age of mass-produced, look-alike merchandise, there's no greater pleasure than to receive - or to give - a handmade gift. To make gifts for family and friends testifies to your esteem for them and to your loving dedication of precious energy and time.These days, few people have time to create elaborate hand-fashioned gifts. Understanding the demands on contemporary crafters' schedules - but understanding, too, their wish to express their love and care in this very personal way - led Joelle Hoverson to write ''Last-Minute Knitted Gifts''. Now, in the follow-up to that extremely successful 2004 volume - with nearly 80,000 copies in print - Hoverson and photographer Anna Williams present ''Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts''.The book - designed for use by both first-time and long-time quilters - features 30 patchwork and quilted projects organized according to the amount of time it takes to complete them: less than 2 hours, 2 to 4 hours, 4 to 8 hours, 8 to 12 hours and 12 hours or more.The gifts are inspired by Amish, Appalachian and Japanese quilting traditions, among others and range from easy pillowcases and covered scrapbooks to simplified (but heirloom-worthy) log cabin and crazy quilts. Hoverson also shares an overview of her approach to colour as well as the tools and techniques she used to complete the projects in the book.