Ok, when I think of a 12 yr old/young teen I think of something NOT made with straight lines.

I found a design that I instantly fell in love with for my daughter, and although it does involve sewing curves, the pattern is not rigid-set-in-stone-must-have-all-your-seams-line-up demanding.

You cut 2 shapes, sew them together with water soluable thread, turn, press, then sprtiz with water to dissolve thread, and voila! perfectly turned under seams for applique!

The applique can be glued on, or use any kind of heat-set bonding material, then she can have some fun with the edges.

Fabrics are of course whatever she likes, and you can make however many blocks you want to, no pre-determined size.

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilt...ns-My-Way/9928

She may not want to do something like it, but it sure is different from the sewing strips kind of quilts!