Question 1: Does a tree skirt need batting?

Question 2: For Christmas I'm going to make my neighbor a quilt. He was a bricklayer for Bethlehem Steel and I would like to make him a quilt with "bricks" but I don't like the stacked brick or yellow brick road quilt. But I don't know what else I could do. Any ideas?

Thanks for any answers in advance! You've all been so wonderful in answering questions and teaching me!