First thing you have to realize is that as National Guard, he can do anything! Sometimes his aunt, the Colonel, might have to set him straight first.hehe He can do it both ways. If he stabilizes the squares he has already cut, he can then applique them to the fabric he bought. If you want the edges to curl, don't stabilize to the edges. I think he will want to use like steamaseam so it's permanently adhered to the fabric. I think he has a good idea but yes, he should have asked first. I saw one once where there was a shadow fabric under the tshirt square. It was a black square the same shape as the tshirt square, off set a little to look like a shadow, so it can be any shape. I thought that looked very nice. Wouldn't know what to call it to look it up but I'm sure it's on the web somewhere. He can do this. Army trains them for adverse conditions. Just wish they trained the parents as well.