Carpenter's Star or Wheel would be so appropriate, being that he was a carpenter!
You can make it with one central star or could make it with several smaller stars in the quilt. That could work well with your shirts, by making each block in a different colourway.
Don't forget the sleeves of those shirts ... there's lots of fabric in them.
Here's a Bonnie Hunter video that might help ... How to De-Bone a Shirt!
http://quiltville.blogspot.ca/2012/0...irt-movie.html