When my precious niece passed away last January, I told her daughter (12 years old) I would make a memory quilt for her, if she'd like. My daughter and she were going to go through her quilts and decide which shirts they would like in them. My niece and my daughter were very close. On the night they were going through her clothes, I had a conflict and couldn't go. I told my daughter to pick out cotton fabrics. Well, she did - but most were cotton knit. These were the prints my great niece wanted. I would like to know, if I put an iron-on interfacing on the back, would I still be able to use them. They gave the remainder of her clothes to Good Will. If so, what would be a good pattern to use? Thank you.

Yes, you can treat them the same way you would T-Shirts for a T-Shirt quilt. Use a light weight iron on non woven or mesh (tricot) where the knit of the interfacing is at right angles to the knit of the top.
You can also add a coordinating fabric. No problem mixing the knit with the quilting cotton. I wouldn't use a really detailed pattern, maybe square in a square, boxed square, pinwheel etc.
So sorry for your loss.

Yes, you can put an iron-on interfacing on the block. I did that with SIL's knit shirts. I do NOT recommend pin wheels. The intersection of 8 seams made from knit fabric is difficult.

I'm taking a a t-shirt quilt class at Quilt University and the teacher suggested using a stablizer called French Fuse. It is very lightweight works with knits. Hope that helps alittle bit on getting this project started. Good luck and sorry about the loss of your niece.

I'm in the same process right now for a 4 year old who lost her mom. The mother's clothes ( since she was only in her 20's ) are mostly cotton knits. I am treating them just like I do T-shirt quilts and using a very light weight iron on interfacing. Once that is on, you can cut them up and use them any way you wish. Or you can keep the whole and use them that way. When it comes to putting them together I often use cotton sashing and cornerstones. I use a cotton backing with Warn and Natural batting. I quilt them just as any other quilt on my home machine. Hope this helps you and good luck with this project. I'm sure the quilt will be well loved by the little girl.

I agree. Using the interfacing like you would with tshirts quilts. My grandma's clothes were all non-cotton too and it came out great.

Thank you. She was 41 and had had breast cancer for about 9 years. She was our Godchild.

Thanks, everyone, for the great advice.

Iron on (with ironing cloth) tricot lining in the opposite direction of your stretch. My girlfriend sent me her mother's clothes (after her death) and wanted a quilt. I used the clothes and stabilized them this way to make the dresses and bonnets - loved the quilt. She feels like she is wrapped with her mother's love.