I am making this quilt out of the backs of T-shirts. I have used iron on interfacing to stablize the blocks. Since they are all a different size, I am planning on stitching them down to the background fabric. But, I can't decide if they need a small border around each block/panel. I am making BIG log cabin squares for the sides and bottom of the quilt. And may only put a strip of one of the fabrics from the log cabin blocks on the top of the quilt.

My question is should I put a small border around each block in this center piece?

Since this will be one of my first quilts, and for a very good friend of mine, I want it "perfect" (LOL) . I welcome any suggestions you can give me :>)

This is a nice project. I think borders would be nice, but it's fine the way it is, too.

Are you going to trip the border and add them to the tshirts or just sew down the shirts onto the backing? It looks good

IMHO, a border isn't necessary. The blocks "pop" as is. BTW, I like your layout. You have a very lucky friend!

I think it's a personal thing, but I like the look of the blocks being framed.

There are a couple of threads that showed adding "shadows" to a t-shirt quilt. Here is a link to one of the threads:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-48453-1.htm
Scroll down to see the quilt that was done this way.

There was a more recent thread on the same topic with a photo of a different quilt, but I can't find it at the moment. For that quilt, each t-shirt was framed in gray and then shadowed.

A border would set them off just like a frame does for a picture. However, if you don't want to do it it looks good the way it is too. If you wanted you could just use black or a dark brown and put an L around two sides of each block. The width of your strip down from the top and in from the edge so that it looked like a shadow and that the blocks were actually floating above the background. Like this one:
http://www.quilterswarehouse.com/P-5...uiltwoman.aspx

ooops, I guess this is the same idea as the one before me. sorry.

I like the floating blocks idea too!

Thanks for the input - I am new at adding things to the board, so it took me awhile to find that you all are trying to help me!!LOL !! I think I might try laying out a narrow L /shadow around some - just to see what it might look like.

My plan was to just stitch them all down onto the background fabric, but it lookes so blah to me, which is why I needed some ideas!! :>)

It may take me awhile to get another picture of it to post on here later - I have to fit in my quilting between work and other sewing projects, and life in general! LOL

If you do a floating border, then that's pretty awesome. If it's just strips on every side, then skip the border, IMO

I checked out the shadow quilts that were suggested - I think I may try laying it out with some narrow shadows - to see if there is room for that. :>)

I have LARGE log cabin blocks for the sides and the bottom of the quilt (the log cabin blocks are 18") And there is a dark grey in that - so may use it for the shadows.