SORRY for your loss...My daughter made t-shirt quilts her senior year...she used fusible interfacing for knit fabrics. It does add weight but the blocks can be squared easily. The quilts had flannel backing and was tied. We did not attempt machine quilting on our sewing machines although at several quilt displays I have seen machine quilted T-shirt quilts. They are great quilts. My daughter says they are always a conversation item.