Thank you Margaret and Cari for the good suggestions. I follow a free pattern I found on the net and it calls for an X and then across both ways. I believe I will try a meander and see how that works. I enjoy making them but was so disappointed when I saw how they washed. Yesterday I took a yard and soaked it in hot water and then put it in the dryer. It shrunk up quite a bit. I made a bowl holder and will try washing it to see how it does. Thank you for the good practical advice. Sharon