To make a quick design board get a plastic or oilcloth tablecloth that has the fuzzy backing. It works great for a design board. The fabric sticks to the backing and then when I need to quit working on it I pin the pieces and fold it up. If you don't have that you can use a piece of pink or blue foam insulation and if you cover that with flannel the piece stick and then you can pin everything by just sticking pins in the foam if you are afraid of something bothering them.
gmpatrick