Check material softly spread out (5)
I believe the answer is:
plaid
'check material' is the definition.
(material with a check pattern)
'softly spread out' is the wordplay.
'softly' becomes 'p' (short for piano, musical term for softly).
'spread out' becomes 'laid' (laid out).
'p'+'laid'='PLAID'
(Other definitions for plaid that I've seen before include "Tartan twilled cloth" , "woollen cloth" , "Cloth with tartan pattern" , "Part of Scots dress or Welsh party" , "party in Wales" .)