I heard a talk today where the woman used the word tessellation to mean that all the pieces of her project are fitting together. It makes sense, really, to use it that way since it means fitting together of mosaics. I couldn't find that use anywhere, though, including in the OED. One definition in the OED was related to math, and that would probably be the closest to her use: "Of plane figures of a single shape: to fill (a specified region) completely, without leaving gaps, in a manner analogous to the covering of a surface by tiles. Also, to divide (a region) into such figures; also absol. Occas. used with reference to equivalent processes in more than two dimensions." However, again, it refers to the use of tiles.

Have you seen this use?

I thought it had to do with reading a Thomas Hardy novel.

Can I assume that none of you have seen this word used this way?

I only know the word in its mathematical sense of tiling a space with no empty bits left over. It doesn't seem like much of a stretch from this sense to the woman you write of.

I think it's an excellent usage, and if it's new it should be sent into the OED.

Sounds like she was using a plain old-fashioned metaphor to me.

I honestly don't know if I've heard it before, but I didn't have to read further to know what it meant. Makes perfect sense to me. I agree with Wordnerd.

On the chat today zmj also agreed that it is a plain, old-fashioned metaphor. Oh well, stupid question, I guess. Sorry!