Glossary of Textile Manufacturing - P

P

Paisley

Paisley is a droplet-shaped vegetal motif, similar to half of the T'ai Chi symbol, the Indian bodhi tree leaf, or the mango tree. The design originated in India and spread to Scotland when British soldiers brought home cashmere shawls.

Patchwork

Patchwork is a form of needlework or craft that involves sewing together small pieces of fabric and stitching them together into a larger design, which is then usually quilted, or else tied together with pieces of yarn at regular intervals, a practice known as tying. Patchwork is traditionally 'pieced' by hand, but modern quiltmakers often use a sewing machine instead.

Percale

Percale refers to a closely woven, high thread count, cotton fabric often used for sheets and clothing.

Persian weave

Persian weave is a method of weave used in jewelry and other art forms.

Pile knit

Pile knit

Pile weave

Pile weave

Pile Wire

A steel rod which is inserted in between the base fabric and the pile ends in a pile fabric woven on a wire loom or épinglé loom. The height and thickness of the rod determine the size of the loop. A pile wire can be a simple rod - in which case the pile yarns will form a 'loop' pile. If the pile wire is equipped with a blade holder and cutting blade at the tip it will cut the pile loops during extraction thus producing cut pile.

Pill

Pill

Plaid

From a Scots language word meaning blanket, plaid usually referring to patterned woollen cloth otherwise known as tartan.

Plain weave

Plain weave

Plied yarn

Plied yarn is yarn that has been plied, with the process called plying.

Plush

Plush is a fabric having a cut nap or pile the same as fustian or velvet.

Polyester

Polyester is a synthetic fiber

Poplin

Poplin is a heavy, durable fabric that has a ribbed appearance. It is made with wool, cotton, silk, rayon, or any mixture of these. The ribs run across the fabric from selvage to selvage. They are formed by using coarse filling yarns in a plain weave.

Purl stitch

a commonly used stitch in knitting