1. The totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs. (See also colour quality, fibre quality index and lace quality.)2. A term, usually combined with a number or name, used to identify textile products.3. A relative term used to indicate the perceived merits of similar products for the same end-use.

To carry out all those planned and systematic actions necessary to provide adequate confidence that a product or service will satisfy given requirements for quality.

The operational techniques and activities that are used to fulfil requirements for quality.

Method of determining the proportion of different substances in a sample, usually on a mass basis, e.g., the proportions of each fibre type in a blend; the proportion of impurity in raw fibres.

An abbreviation for a quarter of a yard (9 inches or 228.6 mm) used as a length unit in measuring the width of fabrics.

A fibre of high-purity silicon dioxide glass, produced from mineral quartz or quartz sand. (See also ceramic fibre and Classification Table, p.401.)Note.. Although quartz is invariably crystalline, quartz fibres are not. For this reason, some authorities deprecate the use of this term, preferring 'fused silica fibres'.

A two-bar construction made with full-set threading in both guide bars. The lapping movement + of the back guide bar involves underlapping three or four needle spaces, while the front guide bar chains continuously on the same needle.

A cooling zone in which the temperature of melt-spun filaments is lowered very rapidly and/or at a controlled rate soon after extrusion. The two main types are generally referred to as waterquench and air-quench.

The nip rollers of a padding machine or size box.The term is also used to describe the whole machine, particularly in yarn sizing.

Primarily the container (trough, pan) of the size solution of a warp-sizing machine, often steam jacketed and/or provided with open or closed steam piping for heating the size solution.

Note 1: The term is also used loosely to indicate the assembly of trough, immersion, and sizingrollers of a slasher-sizing machine.

Note 2.. The tendency is to restrict the use of sow box to the above primary meaning, and the term quetsch to indicate the complete assembly. The use of the terms quetsch-box and quetsch-trough should be noted.

A spindle or bobbin around which yarn is wound in weaving.

Quilting, process of stitching together two layers of fabric with some soft substance (usually cotton) in between. This quilted fabric is often used for a bed covering called a quilt, but is also used for clothing, upholstery, and decoration.

Technique

The top layer of a quilt bears a design generally produced in one of three ways: The top layer may be left plain so that the quilting stitches form the design; it may be appliquéd with smaller pieces cut from different fabrics, creating pictures and patterns; or it may be formed out of pieces of different fabrics in a process called patchwork. The term quilting actually refers to the final stage of assembly, when the quilt's three layers are sewn together with short running stitches, called quilting stitches.

History

Originating in ancient times, quilted garments were worn by the Chinese, the Russians, and the Native Americans of Mesoamerica. Crusaders brought the idea to Europe. Written records of quilts date from the 12th century; however, the earliest surviving example is from the 15th century.

The first quilts in America were brought by Dutch and English colonists. The patchwork quilt reached its highest artistic development in the United States. However, with the advent of inexpensive machine-made bed coverings in the early 20th century, quiltmaking declined. In the 1960s interest in quilting— both as a handicraft and an art form— revived.