Different combining techniques are employed for directing multiple denier yarns to be tufted adjacently in a carpet by a tufting machine. Different aesthetic appearances be achieved which provide for many new design opportunities in the marketplace.

A method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric comprises the steps of: a) selecting at least one object to be shown on a tufted fabric as a three-dimensional tufting structure element (116), b) three-dimensionally scanning the at least one object for providing a set of three-dimensional scan data representing at least a portion of the three-dimensional structure of the at least one object, c) providing a set of tufting instruction data on the basis of the three-dimensional scan data, the tufting instruction data, in association with the at least one three-dimensional tufting structure element (116) to be tufted, comprising information relating to at least one tufting aspect of the piles to be tufted for providing the at least one three-dimensional tufting structure element (116).

A method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric comprises the steps of: a) selecting at least one object to be shown on a tufted fabric as a three-dimensional tufting structure element (116), b) three-dimensionally scanning the at least one object for providing a set of three-dimensional scan data representing at least a portion of the three-dimensional structure of the at least one object, c) providing a set of tufting instruction data on the basis of the three-dimensional scan data, the tufting instruction data, in association with the at least one three-dimensional tufting structure element (116) to be tufted, comprising information relating to at least one tufting aspect of the piles to be tufted for providing the at least one three-dimensional tufting structure element (116).

A method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric comprises the steps of: a) providing a pattern representation (10) representative of a fabric to be tufted comprising at least one tufting structure region (14), said at least one tufting structure region (14) corresponding to an area of the fabric to be tufted having a plurality of piles, b) in association with at least one tufting structure region (14), providing a tufting structure defined by a plurality of tufting structure parameters, each tufting structure parameter having an effect on the appearance of at least a part of the piles to be tufted in association with this tufting structure region and having no effect on the appearance of piles to be tufted in an area not corresponding to this tufting structure region (14).

A tufted article having a backing material and a plurality of tufts. The plurality of tufts can include cut tufts having first and second tuft portions projecting from a face surface of the backing material. The first and second tuft portions of each cut tuft have respective pile heights relative to the backing material. Each cut tuft also has a backstitch that joins the first and second tuft portions and extends across a portion of a back surface of the backing material. The plurality of tufts includes a plurality of asymmetric cut tufts that have first and second tuft portions with unequal pile heights. Systems and methods for making tufted articles having asymmetric cut tufts are also disclosed.

A tufted article having a backing material and a plurality of tufts. The plurality of tufts can include cut tufts having first and second tuft portions projecting from a face surface of the backing material. The first and second tuft portions of each cut tuft have respective pile heights relative to the backing material. Each cut tuft also has a backstitch that joins the first and second tuft portions and extends across a portion of a back surface of the backing material. The plurality of tufts includes a plurality of asymmetric cut tufts that have first and second tuft portions with unequal pile heights. Systems and methods for making tufted articles having asymmetric cut tufts are also disclosed.

A tufted article having a backing material and a plurality of tufts. The plurality of tufts can include cut tufts having first and second tuft portions projecting from a face surface of the backing material. The first and second tuft portions of each cut tuft have respective pile heights relative to the backing material. Each cut tuft also has a backstitch that joins the first and second tuft portions and extends across a portion of a back surface of the backing material. The plurality of tufts includes a plurality of asymmetric cut tufts that have first and second tuft portions with unequal pile heights. Systems and methods for making tufted articles having asymmetric cut tufts are also disclosed.

A tufted article having a backing material and a plurality of tufts. The plurality of tufts can include cut tufts having first and second tuft portions projecting from a face surface of the backing material. The first and second tuft portions of each cut tuft have respective pile heights relative to the backing material. Each cut tuft also has a backstitch that joins the first and second tuft portions and extends across a portion of a back surface of the backing material. The plurality of tufts includes a plurality of asymmetric cut tufts that have first and second tuft portions with unequal pile heights. Systems and methods for making tufted articles having asymmetric cut tufts are also disclosed.

A tufted article having a backing material and a plurality of tufts. The plurality of tufts can include cut tufts having first and second tuft portions projecting from a face surface of the backing material. The first and second tuft portions of each cut tuft have respective pile heights relative to the backing material. Each cut tuft also has a backstitch that joins the first and second tuft portions and extends across a portion of a back surface of the backing material. The plurality of tufts includes a plurality of asymmetric cut tufts that have first and second tuft portions with unequal pile heights. Systems and methods for making tufted articles having asymmetric cut tufts are also disclosed.

A tufted article having a backing material and a plurality of tufts. The plurality of tufts can include cut tufts having first and second tuft portions projecting from a face surface of the backing material. The first and second tuft portions of each cut tuft have respective pile heights relative to the backing material. Each cut tuft also has a backstitch that joins the first and second tuft portions and extends across a portion of a back surface of the backing material. The plurality of tufts includes a plurality of asymmetric cut tufts that have first and second tuft portions with unequal pile heights. Systems and methods for making tufted articles having asymmetric cut tufts are also disclosed.