Pets' tray as source of intricate fabric design (8)
I believe the answer is:
tapestry
'design' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'pets' tray as source of intricate fabric' is the wordplay.
'source of' indicates taking the first letters (the start - or source - of the word).
'intricate' is an anagram indicator (a intricate or confusing version of the letters).
'fabric' becomes 'ry' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
The first letters of 'tray as' is 'ta'.
'pets'+'ta'='petsta'
'petsta' anagrammed gives 'tapest'.
'tapest'+'ry'='TAPESTRY'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for tapestry that I've seen before include "Complexity" , "As pretty as embroidered material" , "Embroidered wall hanging" , "needlepoint" , "Ornamental textile" .)