Offspring given cloth-making apparatus that belonged to one's forebears (8)
I believe the answer is:
heirloom
'apparatus that belonged to one's forebears' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't understand how one could define the other.
'offspring given cloth' is the wordplay.
'offspring' becomes 'heir' (heir is a kind of offspring).
'given cloth' becomes 'loom' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'heir'+'loom'='HEIRLOOM'
'making' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for heirloom that I've seen before include "old family piece" , "Family bequest" , "Item handed down for years" , "Object in a family for several generations" , "Valued possession that's handed down" .)