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Pretty Paisley Patterns + Paisley Sampler SVGs

By Jessica Griffin // September 8, 2011

42 comments

pais·ley: noun A distinctive intricate pattern of curved, feather-shaped figures based on a pine-cone design from India. For COLOURlovers, the Paisley is a lovely lace-like motif that can be produced in any measure of design and color scheme. Like fingerprints, not one is the same.

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When I look at the Paisley, I see amoebas, tadpoles and teardrops combined with floral genius.

How often do you see a Paisley? I think it's something we see so often, might pass it by in our every day lives. The history of the Paisley I found quite interesting! Where it came from, what the word Paisley actually means, or why they call it a Paisley at all...

It is said that Persia is credited as being the first country known to have created boteh designs, known today as Paisleys. It was called a boteh because it looks similar to a stylized floral spray and a Cypress tree cone. Boteh specifically refers to the shape itself.

The name "Paisley" came from a town in Scotland named Paisley. It was in Paisley that the Paisley was manufactured. Through the years, these stylistic shapes were reserved to decorate royalty, crowns, court garments, and textiles used by the general population. During the 1700s-1800s the Paisley was thought to be a protective charm, used to ward off evil demons. While others used the Paisley as a symbol of rebellion.

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In more recent history, Paisleys made a comeback in the 1960's during the Summer of Love. John Lennon even had a Rolls Royce custom painted with Paisley motifs.

guitar

Fender guitars made a Pink Paisley version of their Telecaster guitar by sticking paisley wallpaper onto the guitar's body! In the 1990's Paisleys were utilized in wallpaper, ties, and other apparel.

fashion | wallpaper

Today you can find paisleys in several different forms, clothing, bandannas, paper crafts, tattoos, and home decor to name a few.

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In my search of Paisleys through COLOURlovers creations, Paisley's seem to have become more and more popular. In fact, there have been more than 300 patterns published in the last year!

So What's your take on Paisley?

So what do you think of when you visualize paisley? Handkerchiefs, Lace, Fashionable wear? Curtains, Upholstery, Intricate Indian fabric, Henna Tattoo Art - What era or trend scene do to you associate it with?

Free Paisley Sampler SVG Set from Ray at The Vector Lab:

For the entire month of September (2011), Ray is giving COLOURlovers a freebie Paisley Sampler to use together or mix it up with your own artwork. Files come as .EPS & .SVGs. The SVG's are nice if you don't have illustration software, you can still use them in Seamless Studio by importing them directly (as they are already converted to SVG format).

Coupon: CL-TVL-PS

Also, if you download the set, we'd love to see what you do with it, please post the badges here in the comments.

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Written by Jessica Griffin

www.canyoupixelthis.comI love all sorts of crafts, getting my hands dirty, trying new things, and experimenting with different color palettes! Some call me creatively promiscuous, I wouldn't disagree! I am a certified Copic instructor, and a digital crafter. I blog actively at www.canyoupixelthis.com and share video tutorials on YouTube. You can find me on Twitter as @canyoupixelthis

42 Comments

Showing 1 - 30 of 42 Comments

Lauraa

Posted Sep 8, 2011

i love this web...¡¡¡!!!!!

sundancer

Posted Sep 8, 2011

Your seamless studio link didn't work and I want to download it! :-(

Team

canyoupixelthis

Posted Sep 8, 2011

Sorry about that!! It should work now!

Here's the link: http://www.colourlovers.com/seamless-studio

Jessica

sundancer wrote:

Your seamless studio link didn't work and I want to download it! :-(

sundancer

Posted Sep 8, 2011

Thanks canyoupixelthis! I downloaded it successfully. Now I need the coupon to work. Do you know why it doesn't work?

Team

canyoupixelthis

Posted Sep 8, 2011

The coupon is actually for The Vector Lab, not Seamless Studio. Sorry about the confusion. :(

Jessica

canyoupixelthis wrote:

Sorry about that!! It should work now!

Here's the link: http://www.colourlovers.com/seamless-studio

sundancer wrote:

Your seamless studio link didn't work and I want to download it! :-(

sundancer

Posted Sep 8, 2011

Well hey it worked! I just had to register and get an account with vector lab and now it works.

That was fast huh? I'm on a library computer and had to work fast before my time ran out!

Team

mollybermea

Posted Sep 8, 2011

so sorry I wasn't here to see this. Yes, you have to register to use the coupon code. quick and painless. :) Great set! thx for posting.
sundancer wrote:

Thanks canyoupixelthis! I downloaded it successfully. Now I need the coupon to work. Do you know why it doesn't work?

Maiyaee

Posted Sep 9, 2011

Excellent fun ... thank You :) for the great Blog ! xo

Any Palacios

Posted Sep 9, 2011

Exellent Jessica...I love paisleys....all the templates and patterns showed here are great!
I would like to know if there is a possibility to have a paisley shape in Seamless in the future?

Team

mollybermea

Posted Sep 9, 2011

@Any
I know you've requested this before. :) Are you asking this for Seamless Lite? I know you use Seamless Studio and make amazing work... are you asking for other COLOURlovers or for yourself in shapes you'd like to use.

Any Palacios wrote:

Exellent Jessica...I love paisleys....all the templates and patterns showed here are great!
I would like to know if there is a possibility to have a paisley shape in Seamless in the future?

Any Palacios

Posted Sep 9, 2011

Hi MOlly... I have made my first templates in Seamless lite, but since I bought Seamless Studio, I only use that program, because it is exellent!!!.....As you know, you can save your work and continue it later when you have time...besides it has some other great options to work with.My request is for all colour lovers, people love paisleys and I think it would be easier for begginers to select a paisley shape and make a desgin with it.
All the patterns and templates here are georgeous....Thanks Molly for your interest.

Tzadkiel

Posted Sep 10, 2011

WOW, my pattern is featured in the article! :-)

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mollybermea

Posted Sep 10, 2011

Perfect! Well soon enough I'm sure things like that will be addressed. Love your SStudio templates! :) It is nice to be able to work on, save, and re-work templates with Studio for sure! :)

Any Palacios wrote:

Hi MOlly... I have made my first templates in Seamless lite, but since I bought Seamless Studio, I only use that program, because it is exellent!!!.....As you know, you can save your work and continue it later when you have time...besides it has some other great options to work with.My request is for all colour lovers, people love paisleys and I think it would be easier for begginers to select a paisley shape and make a desgin with it.
All the patterns and templates here are georgeous....Thanks Molly for your interest.

glindathegoodwitch

Posted Sep 11, 2011

any...you are right. Especially for the newbies., This is one of the hardest things i have ever tried to teach myself. It has absolutely nothing to do with CL its a brain /line thing. i don't think in straight lines...nor do i draw that way and it's a challenge to make something look like its not painted in the lines or have light spots within. I am a little better at control now but not a whole lot. I have tried many times to do paisley and not only is it difficult...it's very time consuming. I actually do not think people can fully appreciate your talent ...unless they have attempted to design or draw template pattern. Another thing that is hard for me are dividers, or scrolls and i really wished they would get a couple of those ...

mollybermea wrote:

Perfect! Well soon enough I'm sure things like that will be addressed. Love your SStudio templates! :) It is nice to be able to work on, save, and re-work templates with Studio for sure! :)

Any Palacios wrote:

Hi MOlly... I have made my first templates in Seamless lite, but since I bought Seamless Studio, I only use that program, because it is exellent!!!.....As you know, you can save your work and continue it later when you have time...besides it has some other great options to work with.My request is for all colour lovers, people love paisleys and I think it would be easier for begginers to select a paisley shape and make a desgin with it.
All the patterns and templates here are georgeous....Thanks Molly for your interest.

glindathegoodwitch

Posted Sep 11, 2011

these are a couple of my favorite paisley patterns. Sunmeadow created both. I have used these many time. When I think paisley ...i think bandanna for some reason.

Any Palacios

Posted Sep 11, 2011

@Glinda:
Thank you so much Glinda for your comment and appreciation on my templates.
You are right about making a pasiley shape...To create one you have to use several lines and shapes, but I am sure CL sutff will consider all our suggestions to improve this awesome site.

American Women

Posted Sep 11, 2011

I love these fun educational blogs!

Team

mollybermea

Posted Sep 12, 2011

I was originally thinking bandana when I assigned the post to Jessica... but she found SO MUCH MORE to it than that! I'd like to really find out the origin of WHY paisley's are such a big thing for bandana's - it almost deserves it's own post right?

Great patterns by @sunmeadow btw. :) great COLOURlovers Designer!

glindathegoodwitch wrote:

these are a couple of my favorite paisley patterns. Sunmeadow created both. I have used these many time. When I think paisley ...i think bandanna for some reason.

Team

mollybermea

Posted Sep 12, 2011

haha thanks for your patience and positive attitude Any!

Team

mollybermea

Posted Sep 12, 2011

Thank you SO MUCH for your feedback. :) It's good to know you liked this type of post. We'll work up some more.

American Women wrote:

I love these fun educational blogs!

Team

mollybermea

Posted Sep 12, 2011

WOW! NICE PAISLEY!

Team

canyoupixelthis

Posted Sep 12, 2011

American Women wrote:

I love these fun educational blogs!

Aren't they fun! I had fun Friday! Thanks for playing!

glindathegoodwitch

Posted Sep 12, 2011

if you have never pondered through sunmeadows designs...you really need to. I think she and Any are the two most detailed artist here. There are some designs in both of theirs that would require more patience than I have, ever had, or could borrow. I use a lot of Sunmeadows art. When you look through it go first to the paisley, then to floral, and then ornate.

No doubt, on the bandanna post needings it's on. I did a whole collection of paisley bandanna work sometime back. I will see if I can find them. In your heading the center paisley one is wonderful. It does not receive a bad color combo no matter how hard you try. It's so color friendly. I have used that pattern in wedding, kids, kitchen, funky, and delicate. I think that third oen is the very first I used when i came to CL. Believe it or not 80 percent of the amount i do..is used by me on a personal level on either blogs, color play, education, and wedding planning.

mollybermea wrote:

WOW! NICE PAISLEY!

Any Palacios

Posted Sep 12, 2011

thank you so much Glinda for your kind comment about me and sunmeadow..:)
You are absolutely right, Our work in templates takes a lot of time and patience. that's
why we appreciate a lot when people like and love our templates.
I agree with you, paiselys are great for many different desings and themes, it is a shape that can be used no matter age or gender, it goes well in every special ocasion.

glindathegoodwitch

Posted Sep 12, 2011

This is an example of one of my paisleys being used. i am doing a book for a couple of kids for christmas and it's called Series One "the Silly Book" -A collection of short silly poems. )These are short poems, sayings from ones I wrote, to things my kids said when they were little or just something catchy)
This is from the "down on the farm section"
Down on the Farm...
Livin' in the barn...and
sleepin' on hay.
Come on down and you can see
a polka dot zebra name sue.
A polka dot cow who can moo.
Did you ever see a cow who is blue?
Come on down and you can see too.
Chickens small, and Chicken's large...
I tell you...come on down and you can see too.
Down on the farm...anything goes
pink kitty cats and puppy dogs too.

Any Palacios wrote:

thank you so much Glinda for your kind comment about me and sunmeadow..:)
You are absolutely right, Our work in templates takes a lot of time and patience. that's
why we appreciate a lot when people like and love our templates.
I agree with you, paiselys are great for many different desings and themes, it is a shape that can be used no matter age or gender, it goes well in every special ocasion.

American Women

Posted Sep 12, 2011

American Women

Posted Sep 12, 2011

UM I would like that Royalty Pattern on the back of a Jacket!!!!
Rock Crash and Roll Baby!

sorry I'm in the Emperess's new clothes phase! :)

American Women wrote:

American Women

Posted Sep 12, 2011

sundancer

Posted Sep 12, 2011

I completely agree with Any. We definitely need more shapes to work with in the seamless for all COLOURlovers... including a paisley shape. I do not see the majority of the shapes available used that much at all. A lot of them are slightly corny and rarely used except by newbies who are testing out what the program can do.