When representatives of the British East India Company traveled to Kashmir in the 1800’s, they were intrigued by the shawls the men wore. These shawls featured a pattern called a boteh–a teardrop motif with a curved upper end. Imported from India, the shawls were expensive and worn mostly by wealthy British women. However, the textile mills in Paisley, Scotland replicated the design, making these “paisley shawls” affordable for many people. The popularity of paisley reached its peak in the 1870’s and then fell out of favor.

In the 1960’s paisley came back, popularized by an interest in Eastern cultures. The Beatles wore it, and the Fender guitar company even incorporated the pattern in its Fender Telecaster. Paisley fabric has been a hit in both men’s and women’s fashions ever since. At Missouri Star, we love to use paisley print fabric in quilts and other sewing projects.

We love that paisley fabrics can be found in every colorway. You will find small paisley print fabric and large paisley fabric–each of which work for different quilt patterns. We love the ingenuity of designers who have created floral paisley fabric–the best of both worlds. In our store, you will find paisley fabric by the yard as well as paisley fabric precuts that will work as the feature fabric of your quilt or as a blender, border, or backing fabric.

Beyond paisley quilt fabric, you may love to use paisley print fabric by the yard for men’s shirts, vests, and ties or women’s blouses, skirts, and dresses. And just imagine the adorable kids’ clothes that you could stitch up in perfect paisley!

We hope that paisley never goes out of style again. There seems to be endless ways to interpret and color this design. Paisley can be elegant and sedate or funky and wildly colorful. There is a paisley for every project, and you can find it at Missouri Star!