Pattern Play: Inspiration Found at the V&A

Marvel with me at some early 1800s watercolor sketches for textile design and see how they inspired a recent project.

Good morning! Just a quick write-up today with some cheerful visuals! I want to share some new pattern treasures I discovered in the Victoria and Albert Museum archives. These designs feel remarkably timeless; they could have been created 50 years ago or just last week. I am amazed that they date back to the early 19th century. I’m especially drawn to their simplicity, the color palette, and what I perceive to be the artist’s intent. (Plus, I want to use all of them to make skirts and dresses!)

I can easily envision the original artist, working in England in (let’s say… 1822?), sitting down at a beautiful desk with minimal supplies and asking, "What can I create with pink, maroon, and the white of the paper?" The results are charming and bursting with thoughtful variation. Though the artist is unknown, the work is from a textile design pattern book. The collection is housed online at the V&A and can be viewed here. Aren’t they beautiful?

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that creativity can truly flourish when choices are limited. Back when I worked at a design firm, we often produced our best work under constrained variables. That’s one of the reasons I find these little sketches so compelling. There’s a certain freedom when narrowing the focus and exploring where that takes you.

Inspired, I spent an afternoon playing with this palette. I used acrylic paint and paint pens instead of watercolor and tried not to overthink it. The process is like a mix of doodling, playing with repetition, and permitting myself to explore without pressure.

I added my own twist to one of the beautiful V&A designs and painted it onto a brand new papier mâché charger plate. I’m really excited about the idea of creating an entire set, mixing in my experiments and even more fun variations of these designs! And if you're feeling inspired to make your own, you can find the charger plate templates in my Etsy shop!

Do you see these sketches as timeless, just like I do? Have you ever experienced those moments of creativity that arise from having limited choices? I'd like to hear about it! Are you interested in trying out pattern designs with a limited color palette? Go go go give it a shot!! Approach it as a low-pressure, meditative experiment, and I promise it is so much fun!

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