Australia’s Powerhouse Museum has several volumes that contain thousands of bright, unfaded samples of fashionable fabric designs, braids and laces ranging from the 1830s to the 1920s. Some of these swatches, like the one shown above, are available through their Electronic Swatchbook. You can zoom in so close that you can actually see the weave in these fabrics.

The patterns on this site are in the public domain in Australia. All images and patterns on this site can be used for any commercial or non-commercial purpose without further permission. Copyright in these images and patterns cannot be revived under any circumstance within Australia. If you wish to use these patterns in a country other than Australia the museum recommends that you seek legal advice.