A pattern formed from a squared tile. The tile can be accessed in Inkscape by selecting the rectangle and using shift-alt-i.
Source Firkin
A seamless web background with texture of aged grid paper.
Source V. Hartikainen
A nice looking light gray background pattern with diagonal stripes.
Source V. Hartikainen
To get the tile this is based on select the rectangle in Inkscape and use shift+alt+i.
Source Firkin
A background pattern inspired by designs seen in 'Burghley. The Life of William Cecil', William Charlton, 1857.
Source Firkin
From a drawing in 'Navigations de Alouys de Cademoste.-La Navigation du Capitaine Pierre Sintre', Alvise da ca da Mosto, 1895.
Source Firkin
An abstract texture of water. It's not perfect, but will do. You may download if you like it.
Source V. Hartikainen
Could be paper, could be a Polaroid frame – up to you!
Source Chaos
You don’t see many mid-tone patterns here, but this one is nice.
Source Joel Klein
Zerro CC tillable texture of stones photographed and made by me. CC0
Source Sojan Janso
Never out of fashion and so much hotter than the 45º everyone knows, here is a sweet 60º line pattern.
Source Atle Mo
From a drawing in 'Worsborough; its historical associations and rural attractions', Joseph Wilkinson, 1879.
Source Firkin
CC0 and a seamless pattern from a tile drawn in Paint.net .
Source SliverKnight
From a design found in 'History of the Virginia Company of London; with letters to and from the first Colony, never before printed', Edward Neill, 1869.
Source Firkin
Not so subtle. These tileable wood patterns are very useful.
Source Elemis
Almost like little fish shells, or dragon skin.
Source Graphiste
Coming in at 666x666px, this is an evil big pattern, but nice and soft at the same time.
Source Atle Mo
A seamless pattern formed from background pattern 102
Source Firkin
From a drawing in 'Resa i Afrika, genom Angola, Ovampo och Damaraland', P. Moller, 1899.
Source Firkin
Recreated from a pattern found in 'Az Osztrák-Magyar Monarchia irásban és képben', 1882. To get the tile this is based on select the rectangle in Inkscape and use shift+alt+i.
Source Firkin