Remixed from a drawing in 'Maidenhood; or, the Verge of the Stream', Laura Jewry, 1876.
Source Firkin
A seamless pattern formed from a tile that can be had in Inkscape by selecting the rectangle and using shift+alt+i.
Source Firkin
You know you love wood patterns, so here’s one more.
Source Richard Tabor
Might not be super subtle, but quite original in its form.
Source Alex Smith
To get the tile this is based on select the rectangle in Inkscape and use shift+alt+i
Source Firkin
A seamlessly tileable pink background texture.
Source V. Hartikainen
Subtle scratches on a light gray background.
Source Andrey Ovcharov
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
Prismatic Polka Dots Mark II 2 No Background
Source GDJ
This background pattern contains a seamless texture of bark. It's not very realistic, but I think it looks quite nice.
Source V. Hartikainen
From a drawing in 'A Guide to the Guildhall of the City of London', John Baddeley, 1898.
Source Firkin
Derived from a PNG that was uploaded to Pixabay by nutkitten
Source Firkin
No relation to the band, but damn it’s subtle!
Source Thomas Myrman
Did anyone say The Hoff? This pattern is in no way related to Baywatch.
Source Josh Green
From a drawing in 'Sun Pictures of the Norfolk Broads', Ernest Suffling, 1892.
Source Firkin
Little x’es, noise and all the stuff you like. Dark like a Monday, with a hint of blue.
Source Tom McArdle
More tactile goodness. This time in the form of some rough cloth.
Source Bartosz Kaszubowski