From a drawing in 'Art Embroidery', M.S. Lockwood and E. Glaister, 1878.
Source Firkin
Just to prove my point, here is a slightly modified dark version.
Source Atle Mo
To get the tile this is based on, select the rectangle in Inkscape and use shift+alt+i.
Source Firkin
Remixed from a drawing in 'Prehistoric Man: researches into the origin of civilisation in the old and the new world', Daniel Wilson, 1876.
Source Firkin
Derived from a drawing in 'The Murmur of the Shells', Samuel Cowen, 1879.
Source Firkin
A simple example on using clones. You can generate a nice base for a pattern fill quickly with it.
Source Lazur URH
Looks like a technical drawing board: small squares forming a nice grid.
Source We Are Pixel8
Oh yes, it happened! A pattern in full color.
Source Atle Mo
A seamlessly tileable pink background texture.
Source V. Hartikainen
Used correctly, this could be nice. Used in a bad way, all hell will break loose.
Source Atle Mo
Alternative colour scheme. Not a pattern for fabrics, but one produced from a jpg of a stack of fabric items that was posted on Pixabay. The tile that this is based on can be had by selecting the rectangle in Inkscape and using shift+alt+i.
Source Firkin
Inspired by a drawing in 'Kulturgeschichte', Freidrich Hellwald, 1896.
Source Firkin
An interesting dark spotted pattern at an angle.
Source Hendrik Lammers
One week and it's Easter already. Thought I would revisit the decorated egg contest at inkscape community: http://forum.inkscapecommunity.com/index.php?topic=118.0
Source Lazur URH
Light gray version of the Binding pattern that looks a bit like fabric.
Source Newbury
This makes me wanna shoot some pool! Sweet green pool table pattern.
Source Caveman
If you want png files of this u can download them here : viscious-speed.deviantart.com/gallery/27635117
Source Viscious-Speed
Colour version of the original pattern.
Source Firkin
A seamless pattern formed from a square tile. The tile can be retrieved by selecting the rectangle in Inkscape and using shift-alt-I.
Source Firkin
Remixed from a drawing in 'Line and form', Walter Crane, 1914.
Source Firkin