Can You Identify These Patterns in Under 6 Minutes?
By: Craig
3 min
Image: Shutterstock
About This Quiz
Patterns are everywhere and can be used for just about anything! Patterns are an excellent way to jazz up any space. Mix and match, or repeat the same pattern, the choice is yours! Different patterns are used in clothing for different seasons and occasions. For example, a pinstripe suit or dress is perfect for a Summer soiree while a plaid poncho or button-down is perfect for crisp Fall days. Circle patterns and florals are currently trending as 2018's patterns of choice, but popular patterns change over time. Geometric and fan shapes were the epitome of snazzy during the Art Deco period, florals and gingham were favorites among 1940's home decorators, 1960's designers craved polka-dots while hippies loved their tye-dye, and the designers of the 1980's adored color blocking. Patterns can also depend on age. For examples, flowers for little girls are always in as are polka-dots and stripes. What are your favorite patterns? Have they changed over time or remained the same?
If you love clothes, interior design, or art, chances are you know your patterns! Take a look around you. How many patterns do you see? Can you identify them by name? How long does it take you? Think you could identify the patterns in this quiz at lightning speed? Prove it and then challenge your friends!
Shutterstock
What pattern is shown in this image?
Holes
Ikat
Tartan
Tartan patterns consist of various woven striped pieces of material. These vary in both color and width and when put together give the tartan effect. This pattern comes from Scotland.
A botanical pattern is one that has accurate representations of various plants, leaves, trees, branches, herbs and other things you may find in a garden. Sometimes the patterns are direct copies of various botanical illustrations.
Logo patterns are often used in the corporate world. Here the pattern design comprises the logo of the company. This can either be a large print or small print.
Weaving takes in three basic weave types. They are plain, satin and twill. Weaving involves taking two separate sets of threads or yarn and connecting them. One set, called the warp, runs the length of the fabric, while the other, called the weft, runs from side to side.
Pinstripe patterns are very popular - think of a pinstripe suit. The pattern itself consists of very thin lines that run the length of the material used. Sometimes these lines are not continuous and can be broken into smaller, separate lines. There are many of these across the material, all of them running parallel to each other.
This textured look tries to imitate the strokes of a brush that is holding just the smallest amount of paint. Often these patterns, although textured, are symmetrical.
This pattern includes shaded effects. The shading will proceed from its darkest to lightest and remains open to closed in coverage. Different motifs can be used to make up the pattern with the shading then applied to them.
Ethnic patterns are often found on national costumes of countries or specific costumes related to ethnic groups. They often comprise of symbols linked to those groups.
This pattern contains tiny jagged checks that look similar in shape to that of a dog's tooth. These checks are placed together to form a four-pointed star-like pattern.
In diamond patterns, elements of the pattern are placed at the points of a diamond. It is not necessarily using a full diamond shape itself, but using certain motifs and placing them in a diamond shape.
In the textile industry, abstract is the name given to patterns with no other recognizable form or layout. Or as said in the industry, any motif without an obvious objective is an abstract motif or pattern.
A Celtic knot, sometimes called an everlasting knot, consists of a knot-type pattern that comprises many ribbons. These seamlessly interlace and form into each other.
A medallion pattern will always repeat. It is normally based on circles that interlock and on most occasions use an organic-looking motif or something ornate. Other designs can be used, including diamonds, disks, ovals, hexagons, or other rotational shapes.
This pattern usually appears on a plain background. It can consist of uneven checks, plaid, bright colorful stripes or other similar design elements that are then combined with the plain background color. It originated in India, hence the name.
Animal print patterns are designed to represent the fur or skin of a certain animal, for example, leopard print. Other animal prints often copied include zebras, cheetahs or giraffes.
A Harlequin pattern repeats itself and consists of contrasting diamond shapes that stand on end in the form of a rhomboid lattice. Sometimes instead of contrasting diamonds, elongated squares are used.
Simply put, a non-directional pattern will always look exactly the same no matter from what direction you look at it. Examples of non-directional patterns include Sateen repeat and Spot repeat.
A soft, light pattern that includes transparent gradations, Watercolor looks to have exactly the same effect and look of how a painting produced with watercolors would look. So expect soft tones and a light, washed out look.
Set on a certain color background, a Polka dot pattern comprises circles of the same size spread throughout. The circles are always set an equal distance apart in a set layout.
This pattern is often seen in wood or metalwork. A supporting structure is constructed from interlacing and interwoven pieces of metal or wood which form a latticework and the pattern itself.
Stripe patterns comprise of bands of colors. These are normally the same width and can run vertically, horizontally or even at an angle. Examples of stripe patterns include pinstripes, pencil stripes and candy stripes.
Organic patterns are those that are based on, inspired by, or copy organic materials. This could be a plant or perhaps something associated with an animal. An actual organic substance can be an inspiration for an organic pattern.
This pattern is often found on a background of pastel colors and consists of twigs, shoots, small leaves or other small plant parts. These can then have their natural colors or sometimes, colors not associated with them, for example, bright yellows, reds, and blues.
Bengal stripes are a striped pattern where alternating light and dark colors of material are used, each exactly the same width. This pattern type is also called Regency stripes or Tiger stripes.
This weave sees each weft thread floating over up to around 12 warps. It then moves back under a single warp. The follow weft then moves over the same amount of warps but is then woven in by another single warp (and not the same as used before).
Quilting patterns are achieved by stitching different layers of fabric together to form a pattern. These patterns are generally uniform as all the pieces of fabric would have been cut out beforehand, for example, various sized triangles quilted together to form a six-pointed star.
A Paisley pattern is made up of a teardrop-shaped design. These are called buta or boteh. Paisley patterns have been found on objects dating back to 1700 BC.
A Plaid pattern is made up of stripes of color that criss-cross each other. These colors can vary but are often different shades of the same color. They will always cross at right angles.
A fairly small print pattern, Ditzy (or sometimes spelled Ditsy) includes motifs or designs that are scattered haphazardly. They would never appear in any type of order, such as in lines, for example. Because the scale of the pattern is small, a ditzy print pattern can look like a solid color from far.
This pattern comprises radiating palm leaves, often called a palmette. This fan shape forms the pattern, which first appeared in the ancient art of the Greeks, Egyptians, and other ancient civilizations.
This pattern takes the form of a symmetrical layout featuring one thicker striped bank in the center with other color bands arranged around. It is often multicolored.
Barcode is a pattern very similar to a barcode that might appear on a product. It consists of vertical lines of varying colors and widths which make it look similar to a barcode itself.
A patchwork pattern uses various design elements and combines them to form a pattern with a pieced-together effect. Patchwork patterns can include just about any design motif.
A mosaic pattern is exactly the same as that found in art from the ancient world. It consists of small motifs of different colors attached together. Mosaic patterns are always extremely colorful.
Lattice work patterns see lots of criss-cross and interlocking stripes. These will then form what is known as a network. This pattern is similar to a Trellis pattern.
An Interlocking pattern comprises a host of motifs of the same shape. These fit together in a way that if one were to be moved, it would affect all the others. Different colors are used for the interlocking pieces and their borders to make the pattern stand out even more.
The Calico pattern originated in India. It consists of small flower motifs which are arranged fairly haphazardly. These motifs are often varying colors.
The graph check pattern comprises vertical and horizontal lines which form perfect squares. It is exactly the same pattern that appears on graph paper, hence the name.
Guilloche is a very decorative pattern. It comprises curved bands which interlace together and which can sometimes form circles. By changing the color of the bands, extremely complex patterns are formed.
Simply put, a floral pattern uses flowers as the main focal point of the pattern design. These can be placed in various ways. Sometimes other elements can be used, such as leaves, branches or others.