Paisley pattern treasures

Paisley Museum recently celebrated its 150th birthday and the team there is looking to unearth Paisley pattern treasures.

The revamped building will open in two years after a £42 million facelift.

Paisley- born fashion designer Pam Hogg is leading the quest to find new patternthemed exhibits.

They will go on show next to a couture outfit the Paisley Poodle, created by Pam.

She said: “The Paisley pattern has had a lasting impact on the world and has been endlessly reinterpreted and reinvented.

“There are examples of Paisley pattern all around us and I’d like to encourage the public to share their items and the stories of how they were acquired, used, loved and passed down.

“As a child I was fascinated with the museum’s collection and can’t wait for its expansion.”

Paisley’s Free Public Library and Museum opened on April 11 1871, holding its first exhibition of Paisley shawls in 1905 in recognition of the impact the textiles had on the town’s fortunes.

The museum was open to all, except a byelaw which banned entry to anyone “in an intoxicated or unclean condition” or those “in whose house infectious diseases exist”.

Many local people gifted shawls to the museum permanently when the 1905 exhibition concluded, and over 115 years later the museum is asking the public to continue this tradition.

Submissions can be emailed to paisleymuseum@ renfrewshire. gov. uk, or shared on social media using #ShowUsYourPaisley, tagging @ paisleymuseum and including a photograph, description and story behind the object.

The deadline is May 30.