Paisley stoles were in fashion for almost a century, from 1780 until the 1870's. Around this time, millions of stoles were woven, embroidered, and also printed in Kashmir, India, Persia, the USA, Europe, Austria, England, Scotland, and of course, Paisley. It was the Kashmir stoles that captivated the imagination of fashionable women and European manufacturers were quick to respond by weaving or printing their own.
Kashmir has long been famous for its paisley stoles. In the 18th century, they became so widely popular that merchants from around the world would come to Kashmir just to buy them. Antique-looking paisley-designed wool stoles have a distinct pattern used in construction of the jama, a type of coat worn by men. These stoles are woven on a tooji, which refers to the frame loom where they are woven. The weaver, along with an assistant, uses a talim or set of written instructions for weaving the shawls. This talim will indicate the color and the corresponding number of warp threads that must be covered. The master weaver will then throw the weft back and forth, after which he calls out the pattern or design based on the threads that are woven in.
For cleaning paisley woolen stoles, dry cleaning is recommended. For hand washing, cold water must be used. After washing, wring drying is discouraged. They should simply be laid flat to dry. When dry, they can then be ironed with a piece of cloth or paper in between the iron and fabric.
