Plate No. 011pattern
First documented
mid-1800s
Origin
Central Europe, Germany
Fiber
cotton, silk
Weave
printed
Family
dots

Plate No. 011 · pattern

Polka Dot

The polka dot is a pattern of evenly sized, evenly spaced filled circles, usually set in an offset half-drop grid. It was named during the mid-nineteenth-century craze for the polka dance, when merchants attached the popular word to many goods. Regular machine printing was what finally made the perfectly even dot possible at scale.

Illustration: a crowded mid 19th century dance hall during the polka craze, dancers a swirling blur at a distance, one dotted dress catching the lamplight, musicians in the corner
A crowded mid 19th century dance hall during the polka craze, dancers a swirling blur at a distance, one dotted dress catching the lamplight, musicians in the corner.

Named for

Named after the polka, the dance craze of the mid-nineteenth century. The name comes from the fashion for the dance, not from any feature of the dots.

Common questions

What is Polka Dot made of?
The polka dot is a pattern of evenly sized, evenly spaced filled circles, usually set in an offset half-drop grid. It is traditionally made of cotton or silk.
How is Polka Dot made?
Polka Dot is woven as a printed.
What is Polka Dot named after?
Named after the polka, the dance craze of the mid-nineteenth century. The name comes from the fashion for the dance, not from any feature of the dots.
  1. 1.Polka dot, Wikipedia
  2. 2.polka dot, Wiktionary

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