Stummel

Saw those earlier and bookmarked that site as it looks like a wealth of information is on there!

Pam G

I'm now going to have to find this book, Judy Martin is one of my favorite quilt book writers, she's awesome!

Charlee

I have Judy Martin books...but I have to disagree (respectfully) with the ethical issue. If it was true that it's unethical to copy the patterns of others, the only access we would have to block patterns would be only original patterns. There would be no modern log cabin patterns, no Mariner's compass, none of the "old" patterns. The "Dear Jane" book wouldn't exist, since the patterns in it are a copy of designer Jane Stickle's work.
One of the Judy Martin books I have are all "old" block patterns...does this make Judy herself "unethical"?

For the most part, the only truly original quilts are the landscape or art quilts...and some of them, eh! not so much!

BellaBoo

To copy a pattern to give to someone and you keep the original is a violation of copyright and slummy thing to do. To make a quilt or pattern using a picture of a quilt as a guide for yourself is okay but don't claim/sell/distribute/ it as your pattern. Old quilt patterns that are in the public domain and not copyrighted and can be copied, printed, and sold as much as you like.

dunster

The quilt designs in Judy Martin's Log Cabin Quilt Book are all originals. True, they build off the log cabin block, but the designs are unique and original. If you copy her design without acquiring her book, you are robbing her of her rightful income. Copyrights run out after some period of time (50 years after the death of the author), and everything over 70 years old (I think that's the figure) is in the public domain. I have spent some time actually researching this issue.

dunster

This is only partly true. It is a violation of copyright to reproduce an original design without obtaining permission. It is fine to reproduce a quilt that uses only designs within the public domain. When you buy a quilt book or pattern, you have the author's permission to make the item using that design.

It is almost never okay to make a copy of a pattern, even if the design is in the public domain. The instructions are still under copyright protection. (By a copy of a pattern, I mean a photocopy or some other copied representation of the instructions.)

dunster

This article has some information about copyright as it pertains to quilters.

http://www.quilt.com/FAQS/CopyrightFAQ.html

Charlee

No one is talking about making a copy of a pattern tho...simply using the ideas presented by a public image of a quilt. From the link you provided Dunster:

"Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts and schemes. Rather, it protects the manner in which the idea or information is expressed".

I understand what you're saying about Ms. Martin's income being reduced by quilters who can figure out how to put something together without purchasing her books, but it's certainly not illegal, and I don't believe it to be unethical either.
It would be much like the diamond log cabin quilt that you made after you saw one elsewhere (or at least I think that's what I understood about that beautiful quilt you made)...I will have to look for it, but one of my quilt books or magazines, has that same quilt pattern...it's not a new concept, nor is it terribly old...late 80's early 90's at the oldest.

Again...I make my points with all due respect, I simply don't agree (at this point of the conversation) with you.

dunster

You're right that it's okay to use the ideas in another person's quilt, but "copying" the quilt is not permissible.

See #6: "Copying a quilt would be an infringement, but because ideas are not copyight, it is acceptable to use another quilt for ideas."

You're right that I based my diamond log cabin star design on quilts that I saw elsewhere. I first saw the design on a site selling quilts, and later in a book of quilts from the 20th century. I also found references to building a log cabin around a diamond shape in other books and internet sites. It was okay to copy this design, because the block is clearly in the public domain, and my quilt design was not a total copy of any other. It was in researching my right to make this quilt (since I couldn't find a pattern anywhere) that I came across the reference I cited.

Judy's quilt is another story. The quilt design is clearly copyrighted in her book. Using the quilt design for ideas is okay - but "copying" it is not. Her quilt basically uses rectangles to mimic the more difficult double wedding ring pattern. If you want to draft your own rectangles to accomplish that - fine. I suspect other people have done that in the past. You may wind up with something very similar, or even identical to Judy's design. But if you attempt to copy her quilt, that's unethical. You're copying her quilt, not her idea.

OK, that's my interpretation of copyright law. I'm not a lawyer, so I may have it wrong. I do think it is very useful for us to discuss this issue freely in this forum.

Charlee

Pretty fine line... ;)

I appreciate you being willing to discuss the issue and accepting (while still disagreeing with) my opinion! :)

I've recently experienced a "discussion" where I disagreed with my DIL that my son is some kind of a monster because he wouldn't let her take a trip that they couldn't afford,with a result of her not speaking to or having anything to do with us...she can't quite grasp the concept that "big people" can disagree and not hate one another...it makes me appreciate you all the more dunster! :)