mom-6

I recently made a wall hanging using a picture I had 'captured' on some website...don't even know which one. While I was making it I tried to figure out where I had originally seen it, in hopes that there might be some more information about it. I discovered several similar ones, including one that had been made 'in a class'. None were the one I had found originally however! In addition it appeared that the others used applique to create the celtic knotwork design and I was doing mine as pieced. It is a gift so there's no way copyright should come into the picture. Maybe I could figure out exactly how I did it (trial and error), copyright my method and make lots of $$$.

GrannieAnnie

Take one of my favorites again, the Carpenter's Wheel. How many ways can there be to WRITE instructions? You can do smaller 4 blocks sections or you can set it together in rows (or columns which amount to the same) but what could possibly be a method of setting a simple block together the one of us or a few generations before us have not done?

snowyquilter

Designing art quilts is clearly your design, just like a painting; no one argues when someone paints an oil of a mountain for example because it is clearly theirs even though thousands of people in the past have painted mountains. But why is it so bad if a picture of that quilt that was an original design ends up in a book because it won a prize. Is the work of the person that did the sewing so much less important just because their work came last. I personally would be thrilled to see a picture of something I had a part in creating all over the place. I would be proud to think that so many people like it and that it was capable of winning prizes. What is the point of creating something and than basically hiding it away for oneself. I am not trying to me mean, just trying to understand. I personally don't think that someone has any claim at all over a finished piece of art if their contribution was the directions. We paid the due, gave you your money and bought the directions. That does not make the finished product yours. It belongs to the person who made it. We sell used cars all the time because we own it. Ford or Toyota does not own the right to the car even though they created it. As long as your name is on the project for an original design, the copyright law is satisfied. You cannot sell a Ford and say you created it and built it, you just sell it as a Ford. So if I buy a pattern from person XYZ and sell it as sewn buy me and created by XYZ I am perfectly within my rights. And with traditional patterns, since there is no creators name to place on it despite what people may claim, I can simply say it was sewn by me.

Someone earlier said something about simpler times. Nothing in the laws has changed from 20 years ago. People have just become greedy and lawyers are abundant.

sewbeadit

I love this.lol hehehehehehe

carolynjo

If you are making it for your own personal bed or a family member's bed, who cares?

Handcraftsbyjen

Dunster said it best. It is our photos, layouts and words that we copyright. I design Twister and Primitive Pinwheel patterns but I didn't make the ruler or the technique. I had to have permission to include the rulers and the technique. Not only that, but not all designers are in it to get rich. A lot of us do it to help our family income but more importantly because we like it, and if we didn't copyright our designs, someone else would put their name on it and take credit for what we worked hard to come up with.

quiltapillow

A friend of ours was incharge of the Copyright office in Washington,DC. When he retired about 10-12 yrs ago. The office was turned over to some younger people. He had all the copyrights in books with all the legal copies. Well , the young ones in front of him took all the books and threw them in the trash can. He told us at the time there was going to be problems. Geometry has been around since the beginning of time. It cannot be copyrighted and quilting is geometry. Some have made some great new designs using geomerty and the copyright is the way she has put them together with the angles of certain measurements and color. You can take the same design and add a fraction of an inch and you have a new design for a new copyright but there are only a certain number of ways to geometrically draw a design. So, some have said its is the method in which the design is sewn. To me, it is crazy. you can only cut a pie just into so many peices. It is like trying to copyright and idea in your mind. You cannot copyright a geometric its been here too long as for as I am concerned. Don't be afraid that some take offence. This has been going on since the beginning of them and the copyright actually belongs to God almighty, not us.

ube quilting

They don't scare my one bit. I am not doing anything wrong using any pattern I find anywhere. If sombody really thinks I'm stealing a four patch block from them, let them come after me. I am never going to make any money or infringe on anyone to make their own money from any pattern I use. I think people have this need to be scared and it they aern't scared they create something to be scared of.

Lets do a simple poll. How many people on this board has been subject to legal action by using a pattern to make a quilt, no matter where the pattern came from?

If somebody takes the time to publish a pattern it is meant to be used, right?

BellaBoo

Anyone can post a tutorial how to make any quilt pattern, that's legal as long as the the person doesn't use the pattern pictures or text. I will buy quilt books and patterns from designers that are generous with their designs. Example: Bonnie Hunter and Eleanor Burns.

TanyaL

How about considering what the designers really want the copyrights to give them protection from:
1. People publishing their technique and directions in another book. 2. People going into business mass producing their design with 3rd world labor for the big box stores. 3. People selling instructional DVD's using their techniques. I'm sure no designer is going to hire a lawyer and go to court if they see that their design is hanging in a country fair competition. However, If I publish a book with their copyright info in it they will go to court for their royality rights. Anyone would.