ladyinpurple135

Oh, and I forgot to mention how appalled I am to the response from Mr. Mancuso about this. A friend of mine has always been unhappy with their shows - not sure why - but with this attitude, it might change my mind about ever going to one his shows.

Sandy in Mooresville, NC

luvspaper

I think there is a happy medium. Lately there have been a lot of discussions on the Modern Quilt Guild Blog and spinoffs regarding influenced and derivative works. Unfortunately in the quilting world it is very hard to draw a standard line. And the shows don't want to do so because they might have some liability if they do. If they don't ask, then the liability probably rests on the entrant (i.e. they dont' have to do any verifying). Is it right? Not if you are someone other than the entrant.

That said, I do agree with the OP that quilt shows should request all the information - designer/inspiration, piecer, quilter, etc.

Doggramma

When I enter a quilt in a show, I list the pattern or designer on the entry form (if it's not my own design). I've been kind of stewing about what's going on with the national modern guild and their talk of "derivatives" and the hoops you need to go through in getting permission to use a design idea. I can understand if you've obviously used a particular pattern or a readily identifiable design. But much of what I do is based on things I've seen somewhere but I'm not intentionally copying something that I can refer back to. For instance, according to the modern guild, if you place your HST's in a certain way that some designer already used, you'd have to get permission. It's enough to not want to enter shows.

I will say, though, I am irritated when I go to a show and see a quilt that is obviously a copy of something and there is no reference on the quilt's info sheet of the original designer. A few months ago there was a quilt with cute little birdies that was from a birdie-a-month thing I saw on a blog. There was no mention of the blog. I'm sure that the person who made the quilt knew the blog since they used it every month for their birdie block.

SewingSew

From the perspective of a beginner quilter, I see a quilt as being a collective of talent. If it is an original design by the person who made the quilt, then I am even more in awe of their skill and talent. If someone else quilted it, that is part of the history of the quilt. If it is hand quited, then I see that as a different set of skills. A quilt takes a lot of work and effort to make. I want to know the story behind it so that I can appreciate what I am looking at. There is a big difference between the "Mona Lisa" and a reproduction of the "Mona Lisa." Right now, I have three quilt kit projects that I will be working on in the coming months. Each one will teach me a different skill. I am grateful to the designers that I am able to make something so beautiful while I learn from them. The day will probably come that I will design my own quilt. I know that if I entered my own design into a competition, then I would want that to be distinguished from other quilts where kits were used. Also, if a designer is trying to make a name for themselves, quilters are able to acknowledge and promote the designer. Many people will see a design that they like and want to purchase a copy of the pattern. Knowing the name of the pattern and the designer is extremely helpful. I personally would like to see as much information as possible when I am looking at a quilt. I mean no offense when I say this, but a kit is more like a paint-by-numbers reproduction of an original masterpiece, or a knock-off vs. a Vera Wang. While there is still skill involved in making the quilt, and some choose to make their own interpretation of the original--there can still be only one original. It is my opinion that show promoters have an obligation to recognize everyone involved in the making of a quilt. It's a matter of integrity. In a perfect world, a quilt made using a kit should only be competing against another quilt made using a kit, just as hand quilters should only be competing against other hand quilters, all things being equal. The show in Manchester charged $12.00 for tickets. Somebody is making a profit. They owe it to the public to list complete information about the quilts they are showing.

Onebyone

There are two quilt shows in my general area next month. The entry forms do not ask for name of pattern or designer, just the name of the quilt, size of the quilt, machine or hand pieced by, machine or hand quilted by, name or names. That's all. Most have the pattern or designer info in the general comment about your quilt section of the entry form. Just about half the quilts are made from classes held at shops or guilds in the last two years, the others from patterns or books or from online. Maybe one or two original designs if any. I read where some designers do not want their designs shown at shows made by others. I think it's a matter of liability for the show owner for a big show. Bigger show better chance of a lawsuit.

Geri B

This discussion can get very intense....I have personal thoughts on it, but will keep them to myself. But I will say, having entered several competitions, albeit, local, the info requested was minimal and up to each entrant's discretion as to how much. But, it has been several yrs since I entered anything, anywhere. This same kind of discussion was raised when longarm and dsm quilting became acceptable and more prevelant. Now with modern quilting being so "free form" so to speak, it is another point of contention.

if one wants to distinguish between a kit entry and a pick your own fabric, then will precut vs. you cut be the next
delineation?

ILoveToQuilt

All the comments have been most welcome. I guess I am basically saying, if someone makes a quilt, granted they made it. However, if they copied a quilt pattern from a book/magazine/pattern, the original designer should get credit. Nothing wrong with making quilts from books/magazines/patterns, I do it all the time (I am not talented enough to design my own yet). But to me, fair is fair. I am currently working on a variation of the Bento Box pattern and if I ever enter it somewhere (which I doubt...I am not that good), I will certainly give credit to the designer of the Bento Box pattern. I guess the one quilt which really irked me was a Sunbonnet Sue quilt - made from a book (perhaps the blocks were in a different order) using her own choice of fabrics. No where was it mentioned that it was from the book.(It was even titled the same name as the book). Yes, I know, Sunbonnet Sue patterns are public domain, but this particular quilt was "specific" - not the traditional SBS patterns. (Note: if you were at the show, you probably know which quilt I am talking about).

Maybe I am just being too picky. All the quilts were absolutely stunning, regardless of where the patterns originated!!! I am blown away with how talented people are and hope someday to be able to make a quilt worthy of an international or national show.

Thanks for listening to my rant. I truly hope no one takes offense, as this is just my opinion.

feline fanatic

AQS rules dictate you must get written permission from the designer if the quilt is not original. From their 2017 rules:
"Any quilt that cannot bedefined as an original piece requires written designpermission from the inspiration source(s)."
But they do not have any place to list if the quilt was professionally quilted by another. For that, the entrant must enter the quilt with the longarmer listed as co-entrant but that is up to the discretion of the quilt owner. Many professionally longarmed quilts are entered as a solo artist and the longarmer has no idea unless the owner tells them or they happen to attend the show.

MQX does ask about pattern and I believe they also require written permission. They also have a place to list who quilted it if the entrant is not also the quilter. Many patterns have the permission printed right on the pattern.

But what is a person to do if there is no way to contact the designer. Say you entered a quilt that Pam Bono designed. She has passed away. How do you get written permission, contact her estate? It seems to me it should be enough to credit the designer. I would think designers would want people to enter their quilts into shows.

I know quiltworx (Judy Neimeyer) asks you to send them pictures if you ribboned. But when I tried to do that with Agave Garden my email bounced. I cited the pattern and Judy as the designer but did not supply any kind of written permission. I took at as given that their website wants to see pics of ribboning quilts. MQX did not question it.

Bonnie Hunter got inundated with emails a few years ago when McCalls published the article about copyright and shows and more shows started putting in the rule about written permission. She had to blog a blanket "Permission" and begged people to stop flooding her in box with requests.

I agree with the OP that it is the right thing to do to cite your pattern or source but it has gotten overboard with having to ask permission to show the quilt. And there have been debates here ad-nausiam about it (where copyright falls in such a circumstance). I am in the camp that copyright DOES allow you to show the end product you made from a purchased pattern but certain articles beg to differ. I would think the free publicity would help them to sell patterns and they would want that. It is the smart designer that puts permission right on the pattern to avoid the debacle when trying to enter a quilt made from one in a show that demands written permission.

I think a lot of this has lead to the popularity of EQ. You can design you own quilts even with public domain blocks. The MQG is taking it to the extreme and I think it will hurt them in the long run.

maviskw

I have seen quite a few long-armers on this board, post quilts that they have quilted. They didn't make the tops. Do they have permission to do that? What does the one who pieced the top think about that? They are not given credit a lot of times.

ladyinpurple135

Maviskw - I must agree with you about long-arm Quilter's - how about when they win ribbons for their quilting but the maker of the quilt top is not even mentioned. The quilt needs piecing, appliqué, etc. plus quilting to win that ribbon. New and experienced Quilter's should become aware of citing all that goes into their quilts - for now and for the future. It's just like making a label for your quilt and adding a label that might say: "Made for Bobby on his 10th birthday by Grandma Jean". Unfortunately I do not have any family quilts labeled like this but I do have other family pieces that my paternal Grandma labeled - with a piece of adhesive tape on the bottom that says over 100"years old - from Gramdna ***". My grandma died in 1974 and I'm not sure which one of my great or great-great grandmas she's refering to and have no clue when she made this miserable label. I am raising my hand to say that yes, I'm a believer in citing as much info as you can. Future Quilter's will be dancing with joy. Oh, and I forgot - I purchased an antique coxcomb appliqués quilt a few months ago. It kmow it came from 1868 because the quilter actually quilted the date into the quilt - but only added her initial. The sellers had no other info.

Thanks so much for letting me vent. Sometimes I really jump on that soapbox - I appreciate your patience.

Sandy in Mooresville, NC