Rowena101

I have made a quilt by " Debbie Beaves" from McCall's Quick Quilts Feb./March 2010. I want to display my quilt in the Me. Quilt Show. I need Debbies' permission in order to display it. This is the shows rule, so she will get the credit due her. I have emailed the magazines customer service dept. & no reply. Does anyone have any other suggestions ? I need to have my application in by May 1st. Thanks for any help. Rowena101

LeslieFrost

Here are two thoughts:

In the current issues of McCall's, there is a general notice that gives permission to use any pattern for public display. I think it's on one of the Contents pages. I don't know if they used that in 2010, but it's worth a look.

Or, Google the designer and see if she has a website that might have a 'contact me' link.

Good for you for paying attention to this, and good luck!

YukonViv

I think that you need Mccall's permission, not Debbie's. I have several cross stitch patterns published in needlework magazines and when I "sold" them my design I signed a contract letting them have the copyright for X number of years. Until that time period passes, I do not have copyright over them, however copyright reverts back to me once the length of time noted in the contract expires.

It looks like Leslie found a general notice in their magazine, that should be sufficient. If you still have the magazine you used check to see if it still has the notice.

Hope that helps.

ghostrider

This is what happens when show organizers don't think about the restrictions they're imposing. A great many designers sell their copyright to the magazine when they have a design published. So, yes, they are the designer, but they no longer hold the copyright. Where does that leave someone who wants to show that quilt? Maine Quilts specifically states you need written permission from the designer...period.

If I were you, I'd track down a phone number for McCall's customer service, talk to a living human being and explain that you need written permission from Debbie Beaves to enter and publically display a quilt made from her design, regardless of who holds the copyright or what the policy of McCall's magazine may be. They may or may not choose to put you in touch with Ms Beaves.

Other options would be to track her down in Vancouver somehow, and/or contact the Maine Quilts quilt registrar, Susan Bulay (hyperlink is on the entry FAQ page at Maine Quilts website). The entry deadline, btw, is a May 15 postmark, so you have a bit of extra time. Wishing you the best of luck.

Scissor Queen

Personally I think it's a pretty sad point we've come to when you have to ask permission to display your *own* work. No matter who designed the pattern, you made the quilt.

feline fanatic

Amen! Couldn't agree more. What happens when you change an element in the design? Does it then become yours?

Christine-

You might want to read the thread called "question about copyright", here on quilting board, to see why you could be pestering the designer with a question she's heard a hundred times already and has decided to ignore any and all future questions.

Tartan

I think someone needs to come up with a quilter's disclaimer. You know like the ones novelist put in books that says ..this is a work of fiction, any similarity or likeness to real people is unintentional.... I am seriously thinking of included one in any quilt I display in the future. This is really getting ridiculous!

nabobw

I agree

snow

I feel if the pattern is in a maginze or book or on the internet you should be able to display it when you make the quilt when they sold or gave the pattern to the maginze or for the books it is free to make and display. For you bought the maginze or the book so you should have the right to display it when you make a quilt from it.
Phillis