We’ve all chuckled over the quote, “my only purpose in life is to serve as a bad example to others” Well, some wonderful folks on this earth also serve as good examples. This post will be a “catch them doing something right” and showcase the correct way to assign design credit.
We’ll start with some bloggers. Here’s a link to a post on Ouvrages d'une Acadienne blog, where author Joan properly displays and credits a quilt made from one of my patterns. Note that she has listed the designer name, the original name of the quilt, and provided a link back to my site. Well done, Joan J On this post Scrapmaster Linda shows a picture of a Maritime Beauty she made, along with the name of the quilt, the designer, and contact info. Thank you, Linda; it’s always a pleasure to see your beautiful work. Way over on the other side of the world in Australia, this recent Christmas post includes credit and contact information on the book in which this small apron was patterned. Jennifer from Bronze Wombat did all the leg work for you, and linked the exact page pertaining to the book on my site, not just the general website address. (Perhaps it is no coincidence that Jennifer ends her posts each time with a quote from a book on etiquette! She has good manners.) There are lots more examples I could share, but in the interest of brevity we’ll leave it there. Thank you to all the bloggers who respectfully and creatively present material for our enjoyment. Here is a gold star for you!
There are also a couple of commercial quilt sites which stand out as deserving mention. One is the Quilts For Sale site; this message greets you as you arrive, and is posted as a reminder on the bottom of each page: “The designers hold all copyrights to their work. Artwork may not be reproduced in any form without the designer's permission.” From first-hand experience of being contacted, I know that the quilters selling their work on this site DO indeed ask the designer for permission to sell a quilt made from their design. Business owner Maria Hrabovsky tells me that it’s the responsibility of each quilter to secure permission and send her a copy of the letter before the quilts are shown on her website. With Maria’s permission, here is a sample of how she lists a quilt for sale. If you click this link, you will see a picture and name of the quilt – in this case, the 12 days of Christmas. The quilter’s name, June Messenger, is there with a link to more information about June. Next is quilt designer Michele Crawford’s name and website address, and affirmation that the quilt is being sold with the designer’s permission. On The Quilter’s Net site you will see the same thing. Clicking this link shows a quilt made and offered for sale by Deanna B. Owner Bev Crouse ensures that the original name of the quilt is kept intact, and design credit is properly assigned. “Weaver Fever quilt made is made from a pattern designed by Jackie Robinson of Animas Designs. Permission to sell this has kindly been granted by the designer.”
Maria and Bev both get a gold Feathered Star for showing us how professionals assign credit correctly.
One last example is of a pattern appearing in publication with credit to another for “design inspiration.” This isn't to blow my own horn, but I have my own permission to share this. Frost Bite appeared in an issue of Quilter’s Newsletter. It was shortly after Karen Stone had set the quilt world on end with her spectacular New York Beauty quilt featuring a wild, undulating border of spikes.
You can see that even though my border is vastly different than Karen’s, hers did inspire my uniform icicles and she was contacted for permission to print the design for the border in the magazine, which she granted. Her name was credited in Quilter’s Newsletter as designer of the border, mine as designer of the quilt... and we were both very happy with the arrangement. 
Thank you for my gold star! It doesn't take much really to do the right thing, does it? Most of it is just common sense, and common courtesy. You wouldn't use someone's necklace or bracelet without asking permission.....you don't use their pattern either.
ReplyDeleteI am learning so much from you Karen. Reading your posts and having all the copyright jargon laid out for me in simpler phrasing and lots of detail, sure makes it easy to understand the rules and regulations involved.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how I missed seeing this quilt! I don't just love it because of the workmanship, it is a blue lover's dream. This is going in my inspiration file. Thanks for doing what you do.
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