Do you....?

or

How about paint, sew, quilt, take pictures? What about Facebook?

I had to take a minute and put my thoughts in a blog on the matter. In recent weeks, there has been an uproar on Copyright infringement, theft of ideas, and horrid Civil and other threats regarding Pinterest, Blogs, and Facebook.

I am a quilter. I sew with Fabrics that I myself do not design. I use blocks many of us know. I recreate quilts from patterns I have bought, magazines I subscribe to, patterns I download from others sites, etc. When I lable my quilt, I give credit if it is not my original creation. I do sell my quilts, I do donate my quilts, I do give my quilts as gifts. I own EQ7 with the intent of creating my own patterns to make and resell.

I also post my work online, knowing when I put it out there, 99% of those that see it will re-pin it correctly, give me credit, praise my efforts. And I know there is that 1% that may "take" my idea and make it their own. That is the risk I take when I release my treasures to the World Wide Web. I take full advantage of the free advertising that Facebook, Blogger, and Pinterest have afforded me, and those like me that want to make a small living doing what they love, on a budget.

I don't label every quilt with the Manufacturer/Fabric Designer/Thread Color/Batting Lot Number. No one wants a quilt with the ENTIRE back written on. Crazy? Dramatic? Yes, absolutely. But so is our legal system. We live in a litigation addicted society where lawyers eat each other at the chance of a huge payout, often as a result of some poor soul being scared into a settlement because they lacked the funds or gumption to take it to court and win.

I am making a beautiful quilt right now. I am using scraps I cannot name. Many were fat quarters cut at the store so I have no selvages to verify that I cannot use it unless it's for personal use. The pattern idea came from Bonnie Hunter's amazing site, and it's called Pineapple Blossom.

To make it my own version, I am adding a sashing border with applique. Free handed, but it might look like something someone else has done. I'm sorry if I don't credit you, but great minds think alike. I might sell this quilt, I might keep it since it's my first one with applique on this level. If you copy me, I take it as flattery that you like it, and if you buy it, I will have money to make another one. (Just remember to credit Bonnie for the Pineapple Blossom blocks....)

Sorry for the tone of this blog, but as a fellow quilter, and a fabric obsessed crazy woman, I wanted to add my two tarnished pennies to this madness.