I removed our latest QOTW as it came to my attention that the quilt appeared to be quite like….well almost the same…with slightly different colours … as Kaffe Fassett’s Venetian Tiles quilt in his book Patchwork from 1997. The quilt is definitely deserving in workmanship and sheer talent of the award…choosing colours without a kit for Kaffe’s quilts is a really difficult task and one which is deserving of recognition but unfortunately this quilt had only this in the information about it:
“One of my quilts designed after the floor of the St Marco Cathedrale in Venice/Italy”
I have since asked the quilter to add it to the Kaffe Fassett Love group here and she did so …so am thinking this was probably an innocent mistake…however we must be vigilant in defending the work of our designers…too many are losing valuable money through the people who knowingly infringe their copyright. We all know designers/artists who have to work at a different job to put food on the table…..every time someone makes something from a photo they have seen here without acknowledging the inspiration is money out of the pocket of that designer and also a betrayal of the community we have here.
By all means be inspired by artisans….they love that but tell everyone where that inspiration came from. Artisans love to see what people are making from their patterns…I often let them know if I see something in the group…and they are nearly always excited!
This is Veryty’s version…fully attributed
I do see that the quilt was entitled Venetian Tiles…so I believe the fault is also mostly mine here…I knew there was something about this quilt which caused me to wonder about making it QOTW….indeed I did not make Ann Stewart’s gorgeous quilt QOTW because she so strongly defended the honour of the designer Nancy Crowe that it seemed that the quilt Venetian tiles seemed more original by comparison…though Ann’s was exquisitely crafted. I am so pleased to have the fan page on Facebook which enabled me to clearly see where the inspiration came from for Venetian Tiles. I also see that the quilter on other photos clearly said “my design”…..but it is as important to acknowledge who actually did design the one’s we didn’t!
So I would like to apologise ….for giving out an an award then taking it way and also apologise to the designers in our groups….I will try to be more vigilant…and I am introducing probably the most important group rule…attribution of inspiration or design….this also includes whether it is a kit. Thankyou Sarah for your input and Joy and Hildegard on Friends of FPAQ
UPDATE …Stella has been in touch and she actually based the quilt on the actual floor…which was what I took her to mean when I saw the quilt. I love the use of purples and think it is a wonderful interpretation of a real life artwork. I just wish I could see it for myself…the floor…and the quilt! I have reinstated her award as I feel it is a remarkable quilt from someone with very real talent in the arts field…the shades are sublime in the quilt. I am grateful that Stella took this well and is updating her photo description with information about her quilt ‘s journey to completion.
One Comment
I’m posting my comment from Facebook here again…
This is a very difficult subject and I find myself torn in two by my own opinions. On the first hand, it is true to say that there is ‘pretty much nothing new in patchwork’ everything has been done before and this generation of stitchers are only re-interpreting what has gone before. Kaffe is one of the first to be inspired by and re-interpret … See More antique and vintage quilts.
On the other hand, those of us who design do our best to come up with something new, and would appreciate a mention if someone is kind enough to make up one of my patterns. However… I don’t expect it and wouldn’t complain if they didn’t…BUT and it’s a big BUT, I would take exception to someone copying my pattern and making their own pattern for sale.
All that said, it can happen that 2 designers come up with an almost identical design. It happened to me several years ago when I designed a little quilt, made it up and had it published in a British magazine. The magazine had a phone call from an irate subscriber saying my design was a copy of a Thimbleberries design. On checking, I found that the block design was indeed the same, I had chosen different sizes for cutting, a different layout and no border, but it was very similar. I had no conscious memory of seeing the Thimbleberries book, but I can’t say, hand on heart, that I didn’t ever see it prior to designing the quilt. So.. where does that leave me? …. I don’t know either
Thank you Ruth for taking the time to give your two cents worth…or two pennies in your case! It is difficult and if I were not admin of the group maybe I would see it differently. And the funny thing is I am a fierce proponent of not buying kits…you know interpreting things yourself which is what I think this artisan did. I loved the extra purples she added…just my cuppa!
How weird about your quilt…am sure it happens a lot and I read somewhere about authors often think up the same storyline at the same time. My son is a writer…he told me about it! I have added a new rule…the most important one really…if you knowingly copy or use a kit etc…disclose it…lots of the group members might be thrilled to know they can buy that design or kit. Of course I won’t be policing it as such for regular quilters but will keep an eye out for any who are making money off other’s designs…that is copyright theft and I know of two quilters who quit blogging recently because of copyright theft…. although i feel it was more flickr or etsy related.
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