Saturday, January 31, 2009

Big and bold

If you go here you will find the home page for Morceau - the quilt class I go to once a month is featuring a Big and Bold quilt. Further into the site is a Big and Bold class teaching ( I assume fairly new people to patchwork) how to use big scale prints. I know that the teacher is making her class sample from fabrics available in the shop below but that it is not done yet (or wasn't on Jan 17th at least I assume which is when she uploaded the photo of my quilt)

The trouble is that the one on the site, linked to the class title is mine! It has no acknowlegdment although I have willingly let her hang it in the class room for some time now. (You can see it in the background here) . But evenry other page which has a student quilt on says whose it is. I know - because she told me so - that my quilt inspired her new class. I have no problem with her using my quilt as an example - indeed, I am flattered. It is not my design - in fact it is one I started in a Kaffe Fasset class at Festival of Quilts and is just half square triangles. Nothing special - it was a class on colour.
So am I being petty to be irked that she has not acknowledged the photo on the site as my quilt? Am I being irrational to feel irked that whilst she is not using anything that is my copyrighted design she is using my work, without asking me, to bring in business for herself? ( Which I'd like her to have by the way!) Would it be really bad of me to reclaim the quilt when I go up in a fortnight?! Tell me the truth - I am open to being led towards being a more generous less irked person!

12 comments:

floribunda said...

I would just call her up and ask that she put your name under the photo on the website -- since you're happy to have it there other than that you want "credit" for making it! I think you're right to be a bit tweaked by it...

Anonymous said...

It is not unreasonable for you to expect and require attribution. Under UK copyright law, you have the "moral right" (embodied in statute) to be acknowledged as the creator of an artistic work.

Anonymous said...

You absolutely have the right to be miffed if she has not acknowledged you as the maker of the quilt, and you should not have to ask her to do so.

Donna said...

it would be right and good to have the credit -- the real question isn't that though, so much as "what kind of person do you want to be?" do you like being the person who points out the unfairness and asks for it to be righted and takes appropriate steps to ensure it is righted; or do you want to be the sort of person who knows what would have been right and simply walks away from it.... Either is fine, it is a choice you have to make about who you want to be though.... :-)

English Rose said...

yes it is reasonable to feel miffed. but if all else is fine by you then a quick call or email to ask her to correct the situation should be all that is needed. No need to go to war over it. It may be a totally innocent oversight.

antique quilter said...

I think its time the quilt comes back home and lives with you.
She can make her own sample for her class, you have been very generous lending her your quilt for all this time
Kathie

Featheronawire Sally Bramald said...

I would be more than a little ticked off. I'm sure you know law better than the rest of us mere mortals.
The way it looks on her site one assumes it would be her own work (or at the very least something produced in her class).
It's so far out of order, I'm seething on your behalf.

tirane93 said...

i bet it's just an oversight. call her and ask her to credit your quilt on the site. if she does it right away and gives you a sincere "oops" then you've repaired a friendship as well as gotten credit for your work. if not, it makes your decision to bring the quilt home a LOT easier!

Kate North said...

Yes, I agree with those who think you should approach her - email or call and just ask if she would mind giving credit for the quilt - I'd do it casually without making a big deal of it. And I should think she'll sort it straight away...

Diane Perin said...

I don't think you're petty at all to be bothered. She's a professional, and she's using your quilt to attract business. Perhaps you could contact her and say "I'm delighted to see that you've got my quilt up on your website -- I'm flattered! But would you mind adding the credit of my name?"

You'll get the point across in a nice way. If I were you, I'd assume it was an oversight but watch carefully for future instances. :-)

Kay said...

Tell her how you feel. Ask her to give you credit. Maybe she forgot.

Judy said...

Hi Helen!

Its hard to be original on this one as i read everyone's comments and agree you should ask politely for your right as the creator of the quilt to be recognized. By the By it is a lovely quilt.