Dear Readers,
Thank you for stopping by the Needlework Copyright blog.
The purpose of the blog is to educate and create an awareness in the needlework industry as to the seriousness of a problem that seems to be growing larger and larger. Some people feel that their actions harm no one, so it is the goal of supporters and followers to show you that real people and businesses are feeling the effects of this illegal activity.
No one person or company represents the blog. We are a community of needlework designers, shop owners and suppliers.
It is our hope that positive and constructive dialogue can begin in your groups, shops, and neighborhoods. It's our industry we are trying to preserve for the future.
We remain positive in the hope that spreading the word of copyright rights and wrongs is the best defense we have toward preservation of the needlework industry. Some designers have already left the industry because the fight to preserve what belonged to them was too large. Though it may sound cliché, every stitcher can make a difference.
I worked at the Nashville Market in the spring of 2002, helping out a designer friend. I remember an evening that went very late into the night, talking with Linn Skinner, Catherine Strickler, and others about the dire effects then of the "pattern piggies" as they were called.
ReplyDeleteFor a long time after that I belonged to a group who worked to find and expose those who were devastating the industry with their "shared" charts; my own contribution was small but I remember the anger and frustration of the immense amount of work and effort it took to stop even one "sharer". Linn and others spent countless hours finding these people and working to stop them.
The increased ease of pattern sharing as internet technology expands only makes the task even harder now, I am sure.
I have had the SCAN symbol on the sidebar of my blog for more than a year now. I have altered it to now be a link to this site, with a caption explaining briefly what it is about. I also am now a follower of this blog.
I am glad to see the list of supporters on this site but wish that many, MANY more of the designers would take active action against these people who are dangerously threatening the whole industry. I am also glad to see Strawberry Sampler, my not-so-local stitch shop on the list- another encouragement to support them when I make needlework purchases.
I will make a blog post about this blog and also post on Facebook. I hope a few more people find out about this blog that way and come here to learn the realities of pattern "sharing".
Good luck!!!
I strongly support your initiative and hope that you will make people aware of these facts and consequences.
ReplyDeleteI just ran into this site for the first time and am happy to see it! I've already watched piracy decimate one of my favorite hobbies (anime) and cringe to think the effects on stitching patterns. I am proud to say I've NEVER copied a pattern "to share".... which I translate as "to take bread off the table of someone whose work you claim you like". Bottom line is, if you LIKE a person's work and want to see MORE of it, the best way to achieve that is to PAY THEM so they can create more for you!!
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