Copyright Information

Recently we did some research on Copyright laws. This is a brief outline of what we have learned. It is not intended to be used as a legal document, just a guide in helping you understand what we have learned.


There has been and still are questions on what you can do if you purchase a pattern, fabric or attend a class. What can I share? Can I make copies for my guild? Can we use this pattern to make our raffle quilt? When do I need to ask permission? What can I share with my friends and guild members?

 

We hope this will give you a basis of what you should consider when you ask yourself these questions.

 

Remember we need to be fair and honest to protect the work of others we admire. If you unfairly give or sell their work, they will not be able to continue to create those great fabrics, patterns, workshops or new techniques. They will no longer be able to afford to devote their time to creating. We will all lose in this situation. What we see as a hobby, fun and relaxation is too many a way to earn a living in a field they love.

 

• "Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts and schemes. Rather, it protects the manner in which the idea or information is expressed".

• Copyright does not protect techniques, thus, while you may verbally share with your friends what you did in a workshop, photocopying the notes for friends is infringement of copyright.

 

• Work which is on temporary display may not be photographed without permission from the copyright owner.

 

• Taking photos of quilts without permission is an infringement of copyright.
• The fact that there is no sign does not necessarily mean you have permission.
• It may be permitted if the exhibition organizers have asked exhibitors to allow photography as part of the conditions of entering the show, as many guilds do.
• Always check with the organizers, or ask specific permission of the quilt maker.
• You may have to explain why you want the photographs - some may allow photography for personal use, but not commercial use (such as publication in a magazine.)
• You should always ask vendors permission before taking pictures of quilts displayed in their booths.

 

• The fact they are on display does not mean you can photograph their quilts.  
• You should not make drawing to copy their quilts.
• Most, if not all have these patterns for sale.
• Many will allow you to photograph the quilt if you have purchased the pattern from them.
• We at Quilters Treasure will permit you to photograph quilts you have purchased patterns for. If you do not have a camera, we will email you a picture when you request it.

• Publication of a pattern usually implies that the reader is allowed to use the pattern for their own personal use.

 

•  Many quilting books and magazines will contain a statement to this effect.
• Copying the pattern yourself rather than photocopying it is still copying, but is allowable for personal use.
• Photocopying a whole book is an infringement of copyright.
• Libraries post signs over the copiers stating the copyright laws permit copying of up to one chapter or 10% of a book for personal or research needs. It probably holds true elsewhere.

 

• Photocopying and submitting a design from another publication.

 

• This is an infringement of copyright.
• It would be permissible to redraw the pattern yourself, but only if it is a design already in the public domain, such as the Ohio Star, or one of the many traditional block designs.
• If the pattern is original to a particular person, then permission from the designer is necessary for it to be published.
• Copying a quilt would be an infringement.
• Ideas cannot be copyrighted. It is acceptable to see another quilt for ideas.
• Just acknowledgement of another person’s work does not give permission to use it. It is generally accepted that there is a moral right to acknowledge, and in some countries that moral right is a legal obligation.
• To comply with copyright law, you should ask permission of the copyright owners, the quilt makers. Organizers of a show or display do not control the copyright and cannot give permission.
• As part of "fair dealing" in copyright, the use of a work in reviews or for criticism is permissible.

 

• It is OK for you to go ahead and photograph the quilts for the purpose of a review, however, it would be a courtesy to tell the quilt show organizers and the quilt maker but it is not strictly necessary to do these things.
• You cannot take a class from a teacher and then teach a class.

• Basing your work on the ideas of others is permissible, but you must do all your own notes, samples, etc.
• We all learn from each other, so is not realistic to think we are not all influenced by the works we see and the teachers that we meet.

 

• "Copyright protection is automatic." "There is no requirement of registration or any other formal procedure".

 

• You do not need to apply for copyright protection.
• However, marking the copyright sign, your name and the date is a reminder to people that copyright exists and therefore is a good idea, although not legally required in Australia.
• There is no copyright in a title.

• "Copyright generally lasts for 50 years after the end of the year the author died".

 

• Outside this time, the work is often said to be "in the public domain".
• Copyright is something owned, and therefore can be assigned to someone else, or inherited.

 

We hope this will give you a better understanding what "copyright" means. If you have additional question you should seek the advice of counsel.

 

 

 

We encourage others to add their comments to this post. This is how we all learn.

 

 

 

We also would like feedback on this post. Did you find this interesting? We have many subjects we can discuss and we need your feedback to let us know what you are interested in learning more about.

 

 

 

Have you ever wondered about?

 

• Needles, there are so many types, did you know English needles, for hand sewing, have a larger eye?

 

• Thread, what do all the weights mean?

 

• Joel heard another vendor talking about 40 weights when we first started attending quilt shows. He had spent 25 years in the automotive industry and to him, 40 weights was oil. He could not understand why the vendor behind his booth was talking about oil.

 

• What to consider if entering a quilt into competition?

 

• Do you have questions on terms or techniques you have heard about?

 

Feel free to send us your question. We will do our best to answer all.

 

 

 

Thank you for reading, please visit us again soon.

 

 

 

Bobbie & Joel