Copyright Law and Quilting with Heather Kubiak

I love your hat!!!! What about a quilt along with BIG HATS… it will make me smile.

Wow! That was a very informative session. I do agree about give credit where credit is due, so every time I pop a photo on Flickr or Pintrest I always say who made the pattern (in the old days Pintrest seemed to be copy copy copy and the origins of the photo became more distant with each posting). It is only fair after all. The next intriguing issue is the “for personal use only” marked on fabric – so I buy the fabric, make a quilt but am I allowed to gift it away too? Or is just making the quilt qualify as personal use and what I do with it afterwards is not an issue? Grey area! I did buy some – but now thinking heck, use it on the backing so it won’t be displayed – which is a pity as its pretty and by doing that, well, that’s such a waste! I have heard people say to avoid that sort of fabric – but then if you purchase online, you don’t really see that clause until you get hold of the fabric – it is useful if the seller actually makes a comment – but then if people are avoiding purchasing that product, the seller has a job to shift it off the shelf! Yuk! Tough times with rules and regulations!
Anyway, thank you very much for that pod cast. :D

I interpreted Heather’s words a bit differently. A quilt probably cannot be copyrighted because it’s utilitarian (like a t-shirt) and copyright doesn’t cover utilitarian goods. So the templates and pictures in the book are copyrighted, but you’re absolutely allowed to make quilts from that book or any pattern. That’s why the books and patterns are being written!

I borrow a quilting book at my public library, it has pattern pieces for the quilts in the book, the book is copywrighted. If I make a quilt from that book and pattern am I breaking the copywright law. If I were to post it, i would however give credit.