Thank you to everyone who entered our little conversation on intellectual property. I think that there were actually quite a number of different points of view on this…clearing up nothing but continuing an ever-growing discussion of honesty really. I tried to respond to everyone who wrote, but sorry if I missed someone!
And speaking of intellectual property, I had an interesting experience today when shopping for fabric at my local Hancock’s store (a chain fabric store in the US). I don’t shop there as regularly as Joann’s but mainly because I have a Joann’s really close to me. But it’s nice to have some other options and they have a slightly different selection of Kona solids. So I hit them up from time to time for that…oh and those are 40% off right now! (One of the reasons why I went).
Anyway, their calico fabric was all 50% off so I took a quick look through although I wasn’t really looking to buy anything. Really. I know. It’s hard to believe, but I am trying to cut back. Haha! You wouldn’t know it by my actions but the goal is there in my heart. So, back to my story. I looked down and had to fight a cart with my little one getting fussy, but I was determined to grab these fabrics:
Do they remind you of anything? Because they certainly reminded me of some fabrics and I haven’t even owned them…
Anyone see the SLIGHT! similarity? LOL. The top is from Hancocks and the bottom two are from Erin McMorris’ collection Park Slope. And I wonder how do they do this? Are they different enough that you can put out that fabric and not attribute it to her? This is what I’m talking about when I say intellectual property. I’m not sure where the original idea came from and if it is one of those copyright-free things…whatever. But you could have told me that I was buying Park Slope and I would have believed you. For the record, I still prefer the original fabrics better colorwise, but I had to buy just a bit of this to show you the resemblance.
Oh and here is a sneak peek of the pillow I am working on for the pillow talk swap. I’m getting closer to finishing but still am not done. It’s looking pretty though.
Oh and stay tuned….tomorrow is a special day…. 😉
interesting. i have actually seen this exact type of thing on another fabric designer's blog. i cannot remember which one, but she had had almost an entire line ripped off by a chinese fabric manufacturer, and sold for super cheap [and on poor quality fabric] at a chain store. it is so unfortunate. i love Park Slope, the birds in yellow are one of my very favourite fabrics of all time, so this saddens me, knowing that Erin McMorris' work was ripped off in such a way.
I'm not sure what, if anything, we can do, but it is good to get it out in the open, and perhaps eventually, independent designers will stop having their work stolen and ripped off by cheap imitators.
ps – i think your work is beautiful!
There was an incident recently with Tula Pink fabric in Walmart, she got her legal team onto it as it was way too close to the original design but terrible fabric and was a totally unauthorised copy.
Unfortunately they are usually made overseas somewhere that you can't trace the responsible person.
Your pillow will be wonderful! So impressed!
May I ask how you have used your Tufted Tweets? I recently bought all four prints in purple. When I posted them on my blog, would you believe I had a couple anonymous emails telling me how ugly it was and that I had no taste? Amazes me when someone goes out of their way to be mean!
As of right now, I have no plan for my Tweets, but they were just too cute to pass by!
That pillow hint is absolutely gorgeous! Beautifully done.
I would say your pillow hint is much more than pretty. It is stunning, gorgeous, and beautiful!
woa, I am in aw of the pleats on the pillow. I'm glad you gave the preview so that I can start getting used to it's existence before you show off the whole fabulous shebang.
P.S. I am trying not to buy too much more fabric. I've had my eye on Remix. Ugh, now I really know I like it! The good news, is that I have nothing like it in my stash. So, really, it IS a wise purchase?
I had several reactions to this post.
1. There's a Hancock's in my city, but in my experience, I don't really find that much that suits my taste. However, if I found that imitation Park Slope fabric, I would be ALL over that. There's something adorable about bird silhouettes on fabric. I wonder if they sell it here too.
2. I saw the fabric.com 12 days of Christmas sale and was SO psyched about Tufted Tweets, Urban Circus, and Remix being on sale, but then the sale price wasn't as dramatic as I was hoping for. Today, though, I got the email on an extra discount on clearance fabric, so I went shopping for some fabric that I had been eyeing. I'm glad I can live vicariously through your purchases though!
3. The whole intellectual property thing doesn't really offend me as much as it does other people, but citations are a little more clear cut in my field. Artistically, it does become murkier. As crafters, we have all gotten inspiration from others. Isn't the whole DIY movement about being inspired by something and doing it yourself, thus taking away business from someone else?
4. Lastly, I must have been living under a rock when the whole Tula Pink issue came up a few months ago. As a preface, I enjoy going to Walmart, but I don't buy my fabric there as they don't really match my taste, not to mention the difference in quality. However, I have also never bought full price LQS fabric because it's too darn expensive. While I appreciate the value of beauty and creativity, at the same time, I can see how the cost of those qualities can be undesirable.
OK, I think that is all. Pretty fabric makes me happy, and I'm glad I can share that feeling with others :).
Love the pillow! It's going to be gorgeous. Wait, I mean it's already gorgeous!
Just send me the pillow….not your partner. I would like it more. hahaha
pretty is an understatement!
(And Amy is so wrong — I will like it the most.)
Oh my goodness you pillow is beyond beautiful!! To do the pleating did you do it by hand or use a pleating foot? They are just so perfectly spaced!
Your pillow is GORGEOUS!
oh my goodness! i saw your pillow on flickr and fell in love with it. sew pretty!
ridiculous on the bird prints! there seems to be a lot of that going on lately. 🙁
You always take such nice pictures, total eye candy…makes me wish I wasn't at work right now so I could go home and see some of this pretty fabric in person…
I can't wait to see how that pillow turns out!
Yeah, I saw the post about the Tula Pink fabric being copied and sold in Walmart. All I can think of is, after all of the hard work and effort, tears when something doesn't turn out the way you want, and joy when it does…it would be completely devastating and heartbreaking to find your hard work so blatantly copied without any credit to your original work.
Though, I haven't been in the position to buy a copy…I wonder if I would be able to turn it down if it was similar to something that is out of print or hard to find…
Love all the fabric you bought. Gorgeous!! And the sneak peak for your pillow top swap is gorgeous!! Can't wait to see it all.
Where is the pillow swap group? I would like to join on the next round.
Gee Angela, I never even got to see that Pillow! It is too cute, beautiful, etc.
wow u have alot of fabric i do not even have that much fabric but that is all cool colors
I recently visited a Haberdashery shop to purchase some fabrics that I will use for table napkins that I'm going to make as well for some quilts that I'll start this weekend.