Stealing Work…and why it sucks *update…it gets worse*

So you all know that I posted recently about the Accuquilt block design program.  I entered on a wing and a prayer with just the thought that it would be really delightful to win those prizes but most especially that it would be wonderful to get that prize money for my charity.  They could definitely use it!

I was checking on the site last night and looking at other blocks since the voting opened up this week and wondering how people were doing.  The site is a bit complicated because I think that it is designed to mix up the blocks every time you view the page so that no one block is always on the first page.  That’s a great idea, but it makes it hard to tell people where to find your block…you really need to know the link to a particular block to find it.

But I was browsing and finally saw one of the two blocks that I entered, noted it, and moved on to find my other block.  I did find my other block and then to my surprise found my first block again.

Wait.  What?

I checked the block and it was mine.  I was convinced I was losing my mind so I popped back a few pages to where I had first seen the block assuming it would be gone in the crazy mix that happens with this program and how the blocks move.

Nope.  It was there.

But someone else had entered it.

My block.  My picture.  Slightly changed block name.  New entry, entrant, charity, etc.

Someone had stolen my work and entered it in the same freaking competition that I had entered it.  Let’s move past what a ridiculously STUPID idea that was in the first place and think about the COMPLETE LACK OF INTEGRITY this person had.

I share my work here on this blog to inspire, to teach, to document my own work for myself, to have contact with people who share my passion for fabric, sewing and quilting.  I was devastated to see my work so completely copied (and so stupidly done – did they think I wouldn’t find it? or notice?) Yes, Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, but this was beyond imitation and into out right stealing.

I know that 99.9% of you would never do that.  I’ve always been really impressed by the quality of readers and commenters I have here in my little part of the internet.  I don’t typically get nasty comments and people are supportive.  So forgive me if I’m preaching to the choir.  But YOU CANNOT STEAL DESIGNS from other people. This is an obvious case of it being wrong, but there are less obvious cases and they seem to pop up more and more often for me.

I have to admit that this has lit a bit of a fire under me.  This person had votes on their block that they didn’t deserve or earn.  It was potentially confusing to my readers or friends who went looking for my block and saw this one instead.  Rest assured that I did immediately contact Accuquilt who obviously took the offending block down and it is no longer there. (I waited until then to share this so as not to personally shame the person who did this since her name and location were right there on her entry)

My block can be found by clicking on the picture below.  You can vote for it to win every day until the end of May.  It’s a great block and looks fantastic in a full quilt.  I’ve been holding on to this design for a long time.

And if you feel so inclined, you can vote for my other block as well.  Another design I love! Vote for all the blocks you like over there.  I don’t think there is a limit to how many blocks you can vote for in a day.