If you can't understand the copy wright laws then look up on the internet for yourself. If you don't mark the image with a copy right symbol how the heck are the people going to know it is copywrighted! I have been in printed media for 5 years and nothing went out of the building without the copywright symbol on it. I mark all my images and photos if I didn't some yahooo could lay claim to it!

Intellectual property does not have to have a copyright symbol to be copyrighted.

if its in a magazine or book, the authors want you to make it. Just not copy and I do mean copy and sell it. However, have you looked at the quilts in magazines. Most are just recycled traditional patterns made with the full line of a manufacturer's current fabric. A good case a few years ago was about a "Dear Jane" quilt. Someone made it and posted on ebay. The problem was not that the quilt had been made because it belongs to a museum in Vt but that it was advertised as a "dear Jane" quilt and that term is copyrighted.

"Dear Jane" is a trademark. there's a difference.

i don't have to claim what is mine. others already know it isn't theirs. :lol:

there are hundreds of block designs in the public domain. under some conditions, designers have won in court when their [i]quilt/i]designs were based on one or more of those blocks. for the mostpart, though, if your layout is based exclusively on blocks from the public domain you'd be hard-pressed to prove the design is protected by law. however, the pattern, the instructions, any images you make or take, etc. are protected.

the argument rages fueled by those who want to do as they please with no consideration of ethics. it's called rationalization.

a well-meaning person will always come down on the side of courtesy and just-in-case until they feel they have done enough research into copyright issues. that's called being a good egg. ;-)

I am not a lawyer so I can't speak about copyright laws, but I think you can find the correct answer by asking yourself the following:

You have designed an original quilt pattern. You have done all the calculations, written instructions, copyrighted your design, gone to a printer, and packaged your pattern for distribution. You see your pattern for sale at one the vendor booths at your annual Quilting/Sewing Festival. They in fact have a sample of your quilt design hanging in their booth. Below the quilt they have your pattern available for sale. Up walks a customer who admires your quilt design, inquires about purchasing the pattern, but ultimately decides that by taking a picture of the finished quilt she surely can copy your design on her own and save herself the $8.00 for the pattern. How would you feel about this?

I appreciate the many designers out there that make it possible for me to purchase a pattern to make what I feel is a beautiful project. (I have drawers full of patterns to prove it LOL). Have I printed the pictures of some of the quilts I've seen on this board..of course, but not in an effort to copy them but to use them as inspiration for color combinations I would never have thought of on my own. I have designed a few originals myself; tablerunners, placemats, and walker bags. It has been suggested to me that I should print them to sell them. I've chosen not to do that because of the expense involved, and the likelihood that they would be copied anyway.

Please think about "copying" someone else's work. Enough said.
p.s.
I have attended many Quilting/Sewing Festivals and taking photos is prohibited for this very reason.

Some thoughts:

If I'm going to spend $100 on fabric, I should be willing and able to spend 10 more for the pattern.

If I have a pattern that I've purchased and someone else asks me to copy it and give it to them, I'd be stealing from the original designer.

I'm planning to make a quilt for a raffle held by a not for profit organization. Before I do that, I will ask for permission from the designer. I'm sure I'll receive it, but I'll ask anyway and give credit to the designer on the label.

I have been to copy shops to get extra copies made for a paper pieced quilt and been asked if I have permission to copy the design (of course I do because otherwise I couldn't even make the quilt lol). If the copy shop is so concerned about copyright law, then I'd better think about it too.

easiest thing to do is buy a graph pad and pencils

sit down with your drink of choice, and draw something for your self

as it's graph paper, you can work out your own size for everything

copying/borrowing/stealing etc is a minefield

much better to"do your own thing"

if you get stuck with sizing etc., give a holler, there are GREAT math minds on the board