Iceblossom

As I understand it, "Personal Use" allows you to take a concept even from a printed pattern and use it yourself so long as you don't intend to sell the pattern or the design.

I think I first saw the heart design from the Storm at Sea block about 20 years ago in a copy of Quilter's Newletter. It isn't a new concept.

For one of my projects next year I'm considering using a picture from another issue of Quilter's Newsletter. As I drew out the block, I changed the alignment from up/down to on the diagonal, I'm changing the usage of fabric, and other changes. I'm considering it as a completely original design even if "inspired" from another project. Other times I have designed completely original blocks only to find later similar concepts by others, I know mine came first those times but not always. As another example when I first started quilting back in the 70s, I had several on my to-do list. One of which was a Houndstooth which I had not seen in books, magazines, or shows/fairs until I was about ready to make mine. At the same time (around Y2K) M'liss Rae Hawley came out with a book of fat quarter fabrics featuring -- you guessed it -- a Houndstooth pattern. I put mine off for a few more years...

I'm able to graph out patterns easily. I did so for both Labyrinth Walk and Hazel Hedgehog but I went ahead and bought the patterns because they are so distinctive and I do believe in authors getting proper credit and the only reason I did those was to copy someone else's original work.

Short form: If you can design it, you can use it.