I draft almost everything with paper/pencil and or EQ6. I usually want to alter the things that inspire me. However, I purchase books, magazines and patterns (when I can) to support those that provide the "inspiration".

I quilt for me (not selling anything) and I enjoy the process of figuring it out myself but you better believe that I will buy it if it is complex. :)

One of the things that worries me nowadays is the fear I hear among us, fear that we will be accused of something terrible if someone thinks we have taken inspiration from somewhere and, especially, if we want to sell the work of our hands.

I am a pattern designer in another domain of folk art - because patchwork and quilting ARE centuries-old forms of folk art - and if you buy one of my patterns, what is it that you are buying? A set of instructions for a combination of folk elements that I have put together. I didn't say 'that I invented' because I didn't invent the elements. I only put them together in what I hope is a pleasing combination and wrote instructions so that other people could do it too. If someone wants to re-create my combination without using my instructions, they obviously can do it. If someone decides to make one of my 'designs' (combinations) and does, and then uses it as the panel of an object that they sell, I think that is wonderful. Why? because I know how many hours and how much care they will have taken to do it, and if they can get a decent price for their work, good for them. I honestly hope they do. Plus, what RIGHT would I have to try to stop them or even to hint that they couldn't/shouldn't/oughtn't ? None whatsoever. Period. The only thing I can ask them to do is not copy my instructions and sell them.

I know for certain that the women who use these folk elements in their daily lives learned how to do it by copying the elements from their mothers, grandmothers, neighbours, etc.

When new elements arrive, it is always surprising for historians (which is what I actually am) to follow the trail to where the new elements came from. A cool example: around 1870, embroiderers in the Jerusalem area started to introduce what have now become named as 'flower pots' into their work. Now, none of the Bedouins around Jerusalem used flower pots around their tents. So where did the flower pots come from? We discovered that around that time a group of Quakers arrived and set up a school for women in Ramallah, which is a few miles from Jerusalem. These missionaries must have brought chintz fabric with them on their furniture or... Flower pots on chintz are typical of the European style of fabric design around that time and these designs originated in fact in the formal English and French topiary gardens inspired by Indian rajahs' palace gardens... So by sight and copying, a garden in India turned into a 'flower pot' cross stitch design on a Bedouin woman's dress. Thank goodness no one at that time would have even thought of claiming originality, invention or the dreaded 'copyright' word!

A quilt 'pattern' is a set of written instructions enabling someone to re-create a given combination of traditional elements. If you see a picture of a quilt, or a quilt at somebody's house or in a museum or where ever, and you say to yourself "Oh, that's cool. It looks like 6 rows of square-in-squares, set on point, separated by narrow sashing" and you can then draft your understanding, and make a similar combination, it means you didn't need a pattern. You had the willpower, the technique and the time to do something similar. You are doing exactly the same thing as people have been doing over the centuries. And if this helps to support your family, all power to you.

You are following Proverbs 31: 10-31.

I believe that we 'designers' can be proud of our combinations, and of our role in preserving tradition while keeping our craft relevant, attractive and alive. But we need to realize that we have not 'invented' anything, probably. I have seen what the Western world calls 'log cabins' on saddle bags made by nomads 150 years ago in far eastern Siberia. Go to Xian or Chengdu for the most incredible baby quilts, made of what we call "squares-in-squares'. The hill people of northern Thailand have developed amazingly tiny rows of 'prairie points' in their strip-pieced work.

Yes, by all means buy patterns, if you want. Draft your own, if you want. Sell your work, or keep it, or give it away, why not?

Inspiration can come from all over, from everywhere. Enjoy it!

There were a LOT of threads on this subject concerning copyright, etc. I think the concensus was that you can draft the pattern IF you do not sell the finished piece, and as long as you acknowledge the pattern and designer on the back.

Sorry, and not looking to create hostility, but the whole point of my very long-winded post was that you the craftsman works out how to do something, you then do it and it is yours to do with as you wish. You can use your production for yourself, you can give it away, you can exchange it for something else, you can sell it.

Fear and misinformation are causing havoc now in a way that they most likely never have over the whole history of working with woven fabric.

The thing you cannot do is take the actual instructions for a 'pattern' or technique as written and copy them for distribution.

Feel free to work out a combination of shapes and then do with it as you see fit.

I draft lots of patterns for single blocks, often to make it easier for me to construct. I'm flying geese challenged, also, there are those trapeziods that crop up in some blocks, which I can't cut. We're not even going to talk about set in seams. I redraft and use HSTs instead. Yes there are extra seams, but you get the same general effect. I don't sell or show my quilts, and if I want to duplicate an entire quilt, I buy the pattern.

I use EQ7 and have since EQ4 came out. I also have quilt pro but I design a lot and love the photo part that is new in EQ7. I also have hand drawn a quilt and taken it to EQ and designed it there. There are a few free programs and cheap ones out there but I seem to always want the latest program. It is a personal choice. I love to copy patterns and make them my own. Then they trigger a new wave of inspiration as I say What If I Do This! So many Ideas So Little Time! Luann in CT

patterns like everything else is getting way to expensive if I can't figure it out I use a free pattern and there are many of those with the cost of everything today we have to cut where we can and so many of those patterns has
to many rules for me that you can't make them for sale etc. so I mostly just use the internet

If possible I make my own just for my self not selling or anything,and I hope it does not interfere with publisher rights.Just for personal use only.

as long as you are not 'copying' someone elses design-then trying to sell it or claim it as your own there is nothing to worry about- we all get inspiration from things we see & many of us make our own versions- you just can not copy a designers (design) then sell (or distribute it) saying it's yours

I make up my own designs all the time. Then I get someting that is unique. I do it the old fashion way with graph paper and a pencil. If I don't like it, I throw it away. If I do, I copy it and get out the colored pencils and color it in several different color ways. I would rather waste a sheet of paper than fabric. The graph paper gives me the measurements for cutting, too.