Quilt patterns with the same name.
 

I have a pattern named Brightly by Cluck Cluck Sew a very popular pattern. The other day I saw another quilt pattern named Brightly by A Quilting LIfe. Why would a quilt designer use the name of another quilt pattern already in print ?

I've made the Cluck Cluck Sew pattern in 2020 so was interested to see what the A Quilting Life pattern looked like. They are almost identical the difference seems to be in the chains running diagonally in the pattern. I wonder about copyright problems as they are basically the same pattern with the same name. From what I can see the Cluck Cluck Sew pattern was released in 2020 and the A Quilting Life released in 2022. I really enjoyed the Cluck Cluck Sew pattern and plan on making it again, was easy and fast.

I don't know how difficult it is to claim copyright infringement on a pattern -- probably it is not considered worth the trouble or cost to sue if there are actual differences between the patterns. As for using the same name, maybe A Quilting Life is trying to draft off the popularity of the other pattern, hoping people will buy it by mistake. I don't think the names of patterns are protected; when I look up a pattern name, it is not unusual for several different patterns of the same name to come up.

It's possible the second designer didn't know about the first design, it has been around for at least 10 years that I know of. It's also possible that it *is* a total ripoff, but the copyright is not for the quilt design, it's on the work product. You cannot photocopy and distribute someone else's work product as your own, but you can write up your own instructions, take your own progress photos (or draw them), and publish your own work product for that pattern.

edit: I've made the Cluck Cluck Sew version, and it is actually a LOT different than the Quilting Life version. The only similarities, really, are that they're both quilts composed of stars with an Irish chain. The stars are different and the Irish chain is different from quilt to quilt.

I just meant why the same name ? If someone said Oh make the Brightly quilt it's nice, I'd look up Brightly quilt pattern and how would I know it was the one suggested. Makes no sense to me to have patterns named the same.

Many quilt blocks have the same name.

Why Bernina chose to use the same model numbers again for some of their machines is totally beyond me.

It's also possible that the Cluck Cluck Sew pattern was never copyrighted and thus there is no infringement. Not everyone bothers to copyright something that it would be too expensive and difficult to prove copyright infringement. As Bear says, lots of quilt blocks have the same name.

As to Bernina, I have never figured out why they re-used the same numbers on their machines. It only makes things harder for everyone. You can't just say a Bernina 930 anymore. Now you have to specify the new 930 or the old 930. Its not like the new machines have anything to do with the old ones. It just confuses things.

A pattern is automatically under copyright protection as soon as it is created, whether the copyright is filed or not. The name of a pattern is not copyrighted however. It is odd that Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life gave her pattern the same name as another popular pattern, but I agree with Peggi that there are substantial differences between the two designs. I think using the same name was just an unfortunate oversight rather than an attempt to profit from the popularity of the first pattern. I know I have seen other patterns that shared a name, but I can't remember the examples right now. It can be confusing.

I'm currently working on my second quilt using the Cluck Cluck Sew pattern. I bought the pattern because I wanted to use a layer cake, and wanted to see how the pattern recommended cutting the pieces without too much waste. Now for the second quilt I'm using mostly FQs, and the pattern gives instructions for those too.

Thanks, Dunster. I didn't know about the automatic copyright. I'm thinking of buying the pattern. I'd really like to make it.

Since they’re visually similar though the construction is quite different, is it possible that ‘brightly’ is a generic name for a particular style of quilt?

Like a ‘log cabin’ quilt isn’t the name of a specific pattern, it’s more of a style that can be achieved in many different ways. Or a ‘lone star’.

i can’t imagine Sherri doing anything that even smells like infringing on someone else’s work. It’s either a crazy coincidence, or there’s some other explanation.