Respecting Copyright

Over the weekend, one of our featured designers discovered that her free tutorial, along with the other five designers’ free tutorials, had been stolen and posted on another blog and also on a Facebook group. The photos and files were posted without any credit or links back to the designers that created them. This is unacceptable!

Not only is it illegal and unethical, breaking copyright laws in four countries, it’s a really crappy way to say Thank you! to the designers that have created the FREE blocks for everyone to enjoy.

I feel really guilty as I’m the hostess and organizer of this Block Party and I asked the designers to create PDF files of their blocks to make it EASY for everyone to save and print the files for personal use.

The designers have not been financially compensated in any manner for the blocks they have/will create. They create the free blocks out of the goodness of their hearts, their desire to share with others and, yes, to gain some new followers and friends to their own blogs. A small compensation, if you ask me. Plus, many of them are offering a give-away on their special day too.

Yes, I do have advertising that goes along with the Block Party blog posts in the form of the Super Deals. So, yes, I am personally compensated by the advertisers. However, the amount I’ve received doesn’t even come close to covering the amount of time I’ve spent putting together this party. I do it because I love to share, love to introduce new designers to my readers, love the blocks they create, love the fabulous Super Deals offered by our favourite online retailers and lastly because I love to see what quilters around the world do with the blocks to make them their own.

I could say more, but really this entire incident has put me in a foul mood for the past several days. Please respect the copyright of the designers and do not steal their files and publish them elsewhere.

If you are having difficulty downloading the designer’s file, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’ll do my best to help!

Now for today’s post … a squeal-worthy block, it’s so cute!

P.S. I am happy to report that the files were removed from the blog and Facebook group in question. I was also surprised to discover how seriously Facebook takes this sort of thing, as they contacting me yesterday for more information after I filed a report on Sunday. The files had already been removed at that time so no further action was/is required.

Hi everyone! Welcome to Day 7 of our Glorious Autumn Block Party. Today we have Shelly Pagliai as our featured designer.

Visit the Block Party Headquarters for more info and upload your completed blocks to the Flickr group.

Featured Designer: Shelly Pagliai

How did you get into quilting?

My grandmother enrolled me in 4-H when I was 8, where I learned to sew clothing. When I was 12, my great-aunt Charlotte gave me an entire huge black garbage bag of scraps, and I discovered patchwork. It’s been all downhill from there! A friend once told me, “There’s a fine line between hobby and mental illness!”

I don’t have any pictures of my early quilts, and either didn’t finish them and got rid of the UFOs, or have given them away. I know better now, and usually take pictures (when I can remember).

How/when/why did you transition from a quilter to a designer?

In 1996, I started teaching quilting classes, and made up my own designs to teach. I got asked for the patterns from the classes so much, that I decided to publish them for sale, and it’s just grown from there.

Which quilt is your favourite? Did you design it? Why is it your favourite?

They’re all my favorites! I don’t think I could ever pick just one. But my favorite right now is this one called Scrappy Wild Geese. I designed it for a workshop I taught last fall, and I like everything about it – the colors, the design, the overall look of it, the scrappiness, even the quilting I did on it.

How many UFOs do you currently have? Too many to count – it’s an embarrassing number.

What size of quilt do you prefer to make/design? (e.g. table runners, lap quilts, bed quilts, etc.) Bed quilts.

What colour do you use most often in your quilts? Red – I can’t stop myself!

Favourite one-sentence tip for a new quilter: Don’t sweat your color choices — if you like it, then it’s not wrong.

Favourite size and brand of rotary cutter: Martelli 45mm

Favourite quote or mantra: This one comes from my great-aunt Ruby, bless her lovin’ soul, and I use it ALL the time: “Take all the advice you can get, then do as you please.”

Block Party #7 – Hide ‘n’ Seek

Here’s Shelly’s block, Hide ‘n’ Seek. Yes, I squealed when I saw it .. it’s just so cute!! Head over to Shelly’s blog to download the block tutorial.

Designer Give-Away

Shelly is giving away a kit to make the block and a little fall hanger that will hold a 12″-wide wall hanging or whatever you’d like to hang on it. Enter the give-away on Shelly’s blog.

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