A designer whose work I have long admired and whose projects I love to stitch contacted me today to tell me that unscrupulous individuals were using my photographs to stitch her project.
I am heartsick that her work has been stolen and devastated that sharing my enjoyment in stitching her designs has enabled someone to behave in such a reprehensible way. As she requested, I have removed all the photographs of the project in question, and will not share photos of her work in the future.
Earlier this week, I had decided to try to blog much more frequently than I have been. I've realized that the more I blog, the more I stitch, and the more I stitch, the more I blog.
After today, I'm just not sure I want to continue.
This is terrible, I for one love to see the things you are stitching on. It helps me to get back to some of the things that I have.
ReplyDeleteIt happens a lot in the cross stitch world from what I understand, so of course it'll happen in the sampler and counted canvaswork worlds, too. Painted canvases have more problems with designers painting things they haven't licensed but that's a problem, too, particularly for me on Facebook as I remove these things nearly daily from Needlepoint Nation. You might try watermarking items in such a way it is nearly impossible to see the stitching well like ANG does. But that kind of defeats the purpose. The best I can offer is if you have names and they are members of NP Nation on Facebook, I'll remove them from membership. I really don't want unethical folks hanging out there, so you'd be doing me a favor.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Hugs! This is NOT your fault.
DeleteI am so sorry you are going through this. I love it when I see what others are stitching because not only does it inspire me to pick up my own needlework but it's also how I see what patterns I would like to purchase. For you, by blogging, it's a great way to keep a diary of what you've finished and when.
ReplyDeleteI've been following your blog for awhile and honestly I don't see how someone could copy a pattern from anything you've shown on your blog. I don't mean to start trouble but how exactly did this designer decide that it was your photos that were being used to steal their designs?
I just posted a picture last month of a piece I had finished stitching on a Facebook group where everyone stitches in the same style. Many people do the same on instagram. Do they all have to stop now for this one designer? Does this designer not realize that many would potentially buy their designs because of seeing them stitched by someone else?
I understand not posting what you stitch from this designer but I seriously hope it doesn't keep you from showing us what else you are working on. Your taking the time to photograph and post your stitching is much appreciated by many!
Oh my goodness, that is so seriously sad. As others have already said, I love to follow your blog and use it often as inspiration to either get on with projects I already have or purchase new ones. I understand that this whole copyright issue is a major problem but for some of us that stitch alone, keeping in touch via blogs and other online avenues opens a wonderful world we wouldn't otherwise have access to. Not to mention that it's hugely fun. Your stitching is always so beautiful and I hope you decide to continue to blog.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking a lot about what you said yesterday and I'm with Christine. How does this designer know that people are copying her work from photographs and more to the point why does she think the photographs are from your blog? They are hardly likely to write her a note to say 'by the way, I am stitching your design and I got the photos from Ann's blog' I think it more likely that she doesn't like what you are sharing, full stop. I was asked by a designer to take a picture of the front cover of one of her charts off my Pinterest page, the album was just showing projects that were on my 'to do' list, so I don't believe I was breaching copyright or anything, after all you can see hundreds of such pictures every day through shopping on line. Please don't let this get you down, we all love to see what you're working on and I believe it's your right to share it.
ReplyDeleteThis is so unfortunate. Whether it was your picture or someone else’s, shame on the stitcher who chose to stitch it without purchasing the pattern.
ReplyDeleteAnn, this is so sad on many fronts...sad that someone would "steal" and stitch from your photos, sad that you've been asked to not share your lovely works in the future (they are always inspiring), sad you've been made to feel that you did something wrong, and sad that because of unscrupulous people, we are all made to 'pay the price'. Please don't feel bad, you did nothing wrong!!!
ReplyDeleteStasi is completely right, on all counts! It's awful that someone used your photos to cheat a designer out of highly deserved payment for a design, and it's terrible that you will no longer share those pictures, and it's horrible that you've ended up feeling about when you just wanted to share your pretties. As others have said, you did nothing wrong!!
ReplyDelete