Quilts

Circles: English Paper Piecing

May 27, 2014May 27, 2014 Elizabeth E.9 Comments

Inspired (always) by Mary, who blogs at Molly Flanders Makerie, I have had circles on the brain for several months now, hiding behind that other stack of things I’m always yakking about.

from *here*, which also includes a link to her tutorial

I searched through Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of quilt blocks and found quite a few circle blocks that interested me. I have missed having a handwork project to keep myself busy while I watch movies or chat, so wanted to get one together before I start some of my summer travels.

I drew a circle block template in my QuiltPro program, but wanted a 12″ block. Um, my printer doesn’t print that big. So I took a screenshot of a quarter-circle, printed it out four times, then taped it together. I then took it to my local copy center and had them copy it off at a little less than a buck–not bad, I thought. Now I can draw a new block every time, experimenting with what I’ve found here and there and saved in my oh-so-old-fashioned paper files out in the garage. The quarter circle pattern can be downloaded here: QuarterCircle

Notice that the 12″ line is the NOT the outside line, but just inside. I did it that way to allow for seam allowances, but please don’t let it confuse you. That curve ruler is leftover from my Clothing and Textiles college days, but you could use a large dinner plate, or other curved edge.

Circle Block #1 is done. I plan to let this project wend its way through the next several months as I’m doing my part for the Slow Quilt Movement. (Is there even such a movement? So often I see someone talking about a block and whoosh!–there it is the full completed quilt two days later. This one won’t be like that.)

I cut it apart into its pieces. I don’t know if I’ll paper-piece those outside quarter-circles onto the circle block, or appliqué the circle to a big 12 1/2″ square piece of fabric. Stay tuned.

Tomorrow is my mother’s birthday, and I’m visiting her and taking her out to lunch. If you haven’t talked to your Mom this week, give her a call. You may not be as lucky as I am to have a mother celebrate her 86th birthday, so don’t waste any time. If your mother is still here with you, pick up the phone and read her a poem from your childhood, tell her your best memory of a birthday, ask her forgiveness for a time you were naughty and broke her heart, and close by telling her one way she’s a good example to you. Happy Birthday to my mother, a beautiful, thoughtful, smart, well-read and intelligent woman who always made our family believe that they were the most important thing on the planet. Here’s my poem for you:

Quilts

The Universe Delivers

May 21, 2014May 21, 2014 Elizabeth E.7 Comments

So I was pretty bummed about not being able to make up this into a larger quilt, or not being able to use it (see last post for explanation), but then VOILA! that old principle of the Universe Takes Away and the Universe Delivers came into play.

Strolling through my Instagram feed I glimpsed this and made a screenshot, then headed to Sharon McConnell’s website: ColorGirl’s Fabrics & Flowers. There she not only has more instructions, but also a link to a free pattern on Craftsy. Very sweet.

Now that I’m through with my semester, looks like a new project to add to my Summer To Do List.

from *here*

What’s On Yours?

(I’ve got a few things to get done. . .)

Linking up with Lee of Freshly Pieced

Quilts

More Copyright: It’s My Quilt and I’ll Name It What I Want To

May 19, 2014May 18, 2014 Elizabeth E.31 Comments

Okay here’s a tricky one for you copyright fiends, experts and fanatics:

1–Famous Quilter (who you have revered in the past) gives you permission to teach a class using a block of her own design, last published in a book in 1983, thiry-one years ago. (It’s my understanding that current copyrights remain in existence for the lifetime of the author plus 70 years, up from 25 years in times past.)

2–Famous Quilter then requests you name your full quilt after her block name, even though you have a tradition of naming your quilts after rhymes, famous and pithy quotes, and verses. You demure, saying you use Famous Fabric Designer’s Fabrics and they don’t insist the quilt be named after THEIR fabrics, but that you would be more than happy to include the name of Famous Quilter’s block on your label.

3–Famous Quilter writes back and insists, saying if I won’t name the whole quilt after her block name then I can’t use the name anywhere, nor can I teach a class from it, and implies that I can’t even write about it on my blog. I can, however, call the quilt what I want to within the walls of my own home.

Okay, Copyright Enthusiasts–GO!

Is Famous Quilter within her rights to deny me naming rights to my own quilt? Notice the only time I would be making any money would be if I were to teach a class. (Which I won’t be now, even though I wrote up the directions for this block, right after Famous Quilter gave me permission, before rescinding said permission.) Writing up the directions, buying and choosing the fabric for it, cutting it out, sewing it, quilting it, binding it would all be on my expense (not to mention the purchase of her out-of-print book).

Is Famous Quilter within her rights to deny my ability to write about it on my blog? In my defense, I thought I would be giving a boost to a design of hers that at this point is not very much in circulation. (I know. I did a Google search on it. It’s practically invisible, except on Famous Maker’s website, buried one level deep.)

Has Famous Quilter fallen off her Famous Quilter’s Pedestal?

The block is fabulous, but I won’t divulge the Famous Quilter’s name, nor the name of the block, nor tell you anything about the provenance. Here’s a picture of the quilt as I first saw in another Equally Famous Quilter’s book, published in 1990, some 24 years ago:

This is NOT the correct name of the block, nor the correct name of the Famous Quilter. Forgive me, but now I have a dilemma. What do I do with:

My carefully drafted sketch? And the sample block? And the several days I took to do all this? And what do I do with:

All the cut pieces for the making of a quilt which, according to her, I can only call it by it’s True Name in the confines of my own home?

I followed some Interesting Copyright Links and in red, in the middle of a post (Tabberone’s post on Quilting and Blogging and Making of Quilts) is this:

There is no such thing in US Copyright Law that gives a copyright owner the authority to impose restrictions upon the use of copyrighted material once it has been sold or given away by the copyright owner.

They also linked to an Article on the “Hot topic among quilters: Copyright” about a quilter from Iowa who was suing another quilter for “stealing” one of her designs.

I went ahead and finished the quilt. (#133)

I recognize that quilters who are in the business need to earn their money, and I try to oblige, purchasing patterns that are unique and interesting. (I do draw the line at purchasing patterns that are basically squares, as I’m not a beginner, I have quilt software and I can figure those out.)

I truly believe Famous Quilter believes she is well within her legal rights to insist on my naming my quilt the name of her block, even though when I looked through her book, she had not followed the same naming protocols (which I pointed out to her most respectfully).

Some questions: Do copyright squabbles make us more strident in our need to claim our turf? Or is this typical of a small business, working hard to protect their product (regardless if I consider it moving past a reasonable boundary)? If you are a quilt designer, would you expect (insist) on the maker naming the quilt after your block? Final Thoughts: if you comment (and I hope you will, especially if you are a quilter in business) please resist dumping personally on the Famous Quilter, but you are welcome to give me your opinion of this mess I find myself in.

Here are some more links for reference, if you ever find yourself corresponding with a Famous Quilter:
What I Think Is the BEST Commentary on the Issues of Copyright Facing Quilters (by Leah Day)
The more I read, the more I think Leah Day (and Austin Kleon) have it right: Attribution in our day and age is the grease that keeps the creative wheels turning.

Brave Little Chicken’s Excellent Series of blogposts on Copyright Law and Quilters
SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates)
Circular from Copyright Office
“Chapter One” from the Copyright Office–see sections 106, 106A and 107
Website of the Copyright Office–which makes me believe that some have said that we should have no copyrights on quilted articles, but use the Fashion Industry’s model
Raisin Toast’s Blog Post (reprint from Tabberone.com)
“Useful Articles” from the Copyright Office–Quilts are considered “useful articles”
AQS page on copyright questions for exhibited works
Copyright Quiz for Quilters
Tabberone’s Theft of Images or Text webpage

And finally, an interesting rebuttal of the claims I hear about all the time, again from Tabberone’s website

Quilts

Keeping the Brain Alive

May 13, 2014 Elizabeth E.13 Comments

Yes, my brain is pretty dead after grading a stack of 10-page research papers, but after seeing all the twenty-somethings at school today, I have to say that their brains are pretty dead, too. We had a hard time stringing words together, but we got through it by watching a video of a David Mamet play (Spanish Prisoner, if you’re interested) to go along with our Drama Unit.

Christine’s Philadelphia • see original post for more info

So today, while I held my last office hours at school and the internet went out (Panic in the Library!! Panic in the Library!!) I resorted to that old-fashioned entertainment device: a newspaper (having tucked a couple of sections of my New York Times in my bag). I read from their Education Life issue from April 13th (yeah, I’m a little behind in my reading), about “Ten Courses with a Twist,” where I found this diagram:

This is from a course from Carol S. Dweck of Stanford University whose “groundbreaking research has helped shape current wisdom about success and achievement — that failure and recovering from it are more valuable than sticking with what you already know how to do. Dr. Dweck tells students to tackle something “they have never had the guts to try.” Her research shows that mind-set is critical at times of transition, and those “with a ‘growth mind-set’ see that struggles can be overcome with effort, strategy and good instruction.” Hey, if it’s good enough for incoming Stanford freshmen, it’s good enough for me. By the way, anywhere from 140-200 people try to get in the 16 spots in the class.

Why I do bring this all up, especially at the end of the semester when all the teachers/parents/students want to do is find a good beach, a cold drink and go slightly comatose for several hours? Because after listing to NPR’s report that quilting is good for aging and combating memory loss, I thought could learn something. (LISTEN *here*)

Quilting keeps us on our toes because, as Denise Park, the Neuroscientist who was interviewed said, “people who learned a new skill – quilting, photography – had significant brain gains [in memory] – which held up after a year.” She continues to say: “Quilting might not seem like a mentally challenging task, but try it. If you’re a novice, you’re cutting out all these abstract shapes, you are trying to piece them together in reverse order and manipulate the images. It’s very demanding and complex.”

And now you know what neuroscientists think about what we do all day.

So when I’m stuck on a project and it’s giving me fits, I should remember Dweck’s advice and try to cultivate a “growth mind-set” all the while knowing that the manipulation, cutting and sewing my patches is keeping my brain active and healthy. Or take it from my friend Lisa, who hosts our Summer Quilt Retreats in her home. . .