Thank you to Susan Madu for creating this exceptional resource for quilters and quilting groups. It will help everyone understand the importance of copyright . See below for a link to a handy reference table and a list of things that we can all do to respect copyrights.
PLEASE NOTE This article is for general information purposes and not intended to substitute legal advice. Accordingly, neither CQA/ACC nor the writer accepts any liability or responsibility for this information.
After a busy four days at a major international quilt show, my mind was overwhelmed with inspiration for new techniques and designs. The quilts were spectacular, but the lectures provided even more insights into our work.
For me, one key takeaway came from the lectures—our quilts as art.
When we think of art, descriptive words like original, masterpiece, rare, treasure, or uncommon come to mind. These descriptive words convey a sense of value, and more importantly as having a higher value.
But what happens when we describe our quilts as craft?
“Throughout the history of art, decoration and domestic handicrafts have been regarded as women’s work, and as such, not considered “high” or fine art. Quilting, embroidery, needlework, China painting, and sewing—none of these have been deemed worthy artistic equivalents to the grand mediums of painting and sculpture.”
Collectively, we need to elevate references to our work as art. Perhaps understanding and labeling our quilts would change our collective mindset.
If we consider our quilts as art, could copyright fundamentally protect our quilts as art?
Whilst copyright has originated from the concept of the ability to make a copy, or reproduce a written work, it has application to all forms of art. If we simply replace the word “author” with “creator,” copyright could apply to our quilts.
Copyright is a careful balance between public interest and rewarding creators.
“The purpose of the Copyright Act is to further the public interest by promoting the creation and dissemination of works of the arts and intellect and allow creators a just reward for their creations.”
ised-isde.canada.ca/site/canadian-intellectual-property-office/en/guide-copyright
Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts or themes. An idea needs expression in a fixed form to require copyright. Further, copyright protection does not require the work become completed nor have a higher level of merit.
To apply copyright to our art, we need to understand copyright and how to apply it to our quilts. We have copyright legislation in Canada.
By way of the Berne Convention, this legislation extends to 181 countries. (Source: World Intellectual Property Organization PDF as of February 6, 2025.) Within our quilting community, and arguably the public, knowledge of copyright, how it works and why we need it remains vague. This complex legislation can be difficult to apply, especially when terms like “originality” don’t consistently fit.
So why should quilters care? I would simply say, “we have a collective responsibility and it celebrates the excellence of our art!”
Before I lose you, let’s look at a practical example of how copyright would apply to a quilt, or a paper pattern, or a digital pattern. You will be surprised at the differences in applying copyright to these three expressions of our art.
As the table linked below shows, the application of copyright to quilt works can be complex.
That said, copyright remains vital to our quilting community!
Copyright provides quilting creators an incentive to create new work. It is through copyright that quilting creators have control over how and when their original work is used.
Does copyright apply?
This table answers the question “Does copyright apply to quilt design?” For a variety of situations, as well as additional resources for those who want to dig deeper. Use this guide in the creation, documentation, and displaying of quilt art.
Simple things all quilters can do to respect copyright:
- Be an artist, label your quilt.
For our original quilt designs:
- Include the words “an original design by…” on the quilt label.
- Exhibit your quilt and note it is “an original design” in your artist’s statement.
For our quilts made from a pattern or workshop:
- Note the name of the pattern and designer in your artist’s statement and label.
- Where a quilt is made from a workshop technique, obtain written permission from the designer to exhibit your quilt and provide this permission to the exhibit organizer.
- When sharing at Show and Tell, be it online or in person, give credit to the designer and note the pattern name.
- When participating in a group project or workshop, ensure all quilters have purchased their own pattern.
- When you see a quilt design you would like to make, purchase the pattern. Photographing the quilt and figuring out the design is just not cool and does it respect the designer’s copyright.
- When you’re unsure if your design is original or like another original design, contact the designer and ask the question. The best response you can receive, is “thank you for asking.” And better yet, you have gained the respect of another quilter in our community.
We all benefit when copyright protection results in an increase in quilt designs. When we respect copyright, our art will be valued in the world. So, I can’t see why we wouldn’t elevate our references, practices, and labels of our quilts as art.
Can you?
The Phoenix Modern Quilt Guild has a wonderful practice of having all members participating in a show and tell fill out a form prior to sharing their quilt projects. Form includes: quilt maker name, quilter name, pattern, consent to post and maker’s Instagram handle. The photographer photos the quilt and the form, making it easy to credit the maker and the designer in their social media.
