I wrote this blog a few weeks ago but life got in the way of posting it. I’ve been off work to get our boat put to bed and winter our property. But now its time……
“A metal straw has finally broken the camel’s back”. I say a metal straw to be environmentally conscious but all joking aside; I’ve reached the end of my tether on theft and copyright infringement.
This blog is not meant for all of the honest, supportive customers and friends of Encompassing Designs who respect the use of our patterns and who would never think of stuffing our wares into their purse. You are many, greatly appreciated and are clearly the salt of the earth! This reprimand is written for those who don’t respect us, bend and abuse copyright rules to suit their own means and have no problem taking what doesn’t belong to them.
We had another two patterns stolen from the back room and I mean two separate thefts by two different rug hookers. The collective value of merchandise taken would have paid a bill or employee’s wages. Also another picture was carelessly ripped off a pattern on the rack, tearing the linen threads which compromised the integrity of the pattern. The only reason this would be done is to take it home and copy the design so it was step one of a two-step process of theft. Then one of my patterns was blatantly copied and is now being used as a prize in a fundraiser in a local community. Their Facebook page flashed on my screen advertising the copied rug and it hit me like a load of bricks. For me, this has happened time and time again and it’s becoming nothing short of soul destroying.
Creating and hooking Nova Scotia Treasures was a very proud moment for me. I was commissioned by Canadian Tourism to create a specific design that was representative of Nova Scotia and the finished rug was awarded to an Australian Journalist/Writer for promoting Canadian tourism. To have it copied and hooked without permission deflated another happy balloon. And…while still reeling from that loss, I opened the latest ATHA Magazine and discovered one of my patterns had been featured in an article. Fantastic I thought, until I read the caption. The pattern had been quite modified; the design was renamed and the write-up below failed to attribute any credit to me. That was four incidents of theft and copyright infringement in less than one week! Usually these injustices are spanned out with lots of recovery time in between; all at once and in such a short time frame was mood altering. And then, on top of all that, my business credit card was compromised, yet again; that’s four times in a year even though it never leaves my office and I don’t use it online because I always call in my number when I place orders. Yet another piece of crap on the big steaming pile of theft and dishonesty. Is this really the world we live in?
No one ever openly speaks ill of rug hookers and if comments are made its in hushed tones and bantered one to one. Generally, all you hear is how much fun we all have, how all the rug hookers are helpful and kind, the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Well I’m here to say bullocks. Rug hooking attracts as many dishonest people as any other group or organization. I have 20 years of experience in this business, mostly fantastic, peppered with a small percentage of bad, and this bad seems to get swept under the mat, pardon the pun, because it’s perceived better to allow everyone to keep their heads buried in the sand than to discuss the dark side of this craft.
This realization struck me when I saw the long list of people that sent me emails and private messages after I posted the copyright infringement of my Nova Scotia Treasures rug on Facebook. They didn’t want to write their stories in the comments below my post and have them out there for all to read, and I don’t blame them at all, the backlash can be brutal on FB as opinions come out like claws on a grizzly. Their stories were at times almost unbelievable at how low fellow rug hookers have stooped. The fact that these ‘private’ messages were describing theft of everything from scissors and hooks, the most common victims of nimble fingers, to the bold and brash thefts of hooked rugs and things like cutter blades. Imagine hiring a teacher to come and run a workshop and someone in the class steals one of her demo rugs. One woman said that she was at a class and left her seat for a few minutes and when she returned all of the wool that she’d dyed for her project was gone and never to be found. Imagine how bold the thief had to be to take a bundle of wool in front of the other students sitting at the same table, how experienced, confident and skilled they were to pull that off.
It’s clearly obvious that although everyone is appalled that this goes on, no one wants to be the one openly talking about the bad experiences. Its brushed under the rug, because they worry it might be frowned upon because it seems that no one wants the sugar coating ripped off this craft.
Well, I’m popping the cork on it now because quite frankly, I’m sick of it happening to me, and I don’t want it happening to others. If need be I’ll stand alone and tell it like it is because it’s the right thing to do. Maybe these thieves will not feel so bold and entitled if people are more aware and keeping a watch out for them. The world is a better, kinder place with our heads in the sand, but no bad behaviour was ever fixed or changed by ignoring it. If you let someone get away with murder, they’ll kill again and again.
Now don’t get me wrong or misquote me, read every word and then read it again before jumping to conclusions. I am not condemning all rug hooker or painting them with the same brush! 99.999% of rug hookers I’ve met are lovely and honest and are the fuel in my creative tank. But, and there is always that dang three letter rebuttal to what is previously stated, there are bad apples in every cart and some of them are rotten to the core. Its time it was talked about, if only to protect ourselves at shows, rug schools and hook-ins. Personally, I’ve NEVER attended one of these events without things being stolen from my tables and I know from talking to other shops and vendors they’ve lost things as well. In my experience, I’ve lost hooks, any number of small items, kits, hooked pieces or patterns every time I take my wares to events….and this demonstrates a dark truth that can no longer be ignored.
Because there are rug hookers with nimble fingers, I suggest we all do our best to stop making it easy for them. Label your tools in a way that it can’t be removed; carve your initials into your favourite hook handles, scratch your name or initials on your scissors, scissor bling is great but can be removed. Do the same for your wooden frames, make everything obviously yours. Someone told me just the other day how the wool they had at a hook-in went missing, someone hot fingered it while she was away from her chair. Hook-ins are where friends gather, people who know one another and yet things go missing. We like to say these items are misplaced or accidentally mixed in with someone else’s wool, perhaps the hook rolled off the table into someone’s bag, the scissors all look alike so perhaps someone picked them up in error…. yup, that might happen, but generally and especially when the items don’t reappear, well, put two and two together and face the brutal truth. When things vanish into thin air, they are in the possession of the rug hooker that took them from you. It goes against our sense of morality and is really hard to swallow isn’t it, yet it happens time and time again.
When I posted the infringements on Facebook most of you were sympathetic and outraged that this continues to happen in a day and age when copyright is hashed and rehashed and how rug hookers are supposed to be a cut above the rest, but there was one person that wanted me pummeled for apparently embarrassing the woman from the ATHA magazine, although I hadn't even mentioned which rug it was or the hookers name. At first she blamed it on the editor. Well sorry there, but the magazine is only as good as the information they are provided and it is up to the featured artist to submit the information, in writing if necessary, so it leaves nothing to interpretation.
I tried to explain to her that this is the kind of thing that helps to advertise my business, perhaps show someone that doesn’t know about my studio that I am around, but she accused me of being more interested in selling a few patterns than embarrassing someone. That is not who I am. I’ve been writing about who I am for years. I am not a mean person or vindictive, I tell stories about my life, bare my soul at times and I’m honest to a fault. Someone said I have a reputation of telling it like it is and that I don’t hold back and this is true. I’m the kind of person that would have your back and defend you with my life if you were a true friend. I don’t expect everyone to like me but for goodness sake, be upset with me for a good reason, not for protecting my honour or my rights.
In the 20 years I’ve been in business I’ve missed out on the chance to have recognition for my designs so many times I could write a book. Not that I would, because dredging it all up would be a dark period for me, sucking the joy out of all the good that I’ve experienced. We have an ongoing joke at the shop, every time a newsletter comes out or one of the magazines dedicated to rug hooking, I open it and say “Let’s see what I’ve missed out on this time.” Once in a single publication, there were three of my patterns beautifully hooked and not a mention of me anywhere, one of which had been changed and renamed.
Each time I was cheated of recognition for my work, it was a knife twist to the gut. I’ve seen my designs in magazines and newspapers beautifully done but there’s no mention of me. Some even are quoted saying they designed it as well as hooked it, which is an out and out lie. I’m not out for praise; I’m struggling in a very competitive business to keep current and relevant. So many times I could have shined and spread awareness for my business, that’s the name of the game isn’t it? Advertising is expensive so this kind of publicity is critical and priceless!
Over the years, some of the encounters with clients that I’ve drawn designs for have been downright ugly, when I’ve been accused of stealing their ideas or have no right to sell patterns in my shop like the one I created for them. I don’t do exclusive, one of-a-kind designs for customers. I only create patterns that will be globally interesting to many to make it worth the time it takes to come up with an interesting pattern. I create a drawing and then transfer it to linen and sell it with a price of a comparable pattern off the rack. I own the drawing, the design, the artwork and can do what I want with it. So many times I’ve been accused of stealing the rights to my own artwork and threatened with legal action, it got to the point I stopped designing for people as it wasn’t worth the effort. Even when I made it clear and the copyright symbol was drawn on the pattern, certain clients couldn’t comprehend that if they brought me a request, for example, perhaps a stick man and a square on a scrap of paper to represent Beethoven and his piano, and I created an eloquent drawing of him sitting at a grand piano, with an audience clothed in period dress, a candle chandelier floating down from above, a marbled floor and velvet curtains at the edges of the stage with the notes of Ode To Joy coming out of his ears to portray his deafness, that was then hooked and won a prize....that this beautiful pattern, the drawing that I stressed over for days to make perfect and was proud to present to the rug hooker, blew up in my face. I was cut out of the accolade we both should have enjoyed back in a time when my business was new and would have greatly benefited by good press.
The horrible backlash that ensued when I asked why my name wasn’t mentioned left me sick for days. Her words are burned into my brain that she spat after a lengthy stripping down with large fonts and bold letters. “Go ahead and steal the design if it makes you feel better!” Later, when someone set her straight, she didn’t apologize and only said “too bad it came to this”. Well that was an understatement! The entire experience was dreadful for me when it should have brought pleasure to us both and recognition to my studio.
When purchasing a pattern you are allowed to make changes to it. Make it your own in special ‘little’ ways, add something and change it up a bit. But...it is not acceptable to buy a pattern, change it significantly then rename it or call it your own to suit your fancy. When you purchase a pattern it is automatically copyrighted property of that designer and they need to be mentioned. You can say, design by Christine Little with adaptations by so in so, but the original name of the pattern is part of its copyright. No amount of changing makes it acceptable or yours, none what-so-ever!
So this is what I am going to do so be forewarned. To deal with the physical thefts of my merchandise, I am going to spend the money to have a system put in to monitor the shop; we are in the process of that now. So smile you’re on camera! When a theft occurs, I will post the videos both on FB and on my website so if you don’t want to be seen stuffing my wares into your purse behave yourselves! Also, shopping bags and knapsacks will no longer be allowed in the back room! This will protect you as well as me so no wires get crossed.
As for copyright, I can’t afford a lawyer at $300 plus an hour to go after the people that copy my patterns but I can take you to small claims court and I will definitely write blogs and post pictures of the rugs I find at exhibits, on FB or the internet and show the world what you have done. If that means I’ve embarrassed someone so be it. I won’t even have to mention your name, your friends and hooking circles will recognize you and you will have to deal with the aftermath of that. It’s time we stopped whispering about the dishonesty in this craft and start bringing it out in the open to incite change.
Clearly, talking about it is doing little to stop it. There have been so many articles written and discussions on copyright infringement in the past few years surely it’s reached the four corners of rug hooking. People are ignoring it or perhaps don’t think it applies to them or basically just don’t care. I’m only making one copy for personal use so what’s the problem? NO! Maybe someone has to be hung out to dry and made an example of, be the poster child to scare those that habitually do it. If I stand against copyright theft and stealing from my shop by rug hookers, perhaps it will help to promote being honest in this craft. They call it shaming these days and although it sounds awful, perhaps it’s the only recourse.
I’m talking with bravado but it won’t be easy. Usually it’s not in my nature to be so bold or defend myself. This kind of action will go against my grain, but I have to step up and point out the injustice or I might become bitter and jaded beyond recovery. I was raised to spare other people’s feelings…don’t talk back…ignore things…turn my head…never be rude…be seen and not heard…be meek and mild…suck it up no matter how much I was hurt or felt betrayed…be the bigger person…let it roll off my back…zip my lip…hold or bite my tongue…don’t rock the boat…button it…put a sock in it…don’t stir the pot…say nothing…don’t let one bad apple spoil a good thing…suck it up and count to ten…keep my mouth shut…don’t make waves…avoid controversy at all costs…pull up those big girl panties and get on with it. And where has this philosophy gotten me? Grumbling to my husband “OMG it’s happened again!!!” The poor guy has had to listen to me rant so many times I’m surprised he’s still around! And even though the thought of speaking out turns my stomach upside down, others aren’t behind the door when they have something to say, FB is full of contrary remarks on every topic you can imagine.
Once, a customer defended thieves and told me it was a sickness to steal and said “they can’t help it”. I say what? Bullshite! People with terminal illnesses and diseases have a sickness, they can’t help it! Anyone who steals can make a decision not to. Get professional help if you can’t do it on your own. Stay away from temptation. Stay out of stores; keep your thieving hands buried deep in your pockets if you have to go out into the world of retail. Stop putting yourself in the position to violate others, because that is what it is, a violation! Someone told me not to take it personally but you bet your sweet fanny I do! I don’t order import my stock from a foreign country. My shelves are stocked with products we make; we are a manufacturing company so we are up close and personal with the goods we create and sell. Each item is crafted with attention to detail from our heart and hand to yours. Yes, I take it bloody well personally; you are stealing a part of me, a part of Deborah and a part of Shane!
I’ve read that some people steal for the sake of taking something, anything, the object sometimes has no relevance, but not rug hookers, no sirree Bob…..they steal items specifically for their use; the only people that cross our threshold and go into that back room of patterns are those who hook. Sometimes grannies for goodness sake! When a granny steals from me how can I trust anyone? Theft comes with a high cost both financially and mentally to those you take from so why don’t you find a pastime that violates, inflicts and directs pain where it belongs, on your own doorstep!
This weekend was the Scarecrow Festival in Mahone Bay. We had record breaking visitors and that unfortunately brings out the thieves as well. Last year a daughter stole a Hartman hook to give to her mother for Christmas. I overhead the conversation when the daughter asked her mom if she would like it. The mother didn’t know the daughter took it, at least I hope she didn’t, because that’s a whole new level of depravity I can’t get my head around. The shop was so busy, twenty or more folks walking around so by the time my husband got to me to say what he witnessed they were gone.
So this year leading up to the festival with the current thefts fresh on my mind, my goal was not to lose anything to five finger discounts. So I put all our hooks under glass, put up 16 signs that stated “you are being watched”, and the classic, “smile you’re on camera” and Deborah, Gregg, and I manned our stations to watch the crowds. I parked in the back room drawing patterns, where most thefts occur, people think we can’t see through walls and temptation is at the highest level. We were all hover crafts, eyes peeled and on alert for the suspicious signs of someone with intent to steal.
My focus was to protect the shop and it overshadowed all the potential fun of the weekend, more collateral damage from those that steal, the consequences of their actions hurt others in so many different ways. Fortunately our hard work prevailed; I don’t think we lost anything, but that wasn’t enough to restore my faith in human morality because it was our due diligence that made it impossible for anyone to rob us. The weekend came with a high cost to me, I was on red alert and so focused on saving my wares from theft that it over shadowed the entire weekend when I could have been full of pride at the beauty of my store and the thrill of people mulling about our town. I was on duty, parked in the back room rolled as tight as a spring, fearing the worst and worried that if one more thing was lifted I might lose my mind. The weekend drained me.
And an added point. I wonder how a rug hooker would feel if I decided I like one of their designs and start drawing it and selling it in my shop under my name. Why there would be no end to the recriminations I would receive. I’d be strung up, tarred and feathered and out of business so fast my head would spin. Put that in your pipe and smoke it for those that won’t or can’t see my side of things. If the shoe was on the other foot perhaps copyright issues would finally sink home.
Quite frankly, in the past I’ve been hesitant to bring these matters up with more than a casual mention or be specific to a theft. This business is tough enough without being boycotted because someone gets an unrealistic hate on for you and spreads the nay saying like butter on toast. This is my experience and I deal in facts and the topic was copyright. C-O-P-Y-R-I-G-H-T! Notice how it has the word ‘right’ right in it. If it isn’t going to be respected maybe the name should be changed to Copywrong.
So the ball is now in your court, don’t say you weren’t warned. If you continue to steal from me or copy my patterns, you will pay for the consequences of your actions. And I should add, we actually know who some of you are. You’ve been coming in for years and getting away with it because I didn’t want to rock the boat or deal with you or play the game it’s your word against mine and hold you until law enforcement arrives, but not anymore so bring it the heck on……
So….it boils down to this. If you don't want to do the time, don't do the crime! Plain and simple! It's black and white all the way. Take me at my word. The haters can call me what they like, but no one can ever say that I am a liar or that I’m not one of the most honest people you will ever meet. My conscience is clear when I go to bed at a night; I would never steal or take something without permission so I find it difficult to believe that others do, and no matter how many times it happens I’m still shocked. I’m ashamed that I’ve let it go on, but now the backbone is straight and the blinders are off and I’m ready for you. I won’t back down and hide anymore.
I’m angry that you think you can fool me, walk all over me, get away with stealing from me and I’m not going to take it anymore. I won’t let you ruin my experience. I love my store and what we represent in the way of class and quality. When I walk into the shop each day, I'm filled with pride and I see what we've built. I'm blown away by all the beautiful colour, it almost takes my breath away. I will no longer allow you to taint it. How dare you ruin my faith in mankind and test my tolerance. You steal more than my goods, you are stealing my bliss!
“A metal straw has finally broken the camel’s back”. I say a metal straw to be environmentally conscious but all joking aside; I’ve reached the end of my tether on theft and copyright infringement.
This blog is not meant for all of the honest, supportive customers and friends of Encompassing Designs who respect the use of our patterns and who would never think of stuffing our wares into their purse. You are many, greatly appreciated and are clearly the salt of the earth! This reprimand is written for those who don’t respect us, bend and abuse copyright rules to suit their own means and have no problem taking what doesn’t belong to them.
We had another two patterns stolen from the back room and I mean two separate thefts by two different rug hookers. The collective value of merchandise taken would have paid a bill or employee’s wages. Also another picture was carelessly ripped off a pattern on the rack, tearing the linen threads which compromised the integrity of the pattern. The only reason this would be done is to take it home and copy the design so it was step one of a two-step process of theft. Then one of my patterns was blatantly copied and is now being used as a prize in a fundraiser in a local community. Their Facebook page flashed on my screen advertising the copied rug and it hit me like a load of bricks. For me, this has happened time and time again and it’s becoming nothing short of soul destroying.
Creating and hooking Nova Scotia Treasures was a very proud moment for me. I was commissioned by Canadian Tourism to create a specific design that was representative of Nova Scotia and the finished rug was awarded to an Australian Journalist/Writer for promoting Canadian tourism. To have it copied and hooked without permission deflated another happy balloon. And…while still reeling from that loss, I opened the latest ATHA Magazine and discovered one of my patterns had been featured in an article. Fantastic I thought, until I read the caption. The pattern had been quite modified; the design was renamed and the write-up below failed to attribute any credit to me. That was four incidents of theft and copyright infringement in less than one week! Usually these injustices are spanned out with lots of recovery time in between; all at once and in such a short time frame was mood altering. And then, on top of all that, my business credit card was compromised, yet again; that’s four times in a year even though it never leaves my office and I don’t use it online because I always call in my number when I place orders. Yet another piece of crap on the big steaming pile of theft and dishonesty. Is this really the world we live in?
No one ever openly speaks ill of rug hookers and if comments are made its in hushed tones and bantered one to one. Generally, all you hear is how much fun we all have, how all the rug hookers are helpful and kind, the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Well I’m here to say bullocks. Rug hooking attracts as many dishonest people as any other group or organization. I have 20 years of experience in this business, mostly fantastic, peppered with a small percentage of bad, and this bad seems to get swept under the mat, pardon the pun, because it’s perceived better to allow everyone to keep their heads buried in the sand than to discuss the dark side of this craft.
This realization struck me when I saw the long list of people that sent me emails and private messages after I posted the copyright infringement of my Nova Scotia Treasures rug on Facebook. They didn’t want to write their stories in the comments below my post and have them out there for all to read, and I don’t blame them at all, the backlash can be brutal on FB as opinions come out like claws on a grizzly. Their stories were at times almost unbelievable at how low fellow rug hookers have stooped. The fact that these ‘private’ messages were describing theft of everything from scissors and hooks, the most common victims of nimble fingers, to the bold and brash thefts of hooked rugs and things like cutter blades. Imagine hiring a teacher to come and run a workshop and someone in the class steals one of her demo rugs. One woman said that she was at a class and left her seat for a few minutes and when she returned all of the wool that she’d dyed for her project was gone and never to be found. Imagine how bold the thief had to be to take a bundle of wool in front of the other students sitting at the same table, how experienced, confident and skilled they were to pull that off.
It’s clearly obvious that although everyone is appalled that this goes on, no one wants to be the one openly talking about the bad experiences. Its brushed under the rug, because they worry it might be frowned upon because it seems that no one wants the sugar coating ripped off this craft.
Well, I’m popping the cork on it now because quite frankly, I’m sick of it happening to me, and I don’t want it happening to others. If need be I’ll stand alone and tell it like it is because it’s the right thing to do. Maybe these thieves will not feel so bold and entitled if people are more aware and keeping a watch out for them. The world is a better, kinder place with our heads in the sand, but no bad behaviour was ever fixed or changed by ignoring it. If you let someone get away with murder, they’ll kill again and again.
Now don’t get me wrong or misquote me, read every word and then read it again before jumping to conclusions. I am not condemning all rug hooker or painting them with the same brush! 99.999% of rug hookers I’ve met are lovely and honest and are the fuel in my creative tank. But, and there is always that dang three letter rebuttal to what is previously stated, there are bad apples in every cart and some of them are rotten to the core. Its time it was talked about, if only to protect ourselves at shows, rug schools and hook-ins. Personally, I’ve NEVER attended one of these events without things being stolen from my tables and I know from talking to other shops and vendors they’ve lost things as well. In my experience, I’ve lost hooks, any number of small items, kits, hooked pieces or patterns every time I take my wares to events….and this demonstrates a dark truth that can no longer be ignored.
Because there are rug hookers with nimble fingers, I suggest we all do our best to stop making it easy for them. Label your tools in a way that it can’t be removed; carve your initials into your favourite hook handles, scratch your name or initials on your scissors, scissor bling is great but can be removed. Do the same for your wooden frames, make everything obviously yours. Someone told me just the other day how the wool they had at a hook-in went missing, someone hot fingered it while she was away from her chair. Hook-ins are where friends gather, people who know one another and yet things go missing. We like to say these items are misplaced or accidentally mixed in with someone else’s wool, perhaps the hook rolled off the table into someone’s bag, the scissors all look alike so perhaps someone picked them up in error…. yup, that might happen, but generally and especially when the items don’t reappear, well, put two and two together and face the brutal truth. When things vanish into thin air, they are in the possession of the rug hooker that took them from you. It goes against our sense of morality and is really hard to swallow isn’t it, yet it happens time and time again.
When I posted the infringements on Facebook most of you were sympathetic and outraged that this continues to happen in a day and age when copyright is hashed and rehashed and how rug hookers are supposed to be a cut above the rest, but there was one person that wanted me pummeled for apparently embarrassing the woman from the ATHA magazine, although I hadn't even mentioned which rug it was or the hookers name. At first she blamed it on the editor. Well sorry there, but the magazine is only as good as the information they are provided and it is up to the featured artist to submit the information, in writing if necessary, so it leaves nothing to interpretation.
I tried to explain to her that this is the kind of thing that helps to advertise my business, perhaps show someone that doesn’t know about my studio that I am around, but she accused me of being more interested in selling a few patterns than embarrassing someone. That is not who I am. I’ve been writing about who I am for years. I am not a mean person or vindictive, I tell stories about my life, bare my soul at times and I’m honest to a fault. Someone said I have a reputation of telling it like it is and that I don’t hold back and this is true. I’m the kind of person that would have your back and defend you with my life if you were a true friend. I don’t expect everyone to like me but for goodness sake, be upset with me for a good reason, not for protecting my honour or my rights.
In the 20 years I’ve been in business I’ve missed out on the chance to have recognition for my designs so many times I could write a book. Not that I would, because dredging it all up would be a dark period for me, sucking the joy out of all the good that I’ve experienced. We have an ongoing joke at the shop, every time a newsletter comes out or one of the magazines dedicated to rug hooking, I open it and say “Let’s see what I’ve missed out on this time.” Once in a single publication, there were three of my patterns beautifully hooked and not a mention of me anywhere, one of which had been changed and renamed.
Each time I was cheated of recognition for my work, it was a knife twist to the gut. I’ve seen my designs in magazines and newspapers beautifully done but there’s no mention of me. Some even are quoted saying they designed it as well as hooked it, which is an out and out lie. I’m not out for praise; I’m struggling in a very competitive business to keep current and relevant. So many times I could have shined and spread awareness for my business, that’s the name of the game isn’t it? Advertising is expensive so this kind of publicity is critical and priceless!
Over the years, some of the encounters with clients that I’ve drawn designs for have been downright ugly, when I’ve been accused of stealing their ideas or have no right to sell patterns in my shop like the one I created for them. I don’t do exclusive, one of-a-kind designs for customers. I only create patterns that will be globally interesting to many to make it worth the time it takes to come up with an interesting pattern. I create a drawing and then transfer it to linen and sell it with a price of a comparable pattern off the rack. I own the drawing, the design, the artwork and can do what I want with it. So many times I’ve been accused of stealing the rights to my own artwork and threatened with legal action, it got to the point I stopped designing for people as it wasn’t worth the effort. Even when I made it clear and the copyright symbol was drawn on the pattern, certain clients couldn’t comprehend that if they brought me a request, for example, perhaps a stick man and a square on a scrap of paper to represent Beethoven and his piano, and I created an eloquent drawing of him sitting at a grand piano, with an audience clothed in period dress, a candle chandelier floating down from above, a marbled floor and velvet curtains at the edges of the stage with the notes of Ode To Joy coming out of his ears to portray his deafness, that was then hooked and won a prize....that this beautiful pattern, the drawing that I stressed over for days to make perfect and was proud to present to the rug hooker, blew up in my face. I was cut out of the accolade we both should have enjoyed back in a time when my business was new and would have greatly benefited by good press.
The horrible backlash that ensued when I asked why my name wasn’t mentioned left me sick for days. Her words are burned into my brain that she spat after a lengthy stripping down with large fonts and bold letters. “Go ahead and steal the design if it makes you feel better!” Later, when someone set her straight, she didn’t apologize and only said “too bad it came to this”. Well that was an understatement! The entire experience was dreadful for me when it should have brought pleasure to us both and recognition to my studio.
When purchasing a pattern you are allowed to make changes to it. Make it your own in special ‘little’ ways, add something and change it up a bit. But...it is not acceptable to buy a pattern, change it significantly then rename it or call it your own to suit your fancy. When you purchase a pattern it is automatically copyrighted property of that designer and they need to be mentioned. You can say, design by Christine Little with adaptations by so in so, but the original name of the pattern is part of its copyright. No amount of changing makes it acceptable or yours, none what-so-ever!
So this is what I am going to do so be forewarned. To deal with the physical thefts of my merchandise, I am going to spend the money to have a system put in to monitor the shop; we are in the process of that now. So smile you’re on camera! When a theft occurs, I will post the videos both on FB and on my website so if you don’t want to be seen stuffing my wares into your purse behave yourselves! Also, shopping bags and knapsacks will no longer be allowed in the back room! This will protect you as well as me so no wires get crossed.
As for copyright, I can’t afford a lawyer at $300 plus an hour to go after the people that copy my patterns but I can take you to small claims court and I will definitely write blogs and post pictures of the rugs I find at exhibits, on FB or the internet and show the world what you have done. If that means I’ve embarrassed someone so be it. I won’t even have to mention your name, your friends and hooking circles will recognize you and you will have to deal with the aftermath of that. It’s time we stopped whispering about the dishonesty in this craft and start bringing it out in the open to incite change.
Clearly, talking about it is doing little to stop it. There have been so many articles written and discussions on copyright infringement in the past few years surely it’s reached the four corners of rug hooking. People are ignoring it or perhaps don’t think it applies to them or basically just don’t care. I’m only making one copy for personal use so what’s the problem? NO! Maybe someone has to be hung out to dry and made an example of, be the poster child to scare those that habitually do it. If I stand against copyright theft and stealing from my shop by rug hookers, perhaps it will help to promote being honest in this craft. They call it shaming these days and although it sounds awful, perhaps it’s the only recourse.
I’m talking with bravado but it won’t be easy. Usually it’s not in my nature to be so bold or defend myself. This kind of action will go against my grain, but I have to step up and point out the injustice or I might become bitter and jaded beyond recovery. I was raised to spare other people’s feelings…don’t talk back…ignore things…turn my head…never be rude…be seen and not heard…be meek and mild…suck it up no matter how much I was hurt or felt betrayed…be the bigger person…let it roll off my back…zip my lip…hold or bite my tongue…don’t rock the boat…button it…put a sock in it…don’t stir the pot…say nothing…don’t let one bad apple spoil a good thing…suck it up and count to ten…keep my mouth shut…don’t make waves…avoid controversy at all costs…pull up those big girl panties and get on with it. And where has this philosophy gotten me? Grumbling to my husband “OMG it’s happened again!!!” The poor guy has had to listen to me rant so many times I’m surprised he’s still around! And even though the thought of speaking out turns my stomach upside down, others aren’t behind the door when they have something to say, FB is full of contrary remarks on every topic you can imagine.
Once, a customer defended thieves and told me it was a sickness to steal and said “they can’t help it”. I say what? Bullshite! People with terminal illnesses and diseases have a sickness, they can’t help it! Anyone who steals can make a decision not to. Get professional help if you can’t do it on your own. Stay away from temptation. Stay out of stores; keep your thieving hands buried deep in your pockets if you have to go out into the world of retail. Stop putting yourself in the position to violate others, because that is what it is, a violation! Someone told me not to take it personally but you bet your sweet fanny I do! I don’t order import my stock from a foreign country. My shelves are stocked with products we make; we are a manufacturing company so we are up close and personal with the goods we create and sell. Each item is crafted with attention to detail from our heart and hand to yours. Yes, I take it bloody well personally; you are stealing a part of me, a part of Deborah and a part of Shane!
I’ve read that some people steal for the sake of taking something, anything, the object sometimes has no relevance, but not rug hookers, no sirree Bob…..they steal items specifically for their use; the only people that cross our threshold and go into that back room of patterns are those who hook. Sometimes grannies for goodness sake! When a granny steals from me how can I trust anyone? Theft comes with a high cost both financially and mentally to those you take from so why don’t you find a pastime that violates, inflicts and directs pain where it belongs, on your own doorstep!
This weekend was the Scarecrow Festival in Mahone Bay. We had record breaking visitors and that unfortunately brings out the thieves as well. Last year a daughter stole a Hartman hook to give to her mother for Christmas. I overhead the conversation when the daughter asked her mom if she would like it. The mother didn’t know the daughter took it, at least I hope she didn’t, because that’s a whole new level of depravity I can’t get my head around. The shop was so busy, twenty or more folks walking around so by the time my husband got to me to say what he witnessed they were gone.
So this year leading up to the festival with the current thefts fresh on my mind, my goal was not to lose anything to five finger discounts. So I put all our hooks under glass, put up 16 signs that stated “you are being watched”, and the classic, “smile you’re on camera” and Deborah, Gregg, and I manned our stations to watch the crowds. I parked in the back room drawing patterns, where most thefts occur, people think we can’t see through walls and temptation is at the highest level. We were all hover crafts, eyes peeled and on alert for the suspicious signs of someone with intent to steal.
My focus was to protect the shop and it overshadowed all the potential fun of the weekend, more collateral damage from those that steal, the consequences of their actions hurt others in so many different ways. Fortunately our hard work prevailed; I don’t think we lost anything, but that wasn’t enough to restore my faith in human morality because it was our due diligence that made it impossible for anyone to rob us. The weekend came with a high cost to me, I was on red alert and so focused on saving my wares from theft that it over shadowed the entire weekend when I could have been full of pride at the beauty of my store and the thrill of people mulling about our town. I was on duty, parked in the back room rolled as tight as a spring, fearing the worst and worried that if one more thing was lifted I might lose my mind. The weekend drained me.
And an added point. I wonder how a rug hooker would feel if I decided I like one of their designs and start drawing it and selling it in my shop under my name. Why there would be no end to the recriminations I would receive. I’d be strung up, tarred and feathered and out of business so fast my head would spin. Put that in your pipe and smoke it for those that won’t or can’t see my side of things. If the shoe was on the other foot perhaps copyright issues would finally sink home.
Quite frankly, in the past I’ve been hesitant to bring these matters up with more than a casual mention or be specific to a theft. This business is tough enough without being boycotted because someone gets an unrealistic hate on for you and spreads the nay saying like butter on toast. This is my experience and I deal in facts and the topic was copyright. C-O-P-Y-R-I-G-H-T! Notice how it has the word ‘right’ right in it. If it isn’t going to be respected maybe the name should be changed to Copywrong.
So the ball is now in your court, don’t say you weren’t warned. If you continue to steal from me or copy my patterns, you will pay for the consequences of your actions. And I should add, we actually know who some of you are. You’ve been coming in for years and getting away with it because I didn’t want to rock the boat or deal with you or play the game it’s your word against mine and hold you until law enforcement arrives, but not anymore so bring it the heck on……
So….it boils down to this. If you don't want to do the time, don't do the crime! Plain and simple! It's black and white all the way. Take me at my word. The haters can call me what they like, but no one can ever say that I am a liar or that I’m not one of the most honest people you will ever meet. My conscience is clear when I go to bed at a night; I would never steal or take something without permission so I find it difficult to believe that others do, and no matter how many times it happens I’m still shocked. I’m ashamed that I’ve let it go on, but now the backbone is straight and the blinders are off and I’m ready for you. I won’t back down and hide anymore.
I’m angry that you think you can fool me, walk all over me, get away with stealing from me and I’m not going to take it anymore. I won’t let you ruin my experience. I love my store and what we represent in the way of class and quality. When I walk into the shop each day, I'm filled with pride and I see what we've built. I'm blown away by all the beautiful colour, it almost takes my breath away. I will no longer allow you to taint it. How dare you ruin my faith in mankind and test my tolerance. You steal more than my goods, you are stealing my bliss!
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