GNOME ANGEL
It’s never nice to feel like your work has been copied, but what if it’s a simple coincidence? Angie Wilson tackles the darker side of social media
It’s never nice to feel like your work has been copied, but what if it’s a simple coincidence? Angie Wilson tackles the darker side of social media and the future of the quilting industry
I’ve been quilting for five years and every day I’m scouring the web looking for new things to satisfy my creative spirit. With all the time I’ve spent on there I know this to be true – there are a million ways to make the same thing.
Very few people live on the bleeding edge of quilting, and those that do generally are not so active on social media. They’re out there being inspired by things that are unrelated to what the masses are doing. But there are also lots of us in the quilting industry who are actively and passionately involved in our online community – and that’s where things can get a bit tricky.
I consider myself to be one of these people. I love to see what people are making via social media. I also love designing and sharing my own patterns. Where these loves overlap is in my subconscious. If they didn’t, advertising wouldn’t be a billion dollar industry (that’s just how much I spend on fabric). We are all open to being influenced, whether it’s obvious to us at the time or whether it goes unnoticed – how many times have you seen something and thought “Oh I could never do that”, but then six months later found yourself adding Liberty prints to your stash? I’m always doing it, even though I consider myself to be fairly strong-willed when it comes to my own loves and wants. It’s human nature. But this cross-pollination of ideas often leads to one inevitable outcome – two people will unintentionally release patterns that look similar. It’s at this point that the internet turns into a beast with two heads and I’m tired of seeing it play out.
Really, there are only two acceptable ways to handle this situation. If you’re one of the pattern designers involved, the best course of action is to politely contact the other designer to start a dialogue about how best to resolve it. If you’re a bystander, the only response you should have is to refrain from causing a scene or jumping on the bandwagon. And that’s it. The only way that our industry will flourish is if we make sure that we conduct ourselves in a manner becoming of people who wield sharp implements for fun – with respect, courtesy and a good dose of chillax.