There’s been quite a discussion going on among members of the quilting world. The basis of their very passionate dialogue, in my opinion, centers around the concept of giving credit where credit is due.

Whether you are a quilter, author, or a photographer your creations are important. They are an expression of your talents and hard work. If others chose to use them as inspiration or share them with the world it’s only natural that you would expect to receive proper acknowledgement. Not giving proper acknowledgement is a form of theft.

According to Merriam-Webster to acknowledge is to give:

recognition or favorable notice of an act or achievement.

We all desire proper acknowledgement. We want/demand/assume that permission will be sought before our works are shared by others.

So what are some of the criteria for giving proper acknowledgement? Anyone exhibiting a work of art whether it be at a show, on the internet, through a publication or any other means must give credit to

• the author of the pattern/design (permission must be obtained from this individual(s) or organization prior to release), and
• any other co-contributors (e.g. co-author, long arm quilter, etc.) that played a role in the creation of the piece.

As you may have noticed, I regularly share photos of my customers quilts. Before doing so I obtain their written permission. I also give them credit by including their first name (last names are omitted to protect identity). In return I ask that they do the same. My work and talents are just as important as theirs. By not mentioning my name they are in essence taking credit for something they did not do.

In closing, while I realize that I have not touched on every aspect of proper acknowledgement, I have mentioned those that are most often discussed. Anyone seeking an audience for their finished product must educate themselves on the proper etiquette for doing so. Time spent in research before hand is well worth the effort.

Thanks for your audience!

Cindy Anderson