Hey. I wanted to ask you something. I was chatting on Twitter on Saturday about inspiration. Specifically I was chatting about people who might be readers of my blog, getting inspired by projects seen here, or indeed just making things from the tutes here. I really LOVE that. It makes me SO HAPPY. Everything you see here is for sharing. That is the way I like it. Share and share alike.
BUT, how about when people share an idea and sort of act like it was THEIR idea? And then take the credit for it. Personally, although a bit kinda weird, when it’s one of my ideas I am, from this day forth, going to try not to get all MINE MINE MINE. I kinda think it’s good that they are making stuff and getting inspired. I like that. I think the world needs happier people and making makes people happy. I figure there is no point getting too antsy about people borrowing my ideas without credit, because what I want most is for people to use my ideas. I sort of can’t afford to split hairs about that too much. I am here to encourage and enable happy days and creative times. I sort of expect it.
Of course, I totally get that it’s different for other people. DO not give me the stink eye, because I think it’s totally GREAT if you want to stink eye anyone who is inspired by you and doesn’t give you credit. I am just not going to do that. (Although I did put a little note on my blog yesterday asking people to send me pictures of things I might have encouraged them to make, because I really do like to see where all those clicks are coming from in my Stats. And who you are. And what you make!)
Admittedly I did feel a bit weird recently when I saw something super similar to a thing I had made being lauded as SO ORIGINAL on someone else’s blog. Especially when after I left a cheery comment (complimenting their lovely work), the Meet Me At Mike’s link was removed from the Blogroll in said blog’s sidebar. Ugh. But I have been doing a lot of thinking, and I have decided it is silly for me to be too miffed about that. My kind of craft is about sharing. And there shouldn’t be strings attached. I am going to try and be happy that the person got so much positive affirmation, just from making something gorgeous. Even if it was my idea in the first place. Who cares?! After all, it was THEM who had to make the thing, even if it wasn’t their original idea. They still had to do all that hard crafty work. They chose the colours and made other design decisions that ensured the thing they made was super fantastic. So I am trying really hard not to be all grabby and what-about-me about it. I am learning to be okay with it*, because really, it IS probably okay. I am only being sooky because I want people to know that the inspiration came from me. And ACTUALLY, it probably doesn’t even matter. It’s not ABOUT me! So shoosh up me. I am LUCKY to be a teensy part of something lovely that someone has made. And I am glad they check in here, even if it is incognito!
I guess it’s just that when you spend a LOT of time on your blog showing crafty things, it feels funny when the things grow a life of their own, without any credit to me. But WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT… that is GREAT! Slap me with a wet herring, build me a bridge and tell me to GET OVER IT! At least people LIKE what I am doing!
So, what I am wondering is, I’m wondering about YOU. If you use a pattern, are inspired by a photo you see on a blog, or make something from someone else’s tutorial, do you give them credit when you are doing a show and tell? Or do you not really think that is important? Or do you kinda not credit them, because you are so super proud of your work (because things can take a long time to make, even if you did not come up with the original proto-type), and then later mumble something in the comments. Or do you cover your tracks to their blog like a ninja and pretend you have never even heard of them?!
Do you openly divulge your inspirations? Or do you have a hard time doing that? And who are your inspirations, whilst we are talking about it?
(And if you make things that you see here, or things similar to the things you see here. BLOODY GOOD ON YOU! That is what I am here for. And if you show me that is ace. And if you don’t, well then it is none of my business (but I would LOVE to see!!) I invite you to take the things I do and share them/make them/reinterpret them in any way you like. Free reign. And thank you for being part of my community of crafty wenches/fellas.)
xx Pip
* This is quite hard.
wow,it's a long way to the bottom,to scroll down! Good for you that you have so many followers! Anyway,I have to be honest,I didn't read your whole post(the husband wants his food) but I quickly scanned this blkt,and it reminded me of the "kitty cat" pattern I found on You Tube-it's different,but kind of has that Houndstooth look to it,I will try to get the exact name of it if you would like
Regards,Heidi
It can be tricky, can't it!?! Inspiration comes from so many different places that sometimes it is hard to know how original your idea is. And we do want to share ideas, but be acknowledged too!
Hey! You inspired me to learn to crochet, and to do it via the interwebs, I bought my first crochet needle at Meet Me At Mikes! I find it so amazing that something I am making is taking shape (over a loooong period of time)and it makes me proud!So thanks….. (Grabby is fine, honey! Cranky is ok too! Proud of being inspiring will balance you out! You gotta take the good with the bad.)Gayna, Loungeroom crafter,level…beginners;)
You have an amazing attitude. Just so ya know, I've mentioned Meet Me At Mikes in 5 blog posts in the past (just did a search on my blog), I am constantly singing your praises because your blog makes me super happy and inspired and you are constantly introducing me to new crafty things, or movie/tv things, or music things and I really can't tell you enough how much I love what you do here in your corner of the blog world. 🙂
Just between us Pips I have been wondering if you have the same NYE resolution that I do… my pledge each year is to make someone smile everyday of the year, even if it is only myself. I can imagine you doing that too, Pip. Kudos to you for being wise, brave and positive about an ikky situation. Credit where credits due I say!
Always give credit when you use or make something from someone else's blog or site or wherever. Being inspired is a bit trickier cause so much stuff seeps in when you are looking around, and this might not re-emerge in your art or craft till some time later. The fact that the person removed your link shows that they feel they were doing something sneaky. I think you'd have to be pretty superhuman not to find that distressing.
I made the baby yoga pants from your first book, and posted them on my blog earlier this year and put a link to your blog underneath the photo (of course!). The first clothing I've ever sewn from a pattern and I was so happy with them!! Thanks for being so generous with all your doings!
Hi Pip, first of all I would like to say that I am one of your anonymous readers (a clicky-stat number if you like….). I go quietly about my personal bloggy business and rarely make myself known in blogland (probably more testament to my inability to keep a blog for more than a 3 month stretch than anything else!)
However you should know that you inspire me constantly. I have a blogroll of about 10 blogs that inspire, invigorate, encourage and nurture my creative bones and you're right up there in the top. It's hard to be motivated when crafting comes second to a 'real' job and that 'real' job takes up 80% of your waking life…. You give me the excitement necessary to make the time.
Anyway, I appreciate it more than you can know. So THANK YOU and please keep on keeping on.
Also, I linked my blog to you a few weeks ago and you kindly return posted a comment full of encouragement. Thank you again. Could you be any more wonderful!?
x Emma
Inspired by this very post (I hope you don't mind…):
http://verydarkhorse.blogspot.com/2011/09/blatant-plagiarism.html
I actually penned most of the post before I came back to grab your link, and almost laughed out loud when I read this post – so flippen relevant! I always try very hard to credit the original idea, unless I can no longer track down the original source… You are super inspiring Pip!
i would definitely credit the person that inspired me or that did all the hard work and came up with the tutorial, i haven't really had that exact situation. but when i was taught how to crochet something in a class, i credited the girl that taught me coz i think its only right.
its hard in the creative world to say who owns ideas and stuff, but definitely if someone made something that was identical to a pattern i'd made up, i'd be pretty jumping mad if someone used it and said it was theirs and did all that cloak and daggery hiding stuff.
good on ya for finding a positive way around it!
X
Lets face it-it sucks!You have every reason to be miffed especially when you are so generous with your crafty goodness and so willing to share. I admire your positive attitude but there are a lot of people out there who have no blogging manners and they should give credit where credit is due. But you can't let them get you down because there are so many more grateful and nice sharey bloggy types out there than the crappy selfish ones:)
I too always try to give credit where credit's due. In my blog posts I usually link back to the blog or ravelry page where I got the pattern, or where I found inspiration. The only instances where I don't do that is if it has been previously mentioned in the blog, but after reading some of these comments maybe I should be re-linking each time so that the designers are sure that I truly appreciate the work they've done to make my life easier. Food for thought.
I really DO like to let people know what I was inspired by! And I like to link to those people (if they are bloggy or internet people) because sending a little traffic their way is my way of saying "thanks for the inspiration!" However, I do believe inspiration and blatant copying are two entirely different things, though.
Good for you, Pip!
A couple of years ago I came across a blogger who was using my blog design. They replaced my logo, but otherwise it was identical! For a few minutes I was really mad about it and started composing an angry email in my head.
Then it got stranger. On my blog I have a page called "101 Things in 1001 Days" which I used to track my goals over a period of time. This blogger had copied my page, but wrote a bit of a blurb about how much they had been inspired to begin the challenge thanks to my blog.
Awww, right? All forgiven.
There was just one problem: half of the goals on his page were MY GOALS!
That guy is still blogging, still using my design, and still actively commenting on my blog. In fact, that's how I found his blog in the first place – because he was actually linking to it in his comments on my blog!
For the record, I have never raised it with him because I find it all so incredibly baffling. This should not be confused with your superhuman philosophy of sharing. I am not yet evolved to that point, but I admire you completely for it!
Oh man, this is messing with my head! I'm a librarian (well, studying to be one) and we ALWAYS quote our sources. ALWAYS!
I really, really cannot understand people who don't do that. It's so easy to reference a blog – it's much harder to get all your sources present and correct in a 5,000 word essay. I think people who don't give credit where credit is due are really not nice. And it makes me not read their work anymore.
They should credit you. No question.
Thank you for your blog, I delight in checking it almost every day (I'd be one of your 'lurking' blog stats). Sounds like you have cause to feel a bit wronged, but the wisdom to accept you can't do much about it. Tricky. PLease don't be discouraged, however – I love what you put out there!
Hi Pip,
This is a great debate to have. I have to agree with everyone else in particular Jess who gave the first comment
"But, also – there are only so many ideas under the sun. How do I know they 'stole' the idea from me for sure? Maybe we came up with the same thing at the same time?"
I often think about who had the idea in the first place and if I dwell on that too much I wouldn't do any craft yet alone blog. I would me a nervous wreck worrying about offending people.
I have actually linked to your blog so much that I'm starting to feel like a stalker. I have no idea if you appreciate my links, because I don't get any feedback but that's okay. I've tried to email you first to ask your permission, then just to let you know what I'm doing, but for me your email doesn't work. I've put a shout out on Twitter. Not sure what else I can do.
I have recently started to put MY tutorials on my blog and to me they are my original work. Things I created for my kids school craft days 25 years ago. Re-inventing the old, but it maybe that you or any one of your followers could say "Hey that's mine, you stole it from me". If that was the case I can assure you I would not have done it intentionally.
I think the worst thing a blogger can do is copy word for word a post and claim it as there's and I believe that happens quite a bit.
I have nothing to gain from my blog but to share and make good friends. It would be nice to make an earning for all my effort but that's not likely to happen.
It's great to see you going from strength to strength and 2012 looks like being a great year for you. Thanks for an interesting and thought provoking post.
Good on you Pip for being the bigger person! Let's hope that in time the idea inspired individuals learn what a joy it is to be part of a connected and caring community. Until they do, it is them that lose out more than the one who has done the inspiring. Something that some of us learned in childhood – there is so much joy to be had from sharing with others – has unfortunately bypassed others. I hope that you will continue to offer inspiration and ideas – we love you for it!
P.S. To let you know how you have inspired me, I am madly crocheting granny squares to make a blanket for my bed. Thank you for the friendly granny squares tutorial that you must have spent AGES putting together. In the distant future when my blanket is completed, I will send you a pic.
Kim x
Good on you Pip for being the bigger person! Let's hope that in time the idea inspired individuals learn what a joy it is to be part of a connected and caring community. Until they do, it is them that lose out more than the one who has done the inspiring. Something that some of us learned in childhood – there is so much joy to be had from sharing with others – has unfortunately bypassed others. I hope that you will continue to offer inspiration and ideas – we love you for it!
P.S. To let you know how you have inspired me, I am madly crocheting granny squares to make a blanket for my bed. Thank you for the friendly granny squares tutorial that you must have spent AGES putting together. In the distant future when my blanket is completed, I will send you a pic.
Kim x
I love your positive, happy attitude that shines through in everything you write. Yes, I totally credit, and I love when other people do because as you said a) it's manners and b) I love following links and maybe finding more cool stuff! I also think it's okay to get a little mad when people are plain rude 🙂
Can 'o worms indeed Miss Pip! I am a bit obsessive bout crediting people, or at least I try to be. And I get quite annoyed when I see all the uncredited images floating about the internets.
I think if you have taken the time to use someone's pattern or be inspired by their words or images, you should also take the time to acknowledge the person that created that pattern etc, and give them credit where credit is due.
If there is a direct line between what you did and what they did, there is no excuse for not crediting, and I am awed by your terribly generous and un-angsty approach! (but as other people have commented, it's not worth getting a bee in your bonnet about it anyway, so the zen path is probably for the best)
Where it gets tricky is when something is just 'in the ether'. You know, like how bunting just exploded a little while back and one couldn't move in a crafty circle without tripping over something bunting related. In that kind of atmosphere I imagine there are crafty peeps all over the globe coming up with the same brilliant bunting ideas at the same time. And no one is copying anyone else.
I've also seen all kinds of ridiculous kerfuffles where someone has claimed they're design has been ripped off, and it's been shown that 'their' design has been around in some form since the 70s. Because there ain't a whole lot that is new in the world.
But, in the end, Is till reckon that if someone used your pattern they should most definitely tell people that.
Hi Pip
Ya know I think not crediting your source (unless you got amnesia between starting and finishing the project) is realllllllly bad karma. I made a cushion cover using your idea of a shirt front and mentioned my gratitude for the idea. Thats what its about, sending out gratitude, it always comes back to you. Thanks for being brilliant and for your generosity in sharing your ideas.
Kindest Regards
Jacqui
I have the bad habit of saving images to a folder on my desktop of things that I think are cool, and would like to try to imitate. But, I've never posted anything that I made without attempting to give proper credit. Also, if I make something as a git that is, admittedly, a total rip-off of what someone else made, I don't usually post them online, and when I give them and people compliment me, I say that I saw it online, even if I can't credit the exact person. I really need to be better about labeling my photos so I know where things came from… So, if I don't give credit where credit is due, it's because I can't remember where I first was inspired by it. Of course, if someone points out who was the original creator of the item, I'm happy to share that info!
I like your attitude!
Definitely credit where credit is due and definitely no selling of something you've made using someone else's idea or pattern. I get so angry when generous people provide patterns for personal use and people go and sell things.
Your attitude is really impressive but I think it is to important to remember that you are, after all, quite right to be a bit miffed and dismayed when these things happen. This is your blog and you can express what you feel here. Although I've never commented before I'm here often. I appreciate all the effort and time you invest in us and think it's sad that people do such things. But your right not to get bitter because that can be consuming, just keep helping us to get better! Thanks!
My husband would love your space invaders blanket!
I know what you mean. On the one hand, imitation is the greatest form of flattery and on the other hand would it take that much time out of someone's day to say, oh by the way, this pattern/idea came from here.
If I've copied a pattern or something directly, I say where from and provide a link. But sometimes as well, I might end up making a hybrid of a whole lot of different things I have seen, and I think that is where it gets tricky.
I think it's pretty big of you actually to say that you are not going to mind (or try not to mind!) I think a lot of people would see red.
I think it would be totally wrong to sell anyone elses ideas or patterns though, that is really crossing a line.
I get my inspiration from all over. I like looking at things you have made. I made the heat wheatie bag friend from one of your books, and your crochet blankets have been a big inspiration for me learning to crochet. Royal Sisters blog is great for tutorials and I love Ravelry and Attic24 in particular. Anna Maria Horner is my fave for quilting and I just discovered Cluck Cluck Sew as well, which has great patterns.
Sorry! Didn't expect I would ramble on for so long!
That is a tuffy. I can't say it wouldn't hurt my feelings if I had worked really hard on developing an idea and then *BAM* someone else decides they want to take the credit. I would probably pout, stomp, and complain. I'm not sure this would do anything. But…
Now when Big corporations steal from small business, thats when I get really fussy. This has happened with several artists and big companys. That is true bummerville when they are selling mass produced items and yours was one of a kind and made with love and by hand.
Okay now if it was recreated for personal use and they aren't selling it, I feel okay if I don't get credit.
But..if they are selling an original idea, I think they should be called out. I'm sorry, but that's not fair.
I always credit someone, especially if I used their idea, that's only courteous.
You should be proud that you designed something.
I don't know, that's my gut response. I haven't had this happen but I know bummerville would set in.
When I go to create something that I might possibly sell, I google the heck out it, to see if someone has something similar, if they do, I scratch the idea, and go back to the drawing board. I don't want be considered a copycat, and I don't want to hurt another artist's feelings.
Okay that's my shpeel.
Your are gracious though, and that does tell a whole mess about a person, kudos to you!!!
I love giving credit, and even thought that's what you're supposed to do, I still get nervous sometimes. People are so antsy over this issue, I worry the person I am crediting will be unhappy with me anyway. People has such individual takes on this and so many rules/why/and wherefores of how you can/can't do things, it's confusing sometimes. I figure we all build off each other and if I make someone mad one day, I'll deal with that instance and move on. What else can you do?
Gosh, this is a tricky one. I write short stories. And if someone ever nicked a story of mine and passed it off as their own, I think I might want to rush around to their house with a carving knife. But I know enough to know that there's nothing new under the sun and I don't have the monopoly on ideas – just my words and the way I string them together. So if someone wants to take my idea and string words together in a different way, I guess I'd put the carving knife away.
I definitely give credit, especially if I'm using a pattern or a step-by-step tutorial. I think one of the best things about blogs is stumbling on new books, blogs and Flickr accounts, which can't happen if we don't credit our sources.
Plus, links on blogs and Twitter are good for SEO, which helps out small businesses and blogs.
I understand artist and copyright as my life partner of 20 yrs is a professional photographer and wants credit for his published work. And credit can also mean more work, more pay and more glory.
However I am starting to question more and more the individualist capitalistic thoughts around all of the me, me, me, mine, mine, mine. My credit, my rights, my work, my ideas…
Don't be offended, these are just ideas I have been toying with lately due to lots of reading on the green revolution and capitalism.
Everyone gets inspiration from everywhere else. And we may think we are original and no one else thought of it – but maybe we saw it somewhere and our subconscience mind took it in for another time when we create and think it was just us on a little own.
Or maybe at the end of the day we are all creative beings who need to share without worrying about "my" work being copied because there's a dollar value or pride riding on it. Because at the moment our world is going a bit crazy about this mine business. For example look at the seed business and the copyrighting of seeds – and if your plant cross pollinates with my plant I can sue you… Does crafting want to that way too? No cross pollination inspiration allowed without having to rack your brain of a lifetime of inspiration (since birth) to know who to give credit to.
Hi Pip, You are really a good person that you are not going totally nuts when people "steal" your idea or don´t give you credit for the original idea. I think I would be totally pi…. off.
I always give credit to the person who made the pattern I did follow or gave the idea for a special project. Either I mention the name or I link to the blog it came from.
But as you said, even if people steal ideas from you and don´t give you credit, you know that they like your work and style. But they are not so cool as you and pretend it´s their own thing 🙂
Keep on beeing so nice and crafty. Thats why we all read your blog and buy your books.
Hey Pip, i am a regular clicker in your stats but just look at your fabulous creations (because i am so not crafty!) and often follow your fun and interesting links (have started reading the happiness project following your recc – love it thanks!). definitely bad manners not to acknowledge the source of creativity but as gretchen says "let it go" and "spend out" – you and many many other people know that what you do and create is fabulous. don't let a bad apple or two spoil what's so good. SG
Yes, I agree with you, some people just don't have the manners, or the conscience!
hi again – you might like this too???
http://www.austinkleon.com/2011/03/30/how-to-steal-like-an-artist-and-9-other-things-nobody-told-me/
adios amiga
Hi Pip…just want to let you know i love your blog. It is very cool. It is funny you are talking about this as i came across this linkwithlove site you might be interested in (or might already know it) http://linkwithlove.typepad.com/
I know this is nothing to do with craft but this coal seam gas buisness is very worrying to me and if it is to you too i was wondering if you might mention this getup campaign on your blog as so many people read it.
http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/coal-seam-gas/csg-ad-petition/dont-risk-coal-seam-gas
Hope you are having a sunshinyday, love frmom kate
That's a hard one. I am trying to be more open these days to the idea of people doing this. Namely because I think it has a lot to do with ego, and I try not to let ego get the better of me, but having said that, if someone copied my work directly, it would be hard for me to be all 'ok' about it.
However, it hit me the other day that…. yes we all get inspiration from others, as I have had quite a few people comment recently that my work reminded them of 'such and such' an artist, and yet I had honestly never even thought of this artist when doing my own work and certainly didn't think I was influenced by it. I personally can't see the connection exactly, but others seem to.
You are an inspiration Pip! I think you have a great attitude and I love that your blog is all about sharing ideas, and supporting other crafters. I sell some crochet bags and hats on my Etsy shop(made by my mum btw!) and in the listing I include a link to the lady who wrote the patterns. I'm sure more people end up buying the pattern than the finished item from us, but I don't mind at all, I'm much more comfortable giving credit where it is due. There have been times when I've made something after finding several tutorials or images of virtually the same thing but all made by different people. In this case I've not linked it back to anyone, but I also haven't claimed it as my own original either. I am feeling a little guilty though as I'm not sure if I have ever mentioned in my blog posts on learning to crochet that the granny square pattern I've used is from your Meet Me At Mikes book…but I absolutely will! It's a great easy to follow pattern…thank you 🙂
Credit where credit is due I reckon…I always try to credit the source of inspiration. A bit of linky love all round is a nice thing.
Try not to get too bothered if people use my ideas without credit although it does make me wince a little.
I have written a few emails to people who actually use my photos and say it's theirs….that's a bit naughty I think! There is a line….and that is definitely crossing it!
gosh, another super great blog post, Pip, good on you! I think you are so right to raise what you've raised, and very brave to be trying to work it all out in your own head, and share it with everyone too.
I am very new to having an online 'identity' and haven't yet made anything from a tutorial or anything where I could post a pic and say 'look at this! this is where it's from!' – but I HAVE made stuff from patterns and tutorials before I 'existed online', and emailed the pattern/tutorial creator to say thank you – even when it's been for something like a nifty way to make quilt-binding.
I think if someone has come up with an original thought or idea, then gone to the trouble to make a pattern to sell or a tutorial to share (for free!), then they should be acknowledged. It only takes a quick 'made from xyz pattern' or even 'inspired by xyz tutorial', if you've put your own twist on it. But I guess sometimes, honest oversights can happen, or people can forget.
I think credit where credit is due – share the love, share the happy.
I think it's nice to give credit to the pattern or the inspiration if you're going to play crafty show and tell on the internet!
It's share and share alike. I'm happy for anyone to use my tutorials but I think it's just common courtesy to acknowledge the source.
I did however find someone selling something online identical to one of my designs, but we had an email convo back and forth and it just seems that we'd had the exact same idea at the exact same time. Strange but true!
Hey Pip!
I have to say your feelings are exactly how I would feel if someone did the same thing to me and my ideas (I'd be hurt but I'd want to try and be ok with it and the sharing of ideas). Although you are probably a more generous person than me anyway (I have never managed to post a tutorial because I don't feel like I'd like someone to do things exactly the same way as me, although I'm happy if they are inspired by what I've made and re-created it in their own way). BUT I have to confess I don't always mention when I am inspired by someone else if I feel like I'm doing my own thing and if the inspiration was little. Um for example a while ago you asked everyone to donate pom poms for your shop window and I really liked the idea then promptly forgot to make and send you one and its only been recently (in the past few weeks) that I remembered the idea and realised that it might be fun to make some pom poms for myself. So I haven't mentioned you as my inspiration because it all seems so far away and tangental BUT if you had made a THING that really really inspired me to make something like that or really similar to yours then of course I would mention you and even put a link to the particular post that inspired me! Does that make sense? I hope so 🙂
Hi Pip,
I've never commanded your blog before, but I can certainly understand your feelings about this matter. I think you are very brave in trying to be ok with it and I agree that it is hard!
I don't blog but when I make something that comes from you or Lucy (attic 24), Ingrid (wood&woolstool), Yvonne (Yvestown) I always tell everyone where I got the idea or pattern from. I would never think about pretending it to be my own idea/design. I do feel however that it's not worth spilling the energy over if someone does claim a certain design of idea to be their own if it's not. But hey, that''s just me 😉
x Miralda (Netherlands)
Pip, if i had a blog or a twitter account or anything in internet land i would credit you with many lovely things i have been inspired to make (like your chicken minestrone with pesto num num num or your many craft tutorials i have followed), but i do it in real life to my family, my friends and the girls at Brown Owls (which is also thanks to you). So you have also inspired me to send pics of any Pip related projects from now on!
I think the maybe only sane way of dealing with the inspiration/copying issue in the craft community is to realise that it is pretty much some sort of Natural Law. It’s gonna happen. It’s human nature. Tearing your hair out over it every time it happens seems… like a quick way to go bald :o)
I also think, and this is NOT directed at you personally Pip, that sometimes people are too quick to think someone has copied them. They look a bit silly when they arc up and have a blog tanty or forum rant about it. Because often someone HAS done something similar before them but because they aren’t a part of their particular crafty clique/blogging circle they just haven’t come across it before. Nothing new under the sun and the longer you hang around blogland, or pore over old craft manuals, the more you realise it!
I credit because it's a fun thing to do! I wonder if the person who created this would like to see mine! They might visit my little bloggy home if I tell them about it. As for my own ideas…if a person has developed the actual handcraft skills to be able to carry out a copy of something… I kinda feel like that’s perfectly legitimate! I wish more people would do it, have a go making things they see, its often not hard. If they did try we’d have fewer factories belching out masses of product nobody cares about after three months! It would be nice to find out if someone happened to make something of mine, but it’s a bit funny to think they owe me anything simply because they have eyes and skills and wifi. Seems a bit much to EXPECT credit, but certainly very heartwarming IF you get it!
When people who make money from their craft have their ideas copied and sold by others, I can imagine that would hurt terribly. But part of being a clear-eyed businessperson is knowing what actual, legal protections are in place to protect your ideas and playing in that space. Often there’s really nothing you can do and you have to come to accept that, and trust in the renewable nature of your own creativity and the quality of your workmanship- which will take you a lot further than anyone can get to simply by copying.
Usually if I make something from a person's free pattern or tutorial or whatever, I only make 1 or 2 of them, as a challenge to see if I CAN actually make that thing. Then I always ALWAYS credit the person who shared that pattern,so that my friends can have a go at it too. I don't sell things I make, I give them away. I get tired of hearing people say "Ooh you could SELL that" those people don't get handmade presents from me – they'd probably sell them. If that person who made the "Original" thing from your idea then quickly whipped away the link to Mikes, then they obviously have a guilty conscience. And probably can't sleep very well now. Bad craft karma.
A few months ago I thought that I had made something up that was super original. I made a tutorial for it and now I have seen something extremely similar in a book to be released later this year. The second I saw this thing I instantly felt that the idea had been ripped off from me. I wrote a blog about it, trying not to accuse anyone of anything, just pointing out the similarities… The truth is that I think I just came across as a bad sport and no-one wants to read about that sort of thing, so I wasn't doing myself any favours. But yes I felt pissed of and I wanted to claim it as my own… but maybe it wasn't even pinched off me – its incredible how many peeps share similar ideas… Bottom line however is I think that you should always ALWAYS give credit where its due and link back to anyone who's idea you are using. Bec x
I'm new to crafting and I love to blog hop and get ideas and then give it a bash, and then show it off on my blog if I'm proud of it. However unless it's a blog I follow I dont take down reference details or even do the thing right away. I try to remember to 'give credit' to a book or blog, even if I just say "inspiration from some long forgotten blog post…"
I'd be peeved if I had an original idea and it was copied and sold, because it must be blummin hard to come up with original ideas; your right to feel ambivelent I think x
I think you have the right idea Pip… Such a wise owl you are! But doesn't it help to have a good old chat about it in the bloggosphere… I learnt how to crochet from my friends Heather, but after she left I used your fantabulous youtube tutes to get me over some hurdles. I daresay I'll be using them again. I hope I remember to link back to them!! I think it's such a creative minefield out there that there's bound to be a bit of friendly fire…
I agree! I think it is impossible to be precious with your ideas and I think everyone should give credit where it is due. It is pretty silly not to because you will always be found out anyway. How can you live with pretending an idea is your own when you know deep down it isn't anyway?! Often practicing a new technique using someone else's idea leads to a whole lot of original inspiration anyway so just say where you go the idea from and everyone is happy!
It's really hard to lay claim to anything in the craft world … it's all been done and redone. People put their own spin on things … but basically it's older than time. If you dont want it copied, don't put it out there!
My opinion is, if you have been directly inspired by someone else's original work, or used a pattern of theirs, you should definitely credit that person – it's just good manners! I'm pretty new to this blogging thing and I try to post as much original content as I can. But when I use a pattern or image from someone else's site I will always credit them and provide a link – it's the least I can do considering that person has effectively helped me make my blog look nice.
Artists have been copying and not crediting each other for centuries though, and it will keep happening until the end of time.
So Pip, I think you are right in deciding not to let it get to you too much, even though it is annoying when someone blatantly rips off an idea you had.
It seems the majority of people have good manners and WILL give credit. And those are the people that matter.
In the design world (eg. I am a web designer – and kinda graphics designer) this can get pretty sketchy. Esp since it's pretty easy to download a website you like the design of and re-use it. I have seen it happen quite a few times…. and although it has not (to my knowledge) happened to me yet – my attitude about it similar to yours… "o well, whatever". I do secretly think to myself that the copiers are loosing out in the end – they are lacking in original ideas so must claim yours – this is not a good long term business solution.
In the craft world I see duplicates all over the friggin place and to be honest – its hard to actually know who came up with some ideas in the first place. I also think some people by accident come to a similar conclusion on their projects… just a universe fluke. Thats not to say its just good form to give credit where credit is due… and I do do so when i know where it came from in the first place!
But if someone came up to me and told me they started the sock knitting craze – or were the first to paint on stones I would have a few bones to pick… starting with something along the lines of "before you were born". Lets just say in this craft world there are actually the tinkers and original thinkers who chat and share ego aside. The there are the ones with egos that REALLY do kid themselves that creativity is all them. And in their little world it is there to boost up their rather low self involved attitude… to be pitied really. Not worth your stress or emotion!
as a food blogger, this is totes interesting, cause lets face it – I cook alot of things that people have made a million times before, what I try and do is put my own spin on it. I didnt come up with 'the chocolate cake' after all. I think people should be proud of their efforts, but definitley give credit where credit is due. After all, if you are just copying, it shows that you are good with your hands – not with your mind. Artictic thievery.
T x
Yes yes yes, SUCH a vexed question. I know others who get really antsy about people making work 'similar' to theirs. But seriously! I am NOT the first to invent bags, wrap skirts, or baby's jackets, and it just makes me very sad when I see this kind of self-centred, ungenerous behaviour. No, those ideas are NOT original! I believe every person puts things together in their own idiosyncratic way, and I reckon if people are willing to put in the time & effort themselves, they are welcome to make those things – nothing I make has any great secret techniques to it. I would probably be more upset if a large company copied my designs and massed-produced them for sale (although in some curious way, I would be flattered too!). But I am inventive to the core, and probably would get over it and just come up with a new idea. Life is too short.
Oh, I'm with ya Pip. If you are inspired by someone then you should say so when you blog about it.. like "I was inspired by a piece I saw on (bla bla)" ……or if you can't remember where you saw what inspired you – say so .. like "I was inspired by a piece I saw out there in blogland but unfortunately cannot remember where I saw it".
But hey, maybe this person that you're talking about lives in another realm & somehow they crossed over to ours via the internet…. 😉
Hey Pip!
This happens occasionally to my hubby & I and it does sometimes push our buttons – especially (as the lovely Jess said) if the person "inspired" by us is selling the item inferring it's their original idea etc etc
BUT, after we put our cranky pants on and strop around a little while, we tend to change into nicer pants & utilise the energy that we had been wasting being all pouty & stroppy, to then do something better, something more 'different', something new we can feel proud of all over again. Then I feel a little sad for the folk who have to copy others.
To me that infers that they lack ideas of their own. My hubby & I have too many ideas & not enough energy/time (one day we'll afford "staff" so we can get more done behind the scenes.)
So I choose to be happy and stay focussed on creating the things we enjoy creating & keep blinkers on whenever possible.
This is also why you'll never see me frequenting the many many GORGEOUS shops in our city as I don't want to *even accidentally* be "inspired" by an original idea that belongs to someone else.
Also as the wise Jess said – what if they came up with the same idea at the same time? This happened to me when I was planning a new shop window for spring. I was all set to make a trillion pom poms & hang them in our window. I'd already googled how to make pom poms as I'd not made them since school when WHAM! Meet Me At Mikes had a SCRUMPTIOUS window full of pom poms and I thought "great minds think alike but I'd hate Pip to think I copied her!" and made bunting from granny squares instead – as I'd never seen bunting made from granny squares anywhere before.
I consciously chose to do something else because I never want anyone to think I'm a "copycat".
It's just not my thing. But each to their own I guess…
Anyway hee hee I'm raving like a loon when I'm meant to be helping hubby screen print! Oops!
Thanks, as always, for the thought provoking words Ms Pip.
xx
Nici Blackbird
pip have you seen 'exit through the gift shop'? surely yes? i have only just seen it this past week and this post made me think of it, a) cos there is the artist SPACE INVADER in it, plus b) the whole angle of inspiration/ripping off others etc etc.
unfortuantely i think when it comes to ALL types of creative arts this sort of thing you mention is fairly standard practice, always has been, always will be? what about that MATT BLANC replica furniture guy making news today…
I think you should always give credit where credit is due! Absolutely! Whenever I've made something that I saw somewhere else I always make sure I link back to that person & don't sell it off as my own idea. Sometimes though, you think you have an original idea & then bam! You see someone has already made your super original thingy! I do get peeved when I see others making my stuff – I've had a couple of de ja vu moments when looking at another blog or over at made it!
And you, my lady, have finally taught me to crochet(I learn't from your video tutes), a feat my Mother couldn't achieve(too much squabbling & impatience involved I think – from me!). So thanks. And I blogged it & linked back to your tute so hopefully even more people will be able to learn.
Love your work!
I always credit the sources that have inspired me even when my particular project turns out to be nothing more than a nod to the original idea. I think the Karma Bus will come around for those people who are too small to give credit where credit is due.
I also think your approach is the right one, hard as it may sometimes be to carry it through. Thank you for being who you are, for sharing yourself and inspiring creativity.
I think it's really important to credit your sources as appropriate. For example, I've been drooling over an artist's paintings for some time, so much so that I emailed her to ask if I could embroider a design of one of them (for personal use, not to sell I hasten to add). I just think it is good manners.
I've retailed for a few years and whilst i don't do it so much now due to spending most of my time over at Green Renters HQ, I have had things I've made copied and sold for profit.Not nice. I have never made millions as a crafter, but the funds of mine have contributed to being able to pay the rent whilst starting our own not for profit.
However I think there's a big difference between your own original idea being copied directly and getting upset because someone else bought the same craft materials or fabric or whatever on Etsy and came up with a related concept. We all read blogs and pinterest and countless tutorials online. There are a lot of trends and themes that are samey. Because they are more visible and part of a bigger trend they are perhaps more likely to be replicated? I don't know…
I guess I see it all is about respect. For people that copy deliberately i guess I'd say: The world is creative. There's enough ideas out there for all of us.Look beyond craft blogs and you could come up with the most amazing innovations you ever imagined possible 🙂
I think you should definately give credit for ideas, inspirations and tutorials! It's like poassing on a little bit of goodness to someone else so they too can benefit from your 'finds'. It is most definately cheeky and a little rude to pretend something is yours when it's not.
I try super-hard to be open about my inspirations and not pretend I came up with some fabulous idea on my own – because generally I AM using other people's tutorials and patterns and I like to pass on the good ideas to others and give credit where credit is due. The only problem comes when it's an idea that's all over the internet and some people are trying to claim it as theirs and getting miffed and all that territorial stuff. Sometimes they have a point and sometimes they're just clearly not in the right but getting super-worked up about it anyways and that's kind of pathetic and says more about their insecurities and personal issues than anything.
I did a 'tutorial' of sorts on how to make a custom mug cosy a year ago or so and I've seen similar posts since and I always get a little frisson of "that's my idea!" and then have to remind myself quite sternly that a mug cosy is hardly my idea and I need to just get a grip. But if someone ripped off my felt bunny pattern I'd probably have a much much harder time with it. Luckily no-one has, or I haven't seen it, which amounts to the same thing as far as I'm concerned! But if the day comes when I'm faced with it, I'll try and have as much class as you!
I think you should always give credit if you're publishing a tutorial and you got your inspiration from another blog. I'm on Tumblr where people publish legit blogs' tutorials, with all the photos and all the instructions without giving credit – I mean essentially screen shots. What this means is that people aren't coming to the bloggers' sites to see the tutorials there and giving you page views which could lead to increased revenue for those of you that have sponsors – like the pancake photo/recipe on Tumblr that got 13,000 hits. I like to follow Design Sponge's guidelines on posting sources – which is really strict. And I think it is about you and the entire artistic community going down this slippery slope of work not being sourced, attributed, etc… So this isn't exactly what you were talking about, but I'd like all my work credited – then do what you want with it!
I absolutely understand how you feel. It's that sort of sick feeling because you don't want to have to point out, that yes, well actually that was my idea. It's sort of like when someone makes a cake from a packet and don't admit it. Who wants to be a bad sport or get all snotty about it. Oh well it's on their conscience.
P.S lucky me received Sew La Tea Do for my birthday yesterday! And sewing lessons! Can't wait…
Wow! you have such a generous spirit. You always seem to try and take the route to happiness instead of to bitterness and I think that is SO admirable.
I make lots of things and often use tutorials and while I don't have a blog, I do have a flickr page and I always add a link to the tutorial and add my picture to the related group too. I think it's just good manners. I want to show the person that I appreciate all their hard work in coming up with the idea and creating the tutorial. And when I eventually get around to making one of your crochet blankets I will totally send you a picture!
Can o worms Pippy, I'm looking forward to reading all the comments as they flood in. BTW, we are going to the show Weds, are you guys showing this year?
I ALWAYS give credit too. Because it is nice manners! AND it might lead people to even more great stuff they like!
I would ABSOLUTELY give credit if I used someone else's idea, even if it was inspiration for me coming up with a Totally Different Idea (which hasn't actually happened yet, but anyway!). Yes.
This is definitely one of those 'hot button' topics in the crafty community, Pip!
Personally, if someone is making something for themselves, using my own original work as 'inspiration' – or just straight-out copying it, well, I'm okay with that. It would be nice if they said 'hey, I got this idea from Jess over on Epheriell Designs' but if not, well, okies.
However, I'm not *quite* so cool if they're then *selling* what they've made.
But, also – there are only so many ideas under the sun. How do I know they 'stole' the idea from me for sure? Maybe we came up with the same thing at the same time?
And even if they did 'steal' the idea, well, life is too short to stress and focus on the negatives. I just focus on *me* and my work, and make it as super-awesome as I can. Because I have total control over that, and THAT is empowering!
xx