I was going to wait until Inside Crochet published a promised correction so that I didn't have to do a grumpy blog post about not getting design credit but too many people have been asking about this, so here goes.The latest issue (September 2011) of the magazine used photos of my designs without giving me credit. A woman named Phyllis Serbes contacted me in February ago to ask permission to use some of my research in an article on Turkish crochet, the craft of her ancestors. After I said yes, she asked for a few photos of my work for possible inclusion in the magazine. I sent her some photos.
So now the article is out and I find my work used as examples of anonymous crafters from Turkey. Here is my Ziggy Snake Necklace described only as showing typical patterns of flowers and use of vibrant colors. Aside from the fact that it is my design, the inspiration was actually Balkan.
Then we have my Turkish Delight bracelets--again no design credit-- with the description that Turkish crochet uses color combinations seen nowhere else. Really? Not even in my design studio?
Next we have one of the snake bracelet projects from my book Bead Crochet Snakes: History and Technique. These were just described with "Snakes are common creations in beaded crochet."
As an added tweak, the magazine also used the photo of my Side by Side bracelet design-- again with no design credit--and then published the strikingly similar pattern below by Phyllis Serbes in the same article:
Now, I don't think it is quite copyright infringement because I did put a free tutorial for the Turkish Flat Bead Crochet stitch on my website but it just seems bad form to omit design credit on the photo of my bracelet and then offer a pattern that is clearly taken from my bracelet. I like the macrame closure, it's cute; so does that mean it is okay for me to start using her closure in my Turkish Flat Bead Crochet Bracelets?
Phyllis Serbes seemed like a nice lady and a representative from the magazine said that the design credit omission was their fault but this whole thing has spoiled the magazine for me. I probably won't be buying any more issues or contibuting anything else to them.
