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.
Hello Adele,
ReplyDeleteI've been following your blog and I happen also to be the girl in the Yahoo! Group who tried to convert kumihimo into bead crochet. What I find extremely annoying in the magazine's behaviour is not only the... reckless use of your work, but also the erroneous information given to readers, making your work pass as authentic Turkish handmade items instead of what it really is, namely the work of a contemporary American artist inspired by another culture's craft.
Silvia
That is really disgraceful that you were treated so unfairly.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing what some people will do! I recently had a women ask if she could show some of my photos of a bead crochet item in my Etsy shop in the newsletter for which she was the publisher. She said she wanted to "show samples of bead crochet." Hmm, really?
She sent a bogus link with her email, but after a little Googling I found her website and the newsletter was a private one filled with tutorials that she sent out monthly to promote her own patterns and kits to her mail list. I'd bet oodles that she wasn't going to tender credit to me either. Her own designs were pretty uninspiring to me.
Needless to say, I graciously declined to give permission.
I'm sorry that Dr. Recklies did not get credit for her designs in the photographs -- I forwarded the photos that she sent me, with her descriptions, directly to the magazine. I also thought I had described all of her work clearly in the article, but again, I'm sorry if there were any doubts about her contributions. I truly hope the magazine clears everything up to her liking in the next issue! Phyllis Serbes
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