When I say reverse engineering, I'm talking about the practice of drafting a pattern in order to duplicate a quilt for personal use without purchasing a pattern from the original designer. And when I say ethical, I am not talking about what is legal, so we're not even going to go there. The goal of this post is to start a dialogue on what seems like a common, but private practice, not point fingers.
I've have had several informal discussions with friends (some of whom are pattern designers) about reverse engineering patterns since I first started asking myself this question. In an effort to cast a wider net, I conducted a small survey through Survey Monkey.
Of the 25 respondents, 22 had reverse engineered a pattern, which wasn't a big surprise to me. I've heard people casually comment that they could "figure out" a pattern enough times to guess that the practice is widespread. The reasons people cited for reverse engineering patterns did surprise me though. I expected the #1 reason would be to save money, but more people seemed to approach it like I had, out of sheer desire to solve a puzzle.
In response to the question, "If I wanted to make a quilt pattern that is readily available for purchase, but think I could reverse-engineer it, I would...", only 3 respondents (12%) said they would only purchase the pattern if they were unable to reverse engineer it. However, that's not to say that money doesn't play a part. The results clearly indicated that customers are happy to buy patterns...if they believe the design merits the price. The survey echoed the dozens of comments I've heard and read that many people feel little guilt over reverse engineering simplistic designs like HST quilts or quilts based on traditional blocks.
The overall impression I get from the survey is that quilters value originality and want to support designers who bring something new to the table.
I emailed Cheryl Arkinson for some input in this post after reading an interview in which she stated that she reverse engineered patterns as a quilt newbie, but later realized that designers deserve to be compensated for their creativity. I asked her what prompted her change of heart. Her response:
"One day in a local quilt shop the owner was telling me about the designer whose pattern I had in my hand. In some ways it was a sob story, but not really. This particular designer - whose name I couldn't remember if I tried - got out of an abusive relationship and raised her kids on her own. She made a living from pattern design! It made me see that there are people and a lot of work behind that $8 piece of paper and plastic in my hand."Cheryl firmly believes that reverse engineering patterns without financially supporting the designer is unethical, and I'm inclined to agree with her. I don't think anyone is going to stop reverse engineering because of this post, but I hope readers will take a moment to consider its implications. We want our favorite pattern designers to keep creating new projects to inspire us and without financial compensation for their work, some may throw in the towel. You can still play your puzzle games, but show your appreciation and buy the pattern too. To quote Beyonce, "If you liked it, then you should've put a ring on it."
What do you think?
I totally get the need to support the artists who come up with designs. But, I'm not going to buy a pattern for a basic HST quilt or a flying geese quilt. I just don't need a pattern to put that together myself. Patterns that put these shapes together in a unique way - like the Rebel Quilt for example - I would and do buy. Yes, I could figure this out myself, but the designer already put a ton of work into figuring it out for me, and she deserves credit for that. I also don't hesitate to buy patterns for new techniques I want to learn, like curved piecing or needle-turn applique. I bought The Quilter's Mixology because I wanted the writer's advice on piecing curves, though free drunkard's path blocks are everywhere. I don't think I would ever directly copy a quilt without buying the pattern. I might take inspiration, but if I love it enough to copy it straight up I would definitely fork over the money.
ReplyDeleteCaveat, I have more experience buying or not buying knitting patterns than I do quilt patterns, but it's very similar.
ReplyDeleteIs it ethical? IMO, yes, it's fine, as long as you're just making it for personal use.
However, there is an advantage (sometimes) to paying for the pattern, even if it's not super unusual- yes I know how to make a HST, but if someone else has done the yardage calculation, color & layout suggestions, thought out some tips on how to best put things together, so forth, that can be very much worth paying for. Some patterns do this and some don't, regardless of their complexity.
The other thing is, it's kind of up to designers to know what will sell and what won't. If your quilt pattern can be easily reverse-engineered, maybe it's not worth it to put the time & effort into a sellable pattern, because it's not going to be a moneymaker. Not being a designer I don't know much about that aspect but I'm sure people take this into account.
There are probably more aspects I'm not even thinking about... it can be a complicated issue, but I think as long as your aim is not to rip anyone off, you're probably good.
I reverse engineer a lot! I also buy a lot! However, I do not design or market patterns so I may have a different perspective.
ReplyDeleteThere is precious little that is truly new out there in the quilt world today. Many patterns are themselves redrafted traditional blocks or copies of old or foreign quilts. I'm sure making a living in quilting is hard, but for me, someone who began quilting before there were so many patterns & who learned how to draft blocks & can solve for the unknown in a Pythagorean equation -- I feel no qualms about figuring it out myself. To my mind, patterns are largely for those who are new quilters or who lack confidence in their abilities to figure it out themselves. The only thing a pattern provides for me is knowing in advance how much fabric it takes to make the quilt, but I don't mind running out & substituting in something else. If I worry about hurting feelings or stepping on toes or getting sued, then I get my inspiration from antique quilts.
ReplyDeleteI would say that reverse engineering a pattern that someone is selling, then giving it away for free might be in an ethically gray place.
I like designing my own quilt patterns. Sometimes for sale, sometimes for personal use. But when I do it all myself, that fist quilt has some learning curve. There might be a yardage miscalculation, or having to re-make blocks larger so they square up right... a self-drafted pattern almost always comes with some extra Hoops to jump through. Which is part of the fun!
ReplyDeleteA good store-bought pattern has been tested. The math is right. It will come together seamlessly (see what I did there?). So, when buying a pattern, I'm not just buying the design... I'm buying peace of mind because the designer and pattern testers have done all the trouble-shooting for me.
And while I always love to look at a quilt and figure out where the blocks are, and how it was put together, if I'm going to make a quilt based on a pattern, I'm going to buy the pattern, and give the designer credit. Making their pattern is like joining a club of all the other makers who have also taken this quilty journey.
I like designing my own quilt patterns. Sometimes for sale, sometimes for personal use. But when I do it all myself, that fist quilt has some learning curve. There might be a yardage miscalculation, or having to re-make blocks larger so they square up right... a self-drafted pattern almost always comes with some extra Hoops to jump through. Which is part of the fun!
ReplyDeleteA good store-bought pattern has been tested. The math is right. It will come together seamlessly (see what I did there?). So, when buying a pattern, I'm not just buying the design... I'm buying peace of mind because the designer and pattern testers have done all the trouble-shooting for me.
And while I always love to look at a quilt and figure out where the blocks are, and how it was put together, if I'm going to make a quilt based on a pattern, I'm going to buy the pattern, and give the designer credit. Making their pattern is like joining a club of all the other makers who have also taken this quilty journey.
If a designer has published a pattern for say a nine patch quilt, am I obligated to buy that pattern before I make a similar quilt? No. I am happy to buy a pattern for an innovative new quilt idea, but I see so many quilt patterns for the simplest of designs.
ReplyDeleteI am a big proponent of supporting our fellow quilters, many of whom are women. This is a fabulous industry that has many female entrepreneurs, and I want to support that.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, I have reversed engineered a pattern before, and will likely do it again. Do I feel guilty about it? Sometimes. What makes me continue to reverse engineer at times is the feeling like I'm not getting enough from a pattern that I couldn't reverse engineer in five minutes. If there is a unique color scheme, that's one reason that may persuade me to purchase the pattern. If I open the pattern up and can see that there are detailed cutting and pressing instructions, I almost always purchase the pattern. If I open up the pattern and do NOT see pressing instructions for a complex block, I will not purchase and instead reverse engineer. If I still have to figure out the pressing seam directions for say a Carpenter Star, then what's the point? I can find a free version online somewhere with the simple cutting instructions and go from there (and oftentimes even pressing directions!).
I guess my point is, sometimes I feel underwhelmed by some of our current pattern designers and their lack of instructions (and sometimes originality and creativity). To pay $10 for one pattern folded into a plastic sleeve, I expect it to tell me everything. If not, I can find it online for free, or I can purchase a magazine for $5-10 that has 5-8 quilt patterns, most often with pressing instructions and quilting ideas.
There are a few designers I know that do an excellent job with their patterns, and I always purchase their patterns (like Elizabeth Hartman). Then there are other designers that continually leave me underwhelmed and I have stopped purchasing them and will reverse engineer.
I have reverse engineered a quilt block, especially if it is based on an older block that has been around for decades, and don't really feel that bad about it. I have a hard time buying patterns that are just rehashing a block or pattern that has been around and in the public domain for years. Designers that are doing unique things, I happily buy the books and patterns. And designers that take those older blocks and do something new with or present them in ways I never would have thought...re-imagined, reinterpreted...I will buy that. I think there are a lot of new things coming out...Elizabeth Hartman (mentioned above), Carolyn Friedlander, Jen Kingwell, Sarah Fielke (to name a few of my faves)...I find that is where my money will go to. The patterns made from HSTs or log cabin blocks, or squares, I can do that. I have the mechanics down, I don't need the pattern to know how to make these blocks and the rest is just fabric choice. I hope this makes sense and doesn't sound too harsh, I don't mean it to. :)
ReplyDeleteI know I'm a late commenter, but I wanted to add one thought that I didn't see mentioned yet. I reverse engineered a quilt pattern last year that was for HST in a pretty common layout and I didn't hesitate for a couple main reasons. I knew I wanted to change the size of the sashing (to change the overall size of the quilt) and I knew I wanted to construct the HST in a different way (4 or 8 at a time, I can't remember which) and I knew, based on the fabric requirements which allowed for using precuts, that the instructions and yardage requirements were based on a different method. Now, I know she was intentionally using precuts and that's cool, but I wasn't, so I didn't want to sew 2 at a time. Since I knew I'd be doing substantial redrafting of the pattern, and that it was a very common layout for HSTs, I didn't feel badly not buying the pattern. I did give the designer credit in photos on my small blog and on the label for inspiring the quilt, not that she'll ever know, but since I wasn't going to follow the pattern, I didn't really want to spend $8 paying for instructions I wouldn't use. I think quilters tend to alter things a lot and if it's a traditional pattern and you're going to revise the pattern, I don't see the problem with reverse-engineering since you'll be re-engineering the pattern anyway. It does annoy me when I have to re-engineer something because the pattern designer didn't choose an efficient sewing method--I have a book that has you construct HST by sewing together two triangles even though you'll need at least 2 or more from the same fabrics. And I've bought patterns from a designer that were extremely difficult to follow and quite confusing. Those patterns aren't worth the money to me.
ReplyDeleteGenerally speaking, though, I prefer to support designers especially when they provide a great product that is worth the money. I guess the point is, that for me, it is unethical to reverse-engineer a quilt without changing anything, but it's also unethical for a pattern designer to sell a pattern for a quilt that hasn't been well-thought out--the cutting, the sewing, the pressing--all of the instructions should be as efficient as possible to yield as accurately pieced a quilt with as little frustration as possible. It's not fair for a designer to whip something up in EQ7 (especially basic blocks...), take the cutting instructions from EQ7 (which are often terrible and inefficient) and charge $8. I think for a pattern designer to ethically earn money by designing quilts, they need to provide a product that meets general consumers' expectations.
I agree with the above comment from Becca. Most of the patterns I have bought have been a throw size or to me a very weird size that nothing could be done with it. I generally reconfigure it to a queen size at least, figure the cutting and yardage myself. I do buy patterns that have different techniques that I haven't done before, but again I figure out everything else myself for the size I require. I have also read the post regarding the Octo quilt just before reading this post and I am seriously disappointed with Zen Chic, she WAS my favorite designer and now I feel a little sick to my stomach. So disappointing.
ReplyDeleteMANY patterns being sold as original are far from that. Most have been done before. So I don't feel a need to pay that person. If you want to avoid thinking the pattern through, opt for buying the pattern. It disapoints me to see so much commercialism enter the quilt world. Everyone is marketing something and I often feel manipulated. I do miss the days when people shared ideas and patterns and quilting felt like a supportive community - not a place to earn enough to support a family etc. its sad in some ways.
ReplyDelete