March 20th, 2008 at 00:08 am » Comments (1)

Or how to get thrown out of a “professional group” run by a hobby organization.

Throwing all caution to the winds, (and having grown tired of responding every day or so to individual messages) here is the fateful message that caused me to be removed from “Professional” group

It has been edited it for clarity and to provide context where it was necessary to remove quoting since I do not have permission to post the writings of another.

It is very important to know that all this is in the context of what a serious fan of the work of the Craft Yarn Council for the Yarn business I really am.

Wheat is a HUGE fan of the Wonderful Information provided for Consumers and Hobbyist by the Craft yarn council at its many websites and particularly Yarn Standards

In fact, had the original post not complained about Yarn Standards was not detailed enough (although it turns out the info she needed WAS there, but she lacked the experience in pattern authoring to know it)

Along with the unwillingness to do what it takes to become a professional by investing in professional resources such as those offered by ASTM in thier 7.1 Textile Standards documents containing information that a well authored pattern should contain.

There is a reasonable chance I would have ignored the message completely.

Instead that message was a “trigger” to the following is really a reaction to a number of messages posted here and in other Designer groups and an out growth of conversations “off the lists”.

First, please understand - at least in my observation -

Yarn Standards is a “volunteer” effort, intended for use by “the average crafter”. Its content reflects the information needed by that audience to successfully complete a project based on the patterns and tools “generally sold” “in the chains”.

It never was or should be considered as anything more than a good starting point, not the place a professional should be looking for the kind of information that comes both from experience and education.

There are some excellent resources at YARNstandards STILL lots needed for good pattern writing are missing since they are not appropriate to the intended use of the site. So, its primary use by design professionals is to have some clue as to what the consumer may expect - a starting point, not the end of your research.

Education is very much available in books and other resources - about 90% of what I know about any of the NeedleArts was learned from books mostly borrowed from the library and often as not Thur inter-library loan.

Part of the path to becoming a professional in any field is the acquisition of the “tools of the trade” and there are many resources for those willing to make the effort.

Over the years I have developed my reference library mostly by haunting used book stores and today it is often easier to find must haves using the WWW.

All this while either working full time or raising children and for at least 15 years BOTH - not too mention acquiring a series of Association Degree in things of interest to me at the time.

Today my “business” time is about evenly divided between our other business interests, working in NeedleArts, and self-education because the world is always changing and what I learned 50 years or 50 weeks ago, may not be relevant today.

There have been many times in my life when financial resources have meant making hard choices based on available resources.

- Buy Yarn for a “charity ” project vs buy a book that I would use for my entire career (and I have many of those)

- Buy a range of hook sizes in utilitarian materials (aluminum) vs one “designer/collector hook”

- Take a 2nd job I did not like to have the $$$ to invest in attending my first TNNA a zillion years ago

Many times local Knitting & Weaving Guilds have extensive libraries - another resource I have been fortunate to avail myself of over the years… when I could afford the dues.

AND one of the reasons many of us fought so hard to see that CGOA did not sell of its library - the long term value to members far outweighed any cost to maintain it for the benefit of members today and in the future.

There is quite a bit more to the Business of Design then just working up a finished article or changing the colors or yarns used by someone else. So NO, while you may be quite artistic and creative, you are not a designer unless the project started with a blank piece of paper and possible a stitch guide ‘for technical reference’

If the work to obtain the education and other tools needed to be a competent pattern author are not part of your plans, then perhaps you need to reassess your current plan.

There are many paths in the NeedleArts Industry for those who love string.

Teching patterns requires that you have even more experience and background AND a love of the esoteric details of sizing - and not to mention access to a good technical library.

As someone who loves to teach, I know that can be just one of many extremely rewarding paths within the NeedleArts Community - although certainly those who are “good” spend a great deal of time developing their expertise.

Other equally important if less demanding of experience and education are the tasks of testing or model making. This, BTW, is not a bad way to “learn by osmosis” some of the fine details of what helps make a pattern a better product and lots of aspiring pattern authors start there.

Teaching… Just as you have apparently taken the time and devoted the resources to obtaining your
CYCA certification, you also need to be prepared to devote even more time and greater financial resources if you wish to publish in any form.

You might find it worthwhile to also consider obtaining the guidelines for TKGA’s Education programs for technical excellence or the

COE’s (Certificate of Excellence”) Guides offered by the Handweavers Guild of America - All very low cost self study programs. Certainly HGA’s COE’s are well worth the $12 I paid for each of the booklets JUST for the Bibliography of References and is where I probably learned more about YARN than any other single resource guide.

It is so truly wonderful that we have so many resources so reasonably if not free, available to us thanks to the Information super highway,

We are fortunate to work in a field where so many are willing to offer a Hand UP (but growing tired of those who expect a Hand OUT)

But like my daddy used to say,

The Best Place To Find A Helping Hand

Is At The End Of YOUR Wrist.

It is up to each of us to decide if we can afford the time and resources required to become professional in any of the areas of endeavor associated with our chosen trade, the Business of NeedleArts Design

JSTTA - Just Something To Think About

Wheat
The YARNandTHREAD Group

P.S, if you still reading, you may some of the leads helpful in my resource domain, FiberArt.Net and some have told me that the articles about the business of design entries in my blog have also been helpful.

August 27th, 2007 at 00:03 am » Comments (0)

Whenever I need an acid dose of Yarn commentary, I spend a few minutes visiting “What Not” blogs.

Often times I agree -especially when “Fun Fur” is involved - although it has its place, like maybe for the manes and tails of Knitting At Knoon’s Safari Animals

Certainly much of what is being offered today deserves at least a passing “What Were They Thinking”

Although it should be pretty obvious, quite Simply they may not have been.

• Besides, they have every right to their opinions. What I don’t accept is the claim it is not personal. Satiric humor is always personal.
• Ridicule is always personal. Both are sometimes amusing, but always personal.
• So… IF you are going to play the dozens, at least be honest about it

.

Now to those passing thoughts or some might say, some snits & tizzys:

1. Why do the author and many of the commentators fear what is obviously intended as art

2. Why is the recurring commentary theme almost invariable related to “fit” - and it is the same over and over. Always talking about how the style is not fitted at the waist, shaped to the human figure.

Do the blogger and her commentators realize that some of the designs were not intended for either the anorexic waif or the hourglass figure shapes. Probably not, at least not anymore than so many of the those offering their work have “done their homework” in order to properly author a pattern.

3. One wonders what they look like and what they choose for themselves, but like so many who hide behind a “screen name” and a “free” server, we may never know.

So with a small WARNING, the following are NOT G-Rated and likely will offend many - but then you are reading this blog, so although I avoid profanity and sexual content, you likely can take strong opinions - even if written by those lacking the courage of convictions to sign their name.

Here are the links:

• What Not To Crochet
• What Not To Knit

August 19th, 2007 at 00:07 am » Comments (2)

Let me be really clear.

© MyMarkDesigns

I have no problem with those who make the decision to share their own intellectual property, aka/Complimentary Patterns as a sampling for those interested in their patterns, charts and instructions. Nor is there any reason, why, if these gifts suit your needs - artisitic or budgetary, should not continue to use and enjoy legitimately acquired patterns, charts or instructions…

I reserve my distress for those who Steal and who help others to Steal
Unfortunately for us all because in end,
STEALING even on a small scale HARMS US ALL!

So why am I in such a Snit and Tizzy?

Cumulative effect, including a recent comment that showed how little the work of serious Pattern Authors is appreciated
“… after all, how tough can it be to be a designer, seems there are new ones every week….”

But even worse is when members of the Publishing community enable these thefts.

How does that occur?

In a in hobby groups, someone asked for a pattern. Several folks provided information on where to buy the instructions. Others point to home domains of various Design Authors and Self Publishers for Complimentary and Patterns for Sale.

Others also provide a link to a site that has copied that copyrighted pattern and was “sharing it” on the internet. It is this form of THEFT, that is a problem.

The problem is made worse when that person has a very recognizable name, a person with a recognizable name such as an officer of a group dedicated to a particular craft, or a teacher an an event or what really makes me crazy, is published, and “known” as a “professional” in the industry but is helping to steal from her peers.

BUT I still try to give’em the benefit of the doubt so try to “write off the list”

“Did you realize that the site you recommended is one of the worst on the Internet for wholesale “sharing” of copyrighted information?

The replies included :
“I was just trying to help…
…besides it is already done, so I did not do anything wrong…
…well maybe they cannot afford to buy the book…
…I know, but if they read my message maybe they will go to my website and buy one of my patterns….”

Obviously it is not going to do much good with these folks to try to explain that each time someone with “Professional” standing aids and abets in improper use of Intellectual property they are giving their blessing.

But I am even an optimist, maybe I should be a bit more blunt, but still trying to keep the response sub-atomic and I reply…

“okay, so if I take your pattern called “whatever” and post it as a free pattern, and then provide the link to every hobby group I can find - that is okay with you? Thanks for letting me know so I can let people know you don’t mind your work being stolen and misused”

Since no one has ever answered that email, let me be clear

It is NOT, because each time someone rationalizes that helping other to steal is not the same as stealing; I would remind them about that those who “aid and abet” are just as guilty.

It does not matter if you drive the get-away car, or go into the bank and remove the money by force, you still get charged with bank robbery.

It’s sort of like keeping the money when a clerk gives you too much change. Sure it was thier mistake but if you know the truth, it is still stealing - even if you don’t get caught.

So do a designing author a favor, the next time you find yourself rationalizing you are not doing anything wrong by copying, sharing, or providing a link to stolen property -

When you are tempted to rationalize your behavior as something you are ENTITLED to have simply because you cannot afford to buy and obtain it properly.

Are you really entitled to have something simply because you “want it” - does that exempt you from the law - whether you are caught or not. Do you really want to be the kind of person who knowingly steal or helps another to do so?

Stop and ask yourself, are you aiding and abeting?

And if you are helping other to steal, what kind of an example are you setting?

May the publishing community needs to create a Domain Of Shame
listing the name, real or screen of those know to engage in

Stealing & Distributing the Intellectual Property of Others.

Wheat

* Imagine Logo courtesy Monique Keylon,
You can read the story of its origins at My Mark Designs

Trackback URI:
http://wheatcarr.com/it-is-all-just-business/are-you-entitled-to-you-aid-abet.php/trackback

August 6th, 2007 at 10:43 am » Comments (1)

Well today I am going to be walking around with that 1960’s tune Plastic Jesus playing in my head.
Somehow its lyrics seem the appropriate background to Mike’s news tidbit in todays Creative Leisure News about the USA today Report of Wal-Marts plan to offer “faith-based” toys in 425 stores – stores that have strong sales of Bibles. One toy will be a 12″ talking Jesus doll

I freely admit to a variety of emotional reactions, not the prettiest of which is the idea of a 11.5 inch Barbie hearing the 12inch Talking Jesus lecture her on her less than modest dress and demeanor,

And I equally freely admit to expressing my annoyance with the Boys in Bentonville with the use of one of those proofs of a terminally Catholic upbringing,

a loud MMOG (aka/ MARY MOTHER OF GOD, …. )
as often heard from the Nuns & Priests who teach at many a Catholic School.

Truly, I have little to no problem with Wal-Mart dumping products that do not sell like books even if they are something teaching Needle Arts & other fiber crafts, or the products support the things I enjoy (fabric, now NeedleArt, likely yarns days are numbered as well) -

These decisions are “just business”, it is 2007…

Pretty much anything I want can be found thru the independent retailers on line or in person.

I had more or less come to terms with Wal-Mart turning its back on how it built it fortunes, offering American Made goods, seems to have been just the beginning… and had almost gotten over the way the new store layouts are increasingly discriminatory for those requiring mobility assistance.

But MMOG, Talk about past time to toss the money changers out of the temple.

Wal-Mart has just taken yet another step to the Dark Side (in my opinion at least) … now targeting the small independents who have offered faith based products and worked to build up their small businesses in our communities.

The list of reasons for not shopping at Wal-Mart (to my great inconvenience) has now reached the level where I will vote with my wallet.

Sometimes “just business” can go to far, surely this event has the makings of a major quake triggered by the spinning in the Walton’s (Mr & Mrs) graves.

Wheat

July 19th, 2007 at 11:03 am » Comments (0)

Intriguing Thought For the Day

Supreme Court decides to allow minimum price setting by manufacturing

Wal-Mart finally pulls the plug on Needlework, the long time loss leader of every store and start phasing out more than just fabric on the bolt.

Think it could be related?

Or is it all just business