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.

December 31st, 2007 at 11:25 am » Comments (0)

As is “normal” at this time of year, both our regular mail and email all seem to have new pricing information.

There is no question that all our suppliers to the independent shops, the “Brick, Click or DownLoad LSO’s” have been doing all they can to hold prices in all niches of the NeedleArts. Considering the escalating costs for production, delivery, customs and the new hoops created by HSA; it is VERY REASONABLE that our suppliers need to put increased prices in place.

This is about PUBLISHED Pricing and I truly believe it to be a serious disservice to the Independent Brick, Click or DownLoad Retailer when a price increase does not include a raise in the published Suggested Retail Price as I have seen in several received in the last 30 days.

This creates a perception problem for Retailers and it should be “addressed” immediately.

Consumers “assume” that Independent Brick, Click or DownLoad Retailers pay “only” 50% of MSRP.

Consumers rarely take into account (although some do) the many other expenses related to making these products available in the independent Brick, Click or DownLoad Shops for the convenience of the consumer/needlearts hobbyist. The more reasonable will often comment that they understand and are willing to accept a small percent over Suggested Retail for this convenience and availability.

Nor, is this about peripheral costs such as postage or shipping, which must be taken into account over the long term to know if the calculations are correct and if the increased sales generates enough cash flow to justify the some revenue loses.

This is about the appearance of a supplier undercutting the Independent Retailers by creating a situation where their direct sales give the consumer the impression that the Retailer is (notice IS not MAY) be “gouging”.

When a supplier is also offering their products directly to consumers, I believe it is imperative they not do so in a many which will be harmful to the industry in general and to the Independent Retailers specifically.

At a time when the “mega stores” are visible reducing their offerings for Sewing/Quilting & NeedleArts, our industry interests lie, as they always have, in supporting the Independent Brick, Click or DownLoad Retailers who continue to keep products for the NeedleArts readily available to the Consumers.

No matter how these products are delivered, Brick, Click or DownLoad, if the supplier is going to offer products directly, or through a partnership with their retailers such as the Shop-A-Tron network, it is imperative that their published prices do not require the Retailer to be guaranteed a lose for the costs of delivering the merchandise.

And, yes as a spinner and weaver of many decades, I do understand that when a product is produced in what can only be called a very labor intensive manner such as many fiber craft items often are, or in small production runs rather than in huge mega factory situations, the “discount” may not be full keystone – BUT THE SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE CERTAINLY MUST BE AT LEAST KEYSTONE and the really good guys will make sure their published pricing does allow for the additional overhead related to running an independent NeedleArts Business.

The simple fact is that if we do not work together to make it profitable for us all to stay in business, then everyone loses, and most of all it will be the consumer who suffers when the products they love and want are no longer available.

I do sincerely hope that those several companies who prices lists for 2008 I recently received will rethink and republish appropriate “suggested retail”

Best Wishes for a Peaceful & Profitable New Year

December 20th, 2007 at 08:36 am » Comments (3)

It is year end and like all business folk, we are looking back over the year and seeing what and who have most impacted our business this year.

Personally, family health issues have kept us at home instead of “enjoying” the life of show gypsy, but life happens and you have to roll with it. Instead we have been working on new products and the development of retail & wholesale websites.

The second biggest impact on our business has been what some like to call infringement, but what is in reality the rampant stealing of intellectual property.

Our YARNandTHREAD businesses are heavily involved with the Design Community so tend to be publicly proactive regarding copyright and intellectual property issues.

Sooner or later in any On-Line group discussions, someone starts spouting what I call the

Robin Hood Rationalization

These are the most insidious of the offenders. And, once introduced to the discussion, It is also the point at which further discussion becomes pointless.

They have decided, (without ever checking on the facts) that because they disagree with a law that protects Intellectual Property, and because these laws only exist because of their lack of respect for anyone or anything that stands in the path of what they have decided they are entitled to…

They attempt to cloak their criminal activity by Rationalizing their behavior by saying the law ONLY protects “BIG CORPORATIONS” so they are only stealing from those bad nasty people.

Like Robin Hood, these Thieves, these Pattern Pirates,

believe it is okay to STEAL

Apparently without any thought or concerns for who might be hurt.

Recently one person ranted that their action was justified as an act of Civil Disobedience. She made mention o f the Boston Tea Party. I would respond that there is a vast difference between Civil Disobedience to protest an unjust governmental policy – be that policy about where to sit on the bus to Taxation without Representation.

In fact, the reference to the Boston Tea Party, an act having to do with Taxation and how that was
considered Robbery without at Gun, is used to justify a similar act, the Stealing of a livelihood from the individual who has worked to create the pattern, chart or instructions you are enjoying.

I submit that behavior has more in common with Machevelli than Robin Hood.

Ignoring the fact that without BIG CORPORATIONS with the Deep Pockets to defending their Coroporate interests, there would be no viable protections for the tiny Microscopic Business of the Needle & Fiber Arts Independent Self-Publishers to have any protection at all.

Next time, you download a copy that someone else is illegally offering

Next time, before you STEAL (not share) an illegal copy of a pattern or chart –

Next time you offer to make Counterfeit copy of a Pattern or Chart or other Intellectual Property

Ask yourself,
Do I really want to be a petty criminal?
Do I really want to teach others that Stealing is Okay?

Everyone loves the myth of Robin Hood, and we seem to live in a Machiavellian Society.

Yet, it that really who you want to be. When all is said and done, nothing more than a common thief?

December 9th, 2007 at 10:01 am » Comments (1)

This has been in interesting few weeks. As several of us are working together to keep a good thing going – the community of the KnitDesign group – I have been amuzed to see how many folks do not read even the simpliest of directions,

And while doing my monthly “delete messages” I re-read a number of thoughts written by others …. well lets just skip the rest of the twisted paths of my thought processes…. Here is what they led to:

It occurs to me that part of the problem in understanding, among other things, copyrights are the underlying semantics for words used in the discussion.

The following definitions are from the online version of Merriam-Webster

PATTERN:
1: a form or model proposed for imitation
2: something designed or used as a model for making things i.e., a sewing pattern

DESIGN:
1: to create, fashion, execute, or construct according to plan

AUTHOR:
1 a: one that originates or creates :

– as some have mentioned, There are many elements to “Design” but I think if we put the three words together,

PATTERN DESIGN AUTHOR

It gets a bit easier to see at what point “it becomes your own” and when you can lay claim EVEN for utilitarian objects, to copyrights. (or see where you may be infringing)

In other words,

If you did not start with a blank piece of paper, then you did not DESIGN it and so have no copyright to claim.

Peace of the Season

Wheat

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