Yesterday I picked up the new American Patchwork and Quilting Quilt Sampler magazine. I am saving it to read on the plane, as I savor every page of these Sampler magazines. But this morning the cover really snagged my attention, and I had to grab my McCall's Quilting magazine to confirm what I was seeing. Yes! The cover quilt on McCall's Quilting May/June 2011 issue is virtually the same quilt design as the one on Quilt Sampler! I find this just a little amusing because I know both of these magazines really are outstanding and that they want original works, and for sure they don't want to duplicate one another. I am not laughing at their infallibility, only that it is getting more and more difficult to be original. As a designer I can't tell you how many times I see quilts that are so close to my own. In fact I have designed what I thought was a totally original quilt, only to see it published by someone else. And of course traditional designs get used over and over again.
What can we do about that? What do magazines and pattern makers do about that? Most people these days are so caught up in copyright issues, but what about honest mistakes? What about two outstanding magazines that both have the same quilt on their cover? I say shake hands and have a good laugh about it. I doubt there is any blood percolating over this. These editors are certainly above that. I have worked a little with both teams and they are great!
This blue and white quilt is from Sarah Maxwell and Delores Smith and is stunning!.
Congratulations to all these ladies on their beautiful quilts! And to American Patchwork and Quilting and McCall's Quilting I say keep up the excellent work on these great magazines! And any time you need me, I am here! (Oh, did I say that out loud?)
If you don't have either of these issues there is still time to rush out and buy your own copy. They never disappoint!
