The Embroideress

Thought this year was going to be an improvement as to designing and teaching income - but it seems all of my profits will probably go to funding a couple of lawsuits against folks infringing on my intellectual property.

I don't like to scold about copyright issues on my blog, but after two conversations with my attorney today - the infringers have made me very cranky!!!

For a look at the problem faced by designers you can see my thoughts in a written/oral statement made to a House Judiciary Subcommittee a few years ago. The problem continues. Someone has recently uploaded scans of one of my most popular books to a public site and now I have to sue her. My attorney will attempt to recover the costs of the suit and damages from her, but it is never a slam dunk.

Likewise, I'm having to proceed against a designer who pinched a heap of my stuff without permission, put it into designs and is selling them. I'm pretty liberal about granting permission to designers to use my research and they typically are pretty generous in attributing their design inspirations to my books. If not, I have to pursue my rights - or stand in danger of losing those rights.

And y'all thought my costs for designing were just paper and ink and a little postage.