It may not be a conundrum at all, but in my head it is a little bit.
co·nun·drum: a confusing and difficult problem or question.
While admiring Dorothy Ramage's Spencer Museum block, Carolyn Stewart Weaver mentioned this book that had the same pattern in it. Of course that peaked my interest and I'm a huge fan of red and green quilts, so I ordered up a copy.
Its a terrific book highlighting 10 quilts that were documented in the Kansas Quilt project.
So in 2006 this book was published.
This block is exactly like Jan Patek's Spencer museum quilt.
That little wreath? That is nearly like the one we are making this month, but ours has a star in the center.
We've made this basket too. I LOVE that each block in this quilt is not exact.
Hmmm, look at this one. It says it is owned by Terry Clothier Thompson.
Here is the Spencer Museum Quilt "designed" by Jan Patek, and published in 2009.
Maybe they are all friends, I don't know. I just found it extremely fascinating and curious. None of the quilts, as of 2006, were in the Spencer Museum. It brings up more questions.
I don't mean to imply anything, just curious.
i've long felt there is hardly anything new in traditional quilting, even in some contemporary works...just new fabrics, different names etc. and sometimes i think the copyright thing has gone too far...not for designers of new and unique patterns, but how can someone copyright a traditional block?
ReplyDeleteYeah, me too, since it has nothing to do with any quilt in the Spencer Museum and I now own that quilt, which I bought from Terry Thompson a few years ago. See a post here: http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-newold-quilt-family-history.html
ReplyDeleteMakes me wonder too and now I want to do some exploring too. (got to work early so I could visit your blog and comment :)
ReplyDeleteHere is one of the reasons I no longer subscribe to quilt magazines. Many have the same blocks, quilts, etc done in new fabrics, called different names, but the same traditional work. So true of much of the modern quilts, too - i.e. three blocks, much open background in solids and then minimal quilting. I've been exploring other countries quilts, such as Australia, who do have some designers who can twist the traditional to new renditions like Gwen Marston did here in US.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, does raise some questions. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing these blocks to our attention so we can appreciate that they are traditional and not simply folk art. We all share our knowledge and learn from each other.
ReplyDeleteIt really is interesting. Years ago I got ahold of a very old book with a picture of a quilt that simply fascinated me. So of course I studied it a lot and dreamed of making my own. About a year or two later I saw an almost identical quilt come out as a 'new pattern' from someone pushing it off as their own! Not that I care about people interpreting or re-making an old quilt. I just thought it was interesting that they didn't even give any credit to what had to be the original inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThis whole copyright thing some people think they have a right to re old/antique blocks and quilts has always baffled me...
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about the copyright, how can anyone claim a 9-patch as their own? I love old antique quilts and trying to work out how they are made, but I do think that if a designer copies or uses an old block they really should say that they used it as inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI love red and green quilts....while I don't own any at the moment....stitching one up is on my quilty bucket list! :-)
ReplyDeleteVery Interesting. I love all the old Traditional blocks. Glad you found the book. Some are out of print or really expensive.
ReplyDeleteI have often found this close and almost the same, but a little different between quilts and quilters over the years studying antique quilts.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Brackman has done numerous studies on her blogs.
IT is fun to run across them.
Terry Clothier Thompson was part of The Red Wagon Gang at one time and so was Jan Patek.
ReplyDelete