Smalls SAL March Update

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Stitching Lotus

I chose three different monthly themes to follow this year:

Hallowe'en Ornie SAL - 12 different themes
Little Stitcher Fairy Tale 12 Days of Christmas - one per month
Primitive Hare Spooky Countdown - one per week starting 31st January

I was nice and early this month with the Hallowe'en ornie, thanks to my train trip to London:

Spring Witch by The Snowflower Diaries

The Little Stitcher will make her appearance with my TUSAL post next week.

The Primitive Hare Spooky Countdown is now in its eighth week so here is Block 8:

Oops, missed six stitches off the top of the biggest book.

I am stitching alongside Giovanna, who is stitching these on one piece of fabric starting in the middle.  We are now stitching the same row which is nice.  At the end of this set of six she will be stitching the first six I have already done and vice versa!

Other smalls I have stitched this week include this design:

I can't tell you anything about it except that it is a gift for a follower.  It went off in the post today so hopefully I will be able to share a photo within the next week to ten days (clue to the location of the follower!).  This next one is also a gift:

Yep, that's the reverse of the bookmark mount!

Finally, that old chestnut - Copyright theft.  As you know I have been stitching away on an A Mon Ami Pierre design all year (Noel Blanc).  I have just learned that the designer is quitting because of copyright theft.  From the old enemies of designers the Russian and Chinese "Repainting" Forums and a new boy on the Piratical Seas - Pinterest.

If you look at virtually any Pinterest Board you will see images of charts.  Actual charts, not links to charts or images of the finished item but the actual chart.  "But they are free designs" the Pinner says.  Yes, but the designer gives them for free so you will visit his/her site and hopefully buy something else or at least enter into a dialogue with him/her - "Thank you for this lovely freebie" won't kill anyone, even the shyest stitcher!  People are not going to visit if they can download direct from your Pin Board!  

"I didn't realise" is the other excuse "Copyright is so complicated".  No, it isn't.  Ask yourself - Did I design this chart myself?  If the answer is Yes, then Pin away happily.  If the answer is No, then don't do it.  Find the designer and put a Pin to her website or her blog, spread the news that there is a fabulous designer out there waiting to talk to her fans.

Lecture over.

Until next time one of my favourite designers quits. 

Edit to add - when I said "Virtually any Pinterest Board" I did not mean Ziggyeor's Kermit Flail Board.  This is officially amazing!