Very sad but true

Yesterday I found a link (in a Facebook tatting group) to a whole tatting book that is hosted on a Russian site.  Although NOT on Facebook itself, the fact that the person posted the link on Facebook means more people will 'assume' that it's OK to do the same thing and thus the problem of copyright theft will continue and escalate.  There are often whole pattern pages from books published on Facebook too.  

The book concerned was written by one of the well known designers in Tat Land and is self published.  I wrote to her to tell her.  Earlier this week another designer had her work stolen (yes, STOLEN is the right word) too and that was published on Pinterest. 

They've both had this happen before and the first one (linked on Facebook) has now given up on designing which is a great loss to our community.  If this sort of behaviour continues then it'll be the end of new and interesting designs for all of us. 

I've deactivated my Pinterest account and have already opted out of a lot of Facebook participation although I still belong to a lot of groups I don't and won't actively take part on a regular basis - in silent protest.  Yes, I can 'do' silent.

Then there are the copytats.  These are people who again steal.  They see something they like and rather than pay for the pattern (either in a book or on Etsy) they spend time copying other people's work.

I'm so ANGRY that there is obviously no respect left for people's hard work and their need (in some cases) to earn a living.  I am also glad that my work doesn't attract this sort of attention - probably simply because it's free or maybe not good enough.  Who knows.

Now, back to tatting.

Valencia

That's the name of the doily I've been teasing you about!!!

I can't tell you anything more than that as it's on just a sheet of paper that I think came from gran's when she died. There's writing on the back which leads me to assume it's from a magazine like The Lady or something similar. I can't share it as I don't know who it belongs to and I doubt anybody could 'copytat' it as it's quite complicated in places. 

Anyway, personally I think it would be immoral to copy it unless somebody knows who it's by. I feel that copying from a picture unless it's SOLELY for personal use is immoral and to then brag about it is like rubbing salt into the wound. It's happened to me in the past when I USED to put work in progress on this blog. It hurt like heck when that happened as I couldn't believe that somebody would do it when they knew they were getting the pattern for FREE sometime soon.

I've had my say so will now disgracefully dismount from my soapbox!!!

WOW.

I'm gobsmacked - or something like that!!! Two of the new tatting bags have already sold from my Etsy shop here. That's waaaaay cool. I've listed a few more today as I've had time to finish them off. 

I've got another few more to list and also another eleven cut out and ready to sew but those won't get started on until next week and I may well keep them to take for the vending room at Tat Days!! 

I figure that way I get to keep the 'Etsy fees' and also get more of an idea from people as to whether they are a good idea - or not!!! First hand feedback is the best.

Small horse

This is a pattern that has been floating around on my site for ages. I decided to submit it for Tat Days with quite a few amendments but it wasn't required!!!

So, yesterday I managed to finally pull the pattern together and re-upload it to my pattern pages!!!

While I was playing with it I decided to make a larger horse too. That will be available either later this week or next. Just need to get it all together and do the links for that one too!!!!

Squared Away!

I've had a long consultation with BC3 and we've decided to list the new style tatting bags in Etsy as they get finished!!!  I was just going to keep them and take them to Tat Days but I think I'll see how they go in Etsy first!!!!  

They're quite fiddly to make but great fun and my supply of zips is slowly depleting!!!!  Wonder if I'll be tempted to buy more zips although the whole point of starting this venture was to use up the ones I've got!!!!  Time will tell.

Here are the first few to go into the shop.

The bottom photo shows exactly what I can get into mine!!!  Mine's the first trial one which didn't have a good lining in it.  Now they've gone all up-market with a proper lining without stitching showing.  I found a tutorial online but for the life of me couldn't follow it and it didn't have a handle either!!!  You CAN'T have a bag without a handle, can you?