Just Wanna Copyright for Makers: Creating Tools

Weclome to Post #6 of the blog series, Just Wanna Copyright for Makers, which highlights concepts from the recently released book and accompanying exhibit at the New England Quilt Museum. 

We were so honored to have been asked to curate an exhibit for the New England Quilt Museum that reflects some of the concepts in the book. The exhibit, of the same title, runs through March 29, 2025.  

Today’s topic? Things that everyone can use to create works. This includes three categories of works, and is the second step in the Copyright Lifecycle.

The Copyright Lifecycle starts with an Idea (See Post #3). And then, we start to create.  This is the underlying elements stage.  Like a hungry caterpillar, we gather all kinds of things to create our work—shapes, fabric, tools, to name just a few.  

Caption: The Copyright Lifecycle, by Sidne K. Gard, from Just Wanna Copyright for Makers, (C&T Publishing, 2024). 

Shapes

Shapes are not protectable by copyright.  Everyone can use a circle, square, or triangle.  Misty-Anne Marigold’s two-circle quilts are examples of using shapes within a quilt.

Caption: Misty-Anne Marigold, A Study in Dots #1 and #2 (2019)

Techniques

You cannot copyright a technique or method of doing something.  You can make a video or book about the technique or method, and that can be copyrighted.  And patents might protect that.  But anyone can use a particular technique for binding.  Latifah Saafir gives an example of her technique and ruler to make clamshell quilts.  Here are two of her quilts using the tool and technique she developed.

Caption: Latifah Saafir, The Four Elements (2023)

Caption: Latifah Saafir, One Dog Night (2018)

 The List is Long

The Just Wanna Copyright for Makers exhibit takes you through some of the common resources we use to create.  The Just Wanna Copyright for Makers book by Sidne K. Gard and Elizabeth Townsend Gard goes through many more and is an essential resource for makers. What is included on this list?  That’s a whole chapter and more in Just Wanna Copyright for Makers!  But here is a partial list as a tease.  

• Techniques

• Math

• Listing of ingredients

• Things protected by patents

• Facts

• X-rays and medical imaging

• Shapes 

• Letters, words, titles, and short phrases

• Typeface and fonts (usually)

• Basic fabrics like solids, basic polka dots, gingham, chevrons, plaids, stripes and houndstooth

There’s more to learn in Just Wanna Copyright for Makers. We are so proud of this book—making accessible important legal concepts for makers to help you make!

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Elizabeth Townsend Gard is the John E. Koerner Endowed Professor of Law at Tulane University Law School and an avid quilter since childhood. She holds a Ph.D. in Cultural History from UCLA and has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court for her work on copyright. Elizabeth is the lead author of the series. Elizabeth focuses on the legal expertise of the book.

Sidne K. Gard is a Distinguished Scholar Scholarship student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an Entertainment Editor at F Newsmagazine. Sidne focuses on translating legal concepts to artists and crafters. Sidne is the Managing Editor and Design Director for the Just Wanna Trademark for Makers series.

Elizabeth and Sidne started Just Wanna Quilt, which has also expanded to crafts and art. Listen to the podcast and learn more at justwannaquilt.com.