If Someone Copies My Quilt, Can I Sue Them?

First, have you registered your quilt design with the Library of Congress? You own the copyright of your personal work if you apply the copyright symbol and date made so it is visible on the quilt. To use legal action against an offender, you must register your design within a specific time.

Contact the Library of Congress for guidelines on registering copyright. Write to:

Register of Copyrights
Copyright Office
Library of Congress
Washington DC 20559

Identify the value of your quilt and your efforts to sue the offending party. Legal council is expensive. Many lawyers will not take a case that results in low financial awards. You may wish to obtain a letter from legal council to send to the offending party and notify them of the error in using a copyrighted image.

Prepared by Yvonne Porcella, fiber artist and author, 8/00.

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