Homeland Security Protecting Crochet

While we were visiting the home of FDR I got to see the, and I mean "THE," most amazing thread crocheted bed cover my eyes have feasted on -- tiny, tiny stitches that made a snowflake motif with little bits of "popcorn."  I so wanted to take a picture but was advised by the National Parks employee that I couldn't -- due to Homeland Security issues.  (I kid you not!  I didn't know that we were protecting crochet!)  So I asked if he could provide information about it -- like who crocheted it, when was it crocheted...  "I'm sorry, Miss," he replied, "we don't have that information available."   I thought that was a bit unfair.  They knew where various pieces of furniture were from, who painted what painting, and many other details, but they didn't know the particulars stemming from the creation of this gorgeous hand-made bedspread laying across FDR's bed.  Or did they?  Perhaps they couldn't tell me because of the same reason I couldn't take a picture of one little motif????  ("Miss, it's a Homeland Security issue.")  Okay ... moving on, there was another beautiful crocheted spread on the bed he was born in ... I looked at the employee, he knew what I was going to ask.  He just shook his head No.  Drat.

In all due fairness, they did let me take a picture of some of Eleanor's crochet hooks which were on display with her knitting needles in the FDR Library (a separate building).  I thought that was pretty cool.

And speaking of protecting crochet, many of you are asking when I'll publish some of my materials.  I think, should the Orphan Works Bill be passed, that answer will be never.  If people are already willing to take my blog posts here, and material from my website, and claim it as their own, then what will be left to stop them from claiming designs and concepts I create for publication to help support my family?

I think that if Homeland Security can protect the crochet in FDR's home, then I should have the right to protect my work with Copyrights!  With your help, let's hope the Orphan Works Bill fails.  I want to keep doing what I love, and I'm sure you feel the same way too.  It's either that, or hiring the Federal Parks Department to protect crochet not just in FDR's home, but also around the country!