or alternately titled, Freebie Woes

Dear wonderful, generous friends out there who have sent me freebies that I've missed out on - thank you one and all!

But recently I have received a few emails regarding the LHN design, "Little House Sampler" from people who have suddenly realized that this 'freebie' is actually a so-called 'gift with purchase' and are terribly upset over an accidental violation of copyright law. The spirit in which the chart was shared was not one meant to flaunt laws or the integrity of the design or to serve any other malign purpose. Few of us, myself included, have ever heard of a 'GWP' chart. It seems to be some sort of mutually beneficial cooperative effort between the LNS and designers. Apparently you can only recieve such a design when you have actually made a purchase from a participating LNS. If your LNS does not participate, tough luck. I don't really think this is fair, but that isn't really the point I'm trying to make. (Though designers: Please do spare a thought for your faithful fans who live in areas where there is no LNS or no participating LNS! Take a page from the book of Kathy Barrick-Dieter who has actually sent me her freebies when I've contacted her - all the way from Europe!)

Ahem. Sorry, I do have a bit of a sore spot on that issue. But the point I am trying to make is that the designer bears the responsibility of making a freebie clearly different from a non-freebie. A good cyberfriend was terribly upset to find out that she'd sent me the chart "illegally" and it simply isn't fair to make good, honest people feel bad when the matter at hand is so ambiguous!

That's my little soapbox speech for today. I would be interested in hearing your opinions on freebies. I think they should be a reward for the loyal customer and an introduction to make new customers. I got interested in Prairie Schooler, for instance, because I so enjoyed stitching their numerous freebies. Should non-freebies ('gifts with purchase') be used as some sort of marketing ploy between the LNS and the designer? Isn't a gift, once given, up to the recipient to use as she sees fit? It's a gray area for me, that's the only thing I know for sure.

Connie, thank you for sending me The Workbasket Quaker square freebies. I really like them, and they'll be perfect for ornaments and fobs to work on my finishing skills!