Andrea Wraastad

Interviewed by Elizabeth Townsend Gard

Date June 2018

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Andrea was very well prepared.  Here's what she sent me:​

"Born/raised in Hamburg, NY, 13 mi S. of Buffalo; married to current husband 15 yrs, I have no kids of my own, only a stepson and step grandson 

 

Navy enlisted veteran, 1977-2000, retired as a master chief petty officer/E-9, highest senior enlisted grade; career field – paralegal. Worked stateside and abroad (Guam, Hawaii and Cuba) ​

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My career & first marriage put sewing in the backseat until around 2011/2012 (divorced/remarried in 2003. My hobby from 1988-2015 was scuba diving! I have logged 630+ dives around the world, mainly in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Guam and Pensacola, but also in Palau, French Polynesia and other locations. Yes, 6 dives on the USS ORISKANY off shore here in Pensacola!

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How Did I Get Interested in Quilting? 

Watched my former mother-in-law quilt in the 80’s and 90’s but never took an active interest. 

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Returned from Europe in 2011 and got my Singer 66-16 serviced and tried out my “heavy” Singer Fashionmate 237. They were mostly steel and no plastic! Ending up donating the 237 to Goodwill and getting a cheaper Brother machine. One thing led to another and today I sew mainly on two Bernina’s – a 535 and 750. 

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My friend Beverly would come to visit in Pensacola after we moved here, 1-2x a year. She’d always bring me something she made for the new home – dish towels, embroidered mug rugs etc. I always admired quilts she’d made when I’d visit her home. One particular thing was her prairie point pineapple wall hanging in the kitchen. After many times of saying I want you to make me this or that, she and my neighbor Virginia convinced me to take up quilting, and so the story goes on. ​

 

In 2016, my husband and I decided I need a dedicated quilt room. Ground was broke in Aug 2016 and the foundation was poured. Construction began in Dec. 2016, and was finished in March 2018, with custom cabinetry installed this past summer. It is an amazing space measuring 480 sq feet – 16 x 30 feet. My husband built it entirely by himself except for trusses and pouring the concrete. What a lucky gal I am! ​

 

Copyright/Intellectual Property Discussion Questions ​

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Question 1/Discussion: I recently took 2 Bernina workbooks/manuals to Office Depot to get printed. There is a 2017 copyright notice on the front page, as follows, “ ©2017 BERNINA of America.

Permission granted to copy and distribute in original form only. Content may not be altered or used in any other form or under any other branding. 120817” 

 

So 2 days later when I picked up my order, I was told that this will be the last time they would print stuff like this. Why? Although the copyright permits, they feel since they operate for a profit and get money for printing, that is not appropriate for them to print it. So that really forces one to use their home printer for large jobs. I wondered if you can share your thoughts on this from a copyright perspective/law professor viewpoint. 

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Question 2/Discussion: Off the shelf (OTS) embroidery designs and purchased designs from embroidery companies, Etsy etc. I’ve heard business owners and others explain when it is appropriate to modify an OTS design or purchased design and then later use that altered design to make an item and sell it. I think it is important for listeners to understand the legality of doing/not doing so and what is legal. I heard you can sell it or call it your own and can sell the stitched/embroidered item if you modify three major things in the design? I’m eager to hear your discussion, which I think is important for us to know and learn about.

 

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