Tutorial: Bento Box Quilt
written by marieann
I promise that this hasn’t become a quilting blog but I’ve been drawn to the craft the last few months. Maybe it’s the winter and the need for a million blankets? Well, I made this as per the requests of my very New York friend who’s having a baby. Her taste is very sophisticated and she didn’t want her baby girl to spoil that with her pink and traditional baby prints. So she requested this quilt. I designed it with my Electric Quilting software and I decided to write up a full download tutorial because this pattern is unique. Please do not download unless you are interested in actually making this quilt as it’s a large file (it includes photos). The tutorial includes info on how much fabric you need as well as cutting and piecing instructions.
* EDIT: Tracy contacted me indicating that she was the original designer of the bento box pattern. I was unaware of the scope of copyright law in this area. I did my own unique color arrangement to create the dual patterns and created my own open source pattern. After she submitted a nice request (followed up by an intent to contact her lawyer!), I removed the pattern for my version of the bento. I am not sure of the scope of her exclusive rights, but you can copyright a quilt. It was an open source pattern and I gained nothing from sharing it so it’s down.
EDIT 2: Readers, please don’t bash her decision. I am not sure that the copyright would hold up in court, but I don’t want to challenge it anyway. As a courtesy, I wanted to take down as she was very nice and she is making a life off her creativity, which is a difficult and scary thing to do. My mom sold patterns for a few years when I was a child and I saw how much effort went into making/distributing it. So, do know that I’m not just taking it down because I’m scared/intimidated, she was very nice and I respect her request and business.
Thank you so much for posting this. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for!
Tracey doesn’t know what she is talking about anyone can make a quilt like this, don’t let her bully you!
My daughter just sent me the Bento quilt yesterday. I had told her to find a quilt she liked and i would make for her. I have just started piecing quilt tops. (what fun) I was home sick and pulled it up with the directions. I am trying to figure out if the niquil was working overtime or if it was my imagination, but i could have sworn there were instructions and the amounts of the material to buy? Is that what you meant by the copyright Tracy Girl problem? You might tell her she can contact her lawyer, but it won’t do her much good. If that was the case we would not have all those beautiful civil war quilts to copy today….what a dork she is.
Good luck with your stuff. You two have a great imagination at work. It is nice to see the younger people getting involved in this - it is almost a lost art.
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Hi Gals,
I’m not trying to be mean about this, but if you will google “Bento Box quilt pattern”, most of the results you click on will have my name attached to them because I indeed designed the original Bento Box a number of years ago and have been publishing it as a pattern, part of my business, ever since. If you designed something original (which it was), and it was a part of your income (which it is - I am a professional quilter, full-time, not a hobbyist), you would want to protect the design. It’s not right for someone to post it, anywhere. I assume many of the readers of this blog might want to do crafts as a full-time business someday - it’s fun, creative and you get to meet some very interesting people! When you make that transition to a career, you will care about your designs in a different way. Unfortunately, Bento Box has been copied a lot, so I am particularly sensitive to the problem. And, for the record, I found out about this because one of my pattern buyers sent me the link to this site because she felt it was an infringement. I hope this explains my request to remove it from the site a little better. If anyone reading this is interested in getting into the craft pattern business, I would be happy to answer questions about how to make the transition from hobby to career.
Tracey Brookshier
Brookshier Design Studio
Pacific Grove, California
Tracey, no offense my dear, but you did not design the Bento box pattern… You NAMED & marketed a pattern that has been in the quilting world for you decades. Although I agree if the pattern itself was scanned and put up or your words were typed up and posted, you own the TRADEMARK and copyright to your description of how it is made, but copyright to the pattern itself? I don’t think so! It’s a 1/2 log cabin!!!
The list of “designers” who feel overly “entitled” is getting out of control!
marieann, call your quilt something else, describe in YOUR words how you made it & put “inspired by” _if you wish_ and then Tracey’s lawyers should back off!
“Designers” make a profit off of patterns in the public domain is one thing, but sending their lawyers after others is another!