Inside Number Twenty

I have been considering rethinking my decision to produce complimentary charts only when they directly benefit a charitable cause. I have been asked by a few thread companies to create charts for their color line, and that seems to be a fantastic advertising opportunity...yet I'm convinced that the widespread availability of free charts is hurting our industry. While most are simple little dittys, there are some fabulous and complex charts out there, free for the taking. If time is spent stitching a free chart, does that mean the purchased charts aren't being stitched? Or worse, aren't even being purchased? I continually see messages on internet boards with the subject line:"looking for free chart of x". Why aren't people looking for *any* chart of x? Why does it have to be free? One popular email list of free chart links has 8,000 subscribers! From the designer's standpoint, I wonder what posesses us to keep churning out charts and giving them away? I can't think of any other creative business where this is *normal* behavior. Originally, free charts were meant to introduce a stitcher to a new product, or new line of thread, etc. Somewhere along the line it turned into a simple advertising vehicle, and one that diminishes the perceived value of our work. I have many concerns about the issue and more questions than answers. One more question: Do I continue to be altruistic and hope that my meager efforts are somehow helping to keep the industry alive or do I give in to something that may mean greater promotional prospects for my business?