copyright patterns & selling - please read

I wanted to post a warning concerning using a copyright pattern to make items to sell.

As far as I can tell (with researching copyright laws) you're not allowed to use a copyright pattern for anything other than personal use. For example, if you're planning to wear it on your own person. These cannot be sold, for it violates the designer's copyright, unless you have their written consent.

I've noticed a few etsy designs (not from members here, though, as far as I can tell) as well as ebay sellers who design their own wares. If you're going to use an established pattern as your own with the intention to sell it, enough of it has to be customized and made your own to not infringe on the original designer's copyright.

Legal action - to the best of my knowledge - can be taken; some designers can interpret this as a form of stealing. I would hate to see someone caught up in that mess.

Things like 'borrowing' pictures from other sites to use as your own is considered stealing. Using someone else's pattern is no different.

I found a few reference links about copyright information. Please respect other people's work.

http://www.benedict.com/​

http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/meet-the-licenses​

Copyright laws will vary from one country to the next. If in doubt, contact the original designer.

 

Don't know about everyone else here, but I've never used a commercial pattern in my life. I always (and have always) designed every piece from the ground up, starting with a sketch of what I want to be the finished product and breaking that up into the size/shape pieces I need.

 

Same here. I had a wonderful teacher (thanks grandma)who taught me to make my own patterns and through trial and error I am always able to put my sketch to fabic. I remember in HS home ec. I had to use a pattern and was so confused, I vowed never to do it again- lol. Besides being confusing they are expensive, I've seen them up to 25 bucks- NO WAY!!!

 

I've noticed that with most of the things here by everyone - everything is truly made from scratch, including the design, which is awesomely creative

I just thought I'd post the copyright info for people who do use someone else's pattern to craft. There's nothing wrong with making it for yourself, which is why the pattern is published in the first place; it's there for everyone to use. But, as long as people realize that these items made should not be sold, because it would violate the copyright.

The only reason why I started this thread is not because I think that copyrights are being violated by hipforums crafters, but I had spent the last few days looking for gift items on places like etsy and ebay and had noticed that things that were handmade had come from a copyright pattern designed by someone else. It's just something that can get you in a lot of trouble if the person who designed the pattern finds out.

Nothing more than a heads up!

 

In my research, a pattern has to be altered by at least 25% in order to be sold as your own. I've got one item that I sell on occasion that is an altered pattern and it's altered by much more then 25%

 

Wow that is so strange! You'd think that patterns were made for the intent to teach and to create things to sell.

 

Yeah its not quite obvious.
I usually always alter a pattern just to set it to my taste anyway. I think its more fun that way