I'm sure this must have been discussed, too, at some point but I didn't see it so I'll ask.

What about if you buy a pattern for a quilt (or whatever), sew one for yourself, and then decide to make more, to sell? Does anyone know what the law has to say about this?

you can legally sell what you make from a pattern.

i don't know what the law requires, but i think most quilters include credit to the designer on the label. seems a fair and courteous thing to do.

Yeah but it's fun though, ain't it! :wink: :lol:

Even free patterns that you can find on the net have copyright which I find a bit peculiar. :? You can use the pattern yourself, you can post the link on a forum or send the link to someone else but you CAN'T send the actual pattern. Can someone explain the logic of this? :shock:

I often look online or in mags for inspiration, copy pics, then create something similar. Would that be a copyright problem?

I think they want you to come back to "their" site to get the pattern, that way you see their other items, advertisers, etc.. as well as a guarantee that they get credit from it.

:oops: of course, amma that makes perfect sense! Afterall, one of the reasons they give the freebies is to get you to visit in the hope that you go for other stuff too. :D

:lol: What he said

Billy

In many, if not most, cases, a quilt design is not in itself protected by copyright, since the design is not original with the pattern maker. It's the written instructions that are protected by copyright, which is why you can't make copies.

It would indeed seem fair and courteous... and yet... you run the chance of it being interpreted as trying to gain, by using the fame of the designer.

The reason I bring this up was that about a decade or so ago, when I did lots of craft shows, I had some fabric designed by Debbie Mumm, that I was using for my items. And I contacted her company to ask if it was okay to sell products made from her designer fabrics. What I was told was that I could, as long as it was only myself that was employed in the sewing of the items, and as long as I did not use her name at all in the advertising of the items. This was so that I did not capitalize on the use of her good name.

Granted, this pertains to the use of fabric, not a pattern, but it might be that in the eyes of the law (or some lawyers) the ideas could be quite the same.

Just my two cents (which might not even be worth that much)...

There is a company out there that states right on their website & pattern that making items for sale with their pattern violates copyright policy. I contacted them personally about making & selling their totes, wallets & purses for charity was no told a definite no. I use patterns that say they can be made to sell (usually they put a limit like 50-100 otherwise it's a business) or contact the company. Better safe then sorry.