Intriguing copyright question

[nataleeza]

Well, I have a bit of a situation for everyone:

 

I made a pair of handwarmers (there's a bit of a rave on my blog) out of my very own head *pats self on the back* and was considering submitting the pattern to CrochetMe, as everyone who's seen them thinks they are really neat, and considering the winter issues are coming up...

 

However, I was doing a bit of trawling for free patterns (as you do) and I found a pattern very similar to my own, well in the same stitch, but without the beading... Dilemma.

 

Now, I won't submit it anymore because I don't want anyone to think I steal ideas (I'm an acadaemic, plagiarism is about equal with murder ). But what do you all think?

 

I was just a little curious to hear any reactions, as I was considering publishing on my blog.

[RachelG]

If you hadn't seen those similiar handwarmers before and came up with your own entirely out of your head, I see absolutely no problem with doing anything you want with them. People who think you're doing something wrong won't know all the details.

[settler]

it is difficult beacuse there are only so many items and stitches out there arent there

 

i want to start designing as soon as i can find the time but worry that someone will already have made what i come up with and i cant search the world before hand so if i design something out of my head then its mine i think thats the only solution

so long as you know yourself that you did it by your self then thats ok

[nataleeza]

Thanks for the moral support, it's just kinda gutting, you know? I don't want anyone to think badly of me, whether they are right or wong.

 

A similar thing happened to me last year when I was writing a research proposal for a paper. I had a fantastic idea that no one has studied before, then as I started writing a found a freshly published paper that had the same idea as me.

 

Since it was just an exercise and I wouldn't actually conduct the research, I could have done it anyway, my lecturer wouldn't have seen the paper, but I couldn't do it... I had to start over from scratch. Dumb morals

[skamama]

I guess it would depend on the stitch. If it's a basic stitch pattern, i.e. sc or hdc, and you did it all by yourself then it's your original esp. since it has the beading. I assume the beading is done into the stitch as you go which would make the pattern directions different. I would also guess that you have a different chain count and likely some different measurements. Personally, I think you should make the pattern with options for a longer version, and a shorter version, then offer it up to Crochet Me. If it is in sc, and you feel funny about the pattern being "yours", you could simply change alter the stitch pattern a little. I haven't seen gloves in CM before, but she will tell you if she thinks they are original enough. She's great about giving you her honest opinion.

[RachelG]

The Peppermint Peeker armwarmers are from Crochet Me... no gloves that I remember though...

[nataleeza]

Yeah, these are quite different to anything I'd seen when I designed them. They are in a crochet rib stitch, that is crocheting into the back loop only (that's my current favourite stitch and I'm incorporating it as much as I can?!), and the beading is in the actual stitches.

 

I think I will do a little more work on them, then submit them, but I'll let Kim know about the other pattern, and then I guess she can make the final decision, I want everything to be above board (although you may have guessed that).

 

Thanks everyone, I'll keep you posted, this is my weekend project now

[Angelhair]

Your handwarmers look almost identical to my wristwarmers, except they dont have beads. You can check em out here:

http://www.hipvintagecrochet.com/freebies.htm

I came up with them ages ago and I got the idea for mine from socks. They are also ribbed. Anyway, I did try to submit them to Crochet Fantasy magazine and they said they were too similar to knitted ones in Interweave knits, is why they didn't want to publish them. Go figure. I'm thinking maybe lots of people get the same idea at the same time if the are in tune with fashion trends.

[nataleeza]

Yeah, yours are the ones I was talking about. I mean I came up with them on my own, and I make them slightly differently (hook size, gauge, start at the other side) but they look just the same. I took the idea from a pair of knitted vertical rib handwarmers I saw. But they are crocheted! Not the same thing as knit at all!!

 

I figured this was a bit of a grey area, and was looking for other people's opinions...

 

I've decided to post the pattern on my blog when I finish writing it up. I hope you don't think I'm stepping on your toes!

[crochetdiva]

I think it is very nice of you to ask what a fellow designer thinks about publishing a similar pattern. I really admire that.

[PLCdesigns]

you should submit them because with so many crocheters and patterns out there things are bound to look similar.

 

Besides, how many ways are there to make warmers? They will all look alike. What I wonder is if crochet me will accept it because it has already been seen in your blog and they want something that nobody has seen before.

 

The warmers are lovely!

[crochetkim]

This post has been up here for quite some time, so I'm not even sure that I should reply. LOL

 

I must admit that EXACTLY the same thing happened to me! About a year ago, I designed a "drop stitch pattern." My swatch was in a white yarn. I didn't do anything with the stitch pattern until a few months' ago when I designed the drop stitch shawl on my website.

 

Amazingly, I was viewing the CrochetMe website one day and saw that (I think it was) Marlo who designed a drop stitch scarf. Even her swatch is in white! I can well imagine how you felt because I know that I felt the same way!

 

Anyway, after posting to a couple of groups about this, I decided that our designs were both original. How many times have you seen the drop stitch pattern in knitting? I'm sure there are several designs very similar in knitting just like the two of these.

 

When I read the pattern at CrochetMe, I felt better, though. She does her drop stitch differently than I do. The rest of the design is incredibly similar. It's just that drop stitch part that is different.

[nataleeza]

Well, I decided to post my pattern on my blog, so everyone can see them!

 

I did have a couple of patterns that I was going to submit, but I've been introduced to spinning and I want to get a pretty good grip on that before I go back to University in the New Year (I won't have anytime for learning new things once I start my PhD ).

 

So, everyone feel free to take a squizz