What's Your Opinion on Offering Free Patterns Based on Ones for Sale?

[Itty Bitty]

I was just wondering what everyone thought about it. For example, you see a pattern for sale, don't buy it, but make a look-alike item yourself and offer your pattern of it for free?

[magiccrochetfan]

My opinion is that it would be rather bad form to do that.

 

Why not come up with your own creation?

[kraftynkrazy]

My opinion is that it would be rather bad form to do that.

 

Why not come up with your own creation?

 

Agreed. If you see something and you can't afford to purchase the pattern, you could make something similar for yourself, but offering that pattern up as a free pattern and basing it off of someone else's work is just wrong in my opinion.

[Amy]

I was just wondering what everyone thought about it. For example, you see a pattern for sale, don't buy it, but make a look-alike item yourself and offer your pattern of it for free?

 

Since designs for useful articles are not subject to copyright protection, that might technically be legal. But what you're suggesting is not anything we condone here at Crochetville, and we would not allow such a pattern to be posted here, nor would we allow any links to it. That's just not a nice thing to do to somebody else.

 

Crochet designers would not look kindly upon you, and neither would fans of that particular designs or many other crocheters. That's probably not the kind of reputation you would want to create for yourself.

 

If this is more than just a generic question and somehow relates to some particular situation somewhere that this has been done, please don't give any specifics of that situation. You can contact me via PM if there's a specific situation you'd like to address.

 

Special Note: The original poster is a very young teen, so please address your responses to her accordingly.

[FrLopLady]

I found a picture of a baby blanket and looked everywhere for the pattern. I couldn't find it so I took the picture an re-created what I thought the stitches were. I came pretty close I think, but I wouldn't even consider posting that pattern! 6 months later guess what showed up on ravelry? It hadn't been there when I was looking before as it showed up as a new pattern.

[RoseRed]

I think people are forgetting that this is the first baby step in learning to design. It's also true that, especially in the beginning while learning pattern writing skills, that a lot of the patterns aren't very good. For someone who has already entered the designing world - it's very bad form and it's not the type of reputation that anybody would want.

 

Part of the fashion industry includes being inspired by what you see on the runway.

 

I'm at the point in my crocheting where I can copy just about anything I see. There are times that I do. I do not share those. I use those for personal use only and that's ok because I'm not violating someone else's ability to get paid for their work. When I find a truly amazing design that I need to purchase the pattern for - I get all excited.

 

There are tons of inspired by patterns. There is a difference between inspired by and copied.

 

I've seen free patterns that have been based on for sale patterns and I've seen for sale patterns based on free ones. No one except the designer can say for sure where they found their inspiration. It happens quite often that people come up with very similar designs without ever seeing the other.

 

But - that's not your question. Your question was about posting free patterns that copy published patterns.

 

It makes people very angry - especially, when it's their own pattern that was ripped off. There is a good sized percentage of crocheters that are quite vocal about how angry they are when they see it happen. I've noticed that people seem to give a little more leeway when it comes to patterns in books and mags than when it's a pattern by a small indie designer. In truth - it's the same thing.

 

There is a world of difference between inspired by and copied. I have an extensive pattern collection. I see 'new' patterns popping up all the time that are copied from old, out of print patterns. The inspired by ones are great. The flat out copied ones - ooohhh, those bother me. But - we also need to keep in mind that just because something looks similar - doesn't mean it's the same. There could be a great many differences in the patterns but without being able to compare the two - you really don't know.

 

This is an article I wrote on copyright. Maybe you'll find it helpful http://rosereddesigns.blogspot.com/p/explaining-copyright-terms-of-use.html

[HappyOldCro]

You are basically trying to define the difference between legally correct and morally correct.

Posting a pattern as your own even if free, is still claiming it is yours, when in reality it isn't....especially when you attempted to copy the stitches.

Sometimes we adjust patterns to change small parts, (shortening rows, changing a hdc to a dc, etc...in order to make it easier to crochet it for ourselves) but we still give the credit to the original pattern designer. We call it "tweaking", which is a minor change, but a change non the less. We don't post our actual pattern and instead will post a link to the original one with a note of what we did and why.

It is a choice that one makes and lives with, something that you will learn as you mature.

[wheat]

Sometimes we adjust patterns to change small parts, (shortening rows, changing a hdc to a dc, etc...in order to make it easier to crochet it for ourselves) but we still give the credit to the original pattern designer. We call it "tweaking", ... .

 

It sounds like you are working from someelse's pattern, or if you are just eyeballing a completed project and "recreating it for yourself.

 

Either way, the word you are looking for is Derivative work

 

Intellectual Property is a very complex area of law. I would think long and hard before posting details of your derivation - certainly at a minimum would be in touch with the copyrights holders. They have the right to request you not post pattern derivatives, although you are free to show your work and mention that you made some changes.

 

To make things more complicated, as Amy mentioned, while claim to useful articles (i.e., you cannot copyright the name "Sweater" or "Afghan" ) you can copyright YOUR instructions provided they were not derived from the written instructions of another.

 

It is worth considering that often times a designer will show a work but not necessarily fully develop a pattern unless they see a demand. So thank you for your consideration. Believe me, the entire design community will be blessing your thoughtfulness.

 

Enjoy The Making

 

Wheat

[HappyOldCro]

It sounds like you are working from someelse's pattern, or if you are just eyeballing a completed project and "recreating it for yourself.

Either way, the word you are looking for is Derivative work Wheat

I would be working

from a pattern that isn't an Indie one, more like one from a big chain store or a purchased book/mag. The changes might be adding or subtracting from a row, yarn weight or color, hook sizes, anything we all do to make apparel fit or afghans get to the size we want. I (and others) call that "tweaking"...

A deviation to me would be more of changing the pattern stitch, making a top into a dress or a major change. I would call that derivative...but again it boils down to interpretation.... Didn't want to get into a lot of legaleeze lingo for Itty Bitty..

It wouldn't be posted as pattern instructions, just a note (in show and tell, or wherever)with a link giving all the credit to the original source.....

[Itty Bitty]

Thanks for your input I was just browsing and got curious. I totally get how that would be inconsiderate.

[wheat]

I would be working

from a pattern that isn't an Indie one, more like one from a big chain store or a purchased book/mag. The changes might be adding or subtracting from a row, yarn weight or color, hook sizes, anything we all do to make apparel fit or afghans get to the size we want. I (and others) call that "tweaking"...

A deviation to me would be more of changing the pattern stitch, making a top into a dress or a major change. I would call that derivative...but again it boils down to interpretation.... Didn't want to get into a lot of legaleeze lingo for Itty Bitty..

It wouldn't be posted as pattern instructions, just a note (in show and tell, or wherever)with a link giving all the credit to the original source.....

 

I understand what you are saying, but feel it in your best interest to be clear. Tweaking and then sharing the details of that tweak is still derivitive EVEN if you do not give the full pattern instructions.

 

The second sting <G> whether it is an indie published pattern or something put out by a chain, the simple fact remains, at some point a human put their talent to use creating those instructions. EVEN if there names does not appear on it, someone has the rights and those should be respected.

 

What many do not realize is how vital to the Indie and small publisher it is when a "big guy" fights to maintain their rights - that they are also getting the precedent that protects all the "little people" who are much less likely to be able to defend themselves from the theft of their IP.

 

Show your finished project, mention you worked a bit on it to get personal fit, or used a different yarn, and yes, thank you for taking the time to give credit to the source, be it an Indie or publisher large or small.

 

Okay, back to work now .... .

 

Enjoy The Making

 

Wheat

[yarnjeannie]

I give the original poster credit for being conscientious enough to ask everyone's opinion. Sounds like you will someday make a good and honest designer!