Using special stitches in a pattern

[rembunten]

I am designing a Christmas stocking, and used an edging for which I found directions online. If I want to share the pattern, since it incorporates that edging stitch that I got from someone else, do I need permission from that person? Or do I just credit them and link to their pattern? Or should I not use it at all? Their pattern was free. I would be offering my pattern for free as well - but if I were selling it would that change the answer?

 

Sorry for all the questions! I'm starting to design more and would like to share my patterns but I'm still new to it.

[magiccrochetfan]

I would research the edging; it may be a fairly common one that is found in stitch dictionaries, other patterns. If so then you would be free to use it.

[wheat]

Lacking enough information to determine if an actaul violation exists (and respecting CV preference not to have detailed discussions) 

 

Essentially, Copyright grants the author the right to control HOW and WHERE their work is displayed - used, etc.

 

MONEY does not entire into the issue until the "Punitive" damages section occurs. 

 

EVEN if the motif is in stitch guides, it is the INSTRUCTIONS that are copyright.  So you will have to write your own instructions

 

In your situation, I would contact the person whose work you incorporated into your project and seek permission to link back to their instructions for that section of your instructions.

[RoseRed]

I am designing a Christmas stocking, and used an edging for which I found directions online.

 

If I want to share the pattern, since it incorporates that edging stitch that I got from someone else, do I need permission from that person? Or do I just credit them and link to their pattern? Or should I not use it at all?

 

Their pattern was free. I would be offering my pattern for free as well - but if I were selling it would that change the answer?

 

I linked to a border pattern for my diamond ghan pattern.  Freepatterns.com removed the border pattern.  A lot of people have contacted me for the instructions.  If you link to it - you run the risk of it being removed by the copyright holder. 

 

Stitches and stitch combinations aren't covered under copyright law.  The pictures and wording (pattern) are.

 

If you want the pattern to truly be your own - then make your own edging pattern instead of using someone elses.  There's nothing wrong with linking to the pattern but it is netiquette to speak with the designer prior to doing so.  Like I said before, tho, you do run the risk of the pattern being taken down and then you have to explain to people that really want that pattern that it wasn't yours to begin with and no, you can't send them the instructions.  People generally do not like being to no or that they cannot have something that they want.  If I had any idea of the problems that would've happened when that edging pattern came down I wouldn't have used it in the first place.

 

Under copyright law there's no distinction between free or paid patterns.  They're intellectual property whether you pay for it or not.

 

I wrote an article on copyrights and terms of use.  Perhaps you can find something helpful in it http://rosereddesigns.blogspot.com/p/explaining-copyright-terms-of-use.html

[rembunten]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like it will be less of a hassle to just come up with my own edging pattern. But good information if I do run into this again.