partial patterns

[merkity]

hi - think this is the right forum.  I have found a pattern that i am going to make, but for the version i am going to make only a partial pattern exists.  others have made the version i plan to do, but its seems that no one has put out a complete pattern for it.   If someone writes out a complete pattern - would they just reference where the original pattern comes from?   i am not sure i would ever get around to it, nor would i plan to sell it - the original is currently free on Ravelry.  I was just wondering how that would work.

 

thank you!

[magiccrochetfan]

You can't base a pattern on an existing pattern, unless you have permission of the copyright holder. Otherwise you are violating the original pattern's copyright. Free or for sale doesnt matter.

 

You can make whatever you want, using whatever patterns or parts of patterns you like.

[Amy]

I can't really answer this question without having more specifics about what is involved.

 

If your additions are your own original design, you could release a pattern with instructions for your original work, and refer people back to obtain the original pattern so they could make the beginning part of the design.

 

You've said there is no pattern yet for the full version of what you want to make, but it sounds as if there may be pictures of completed projects that others have made.

 

If you're copying their design for your finished item, you might legally be able to write up your instructions with no issue of copyright infringement (at least under US law). However, then you get into ethical questions about deliberately copying another person's work. If this involves something simple, like adding a generic stitch pattern trim (found in multiple stitch dictionaries) to a simple scarf, you're probably okay. If you're talking about something that's pretty unique, the answer might be different.

When thinking about writing up a pattern based on somebody else's work, I find the best thing to do is imagine you had designed and created the original photo. How would you feel if another crocheter used your photo to make the project and then wrote up the instructions and published the pattern? If you would be upset if that happened to you, that's a good indication you shouldn't do it to someone else.