Making YouTube tutorials from FREE patterns.

[CraftyHooker]

I am going to start making YouTube tutorials and was wondering about crocheting FREE patterns on my channel. Obviously you cannot make a tutorial from a paid pattern but are there any restrictions or is there anything I can or cannot do when making a tutorial from something else's FREE pattern? I will post a link to the original written pattern so the creator will get the credit, of course. Other people make tutorials from Red Heart or Lion Brand patterns for example, I just don't want to get in trouble before I even get started! Lol

[Granny Square]

I strongly suggest that you get permission from the pattern writer before you do this.  If I wrote a pattern and posted it on my blog at no charge, I still retain the copyright to that pattern,  That means that I have the rights to how the pattern is reproduced and distributed, which (I assume) would have to include video.  Whether a pattern is offered for free or not makes no difference, nor does it make a difference if the author doesn't put some sort of disclaimer on her pattern that it is under copyright - putting it out there makes it so.  Most patterns published (in any form) after the early 1920s are probably still under copyright.

[Bailey4]

It kind of falls under the realm of why when I blog I can write about the pattern, show what I made with the pattern, discuss my challenges, etc. with the pattern, but I legally can't share the pattern with my readers, I can only provide a link to where they can download the free pattern themselves or buy the pattern should they wish to do so.  It might be worth contacting some of these people.  They might be interested in some free publicity.  However, just taking their pattern and publishing it openly seems to cross the line into taking their pattern and reproducing it without permission.

[Chatty]

I agree with the other two ladies. Get permission first. Many authors of patterns, especially free ones, do not want the pattern redistributed in any form, they just require a link back to their pattern.

Youtube tutorial videos seems to me to be one of those redistributions.

[darski]

I would not object if you used my patterns but they are mostly doll clothes.

 

I think you should get permission first but I like the idea.

[Mstaree]

I was wondering about old magazines… certain sites show “free pattern” which is tied to an old crochet magazine.  Can you make tutorials for those designs without showing the pattern?  

[Granny Square]

If the old crochet magazines are older than Jan 1, 1926, you do not need permission.   That is, if you want to be 100% sure that someone won't come after you for infringing their copyright.  A pattern published after that is still under copyright 70 years after the author's death or 95 years after publication.  (take a look at the wikipedia article for US copyright rules).  This is why the advice above is to get the publisher's permission, even if the 'publisher' is a blogger or a member of a site like this one where original patterns are shared.

Many sites with old magazine patterns are posting them illegally, so you will need to do your research.  And aside from copyright, licensed images (like a Disney character or a Team Logo) are another legal issue that would probably be pursued more aggressively.

Edited, I didn't realize how old this thread was and I'd already said the same thing 3 years ago, but it is still true!

Edited August 6, 2021 by Granny Square

[USpolishgirl]

I would not advice making tutorial with other people designs even if they are old. Unless you would explain in that tutorial that isn't your design or your idea. Maybe you could ad info. where you got that from and if there is a name of that designer you should write that down for others to know.

That happened to me on FB. I was not happy about that at all!. That person claim my design as hers on her FB page. Some people will do bad things just to claim someone else idea and work. I do make many items without patterns and I do not write patterns. I just make one of the kind for my family & friends.

I even was "attacked" couple times by idiots because I would not give them a pattern of my work. My explanations to them that I do not write patterns were NOT enough!. One of them kept on going at me for that, like that pattern was DUE TO HER. That was my "responsibility" to provide that pattern to her!. That person would not stop until someone from that group reported her and she got kicked out from that group.

Krys