is this my creation?

[lilybean31905]

silly question. a friend of mine showed me a pic of a crochet top for sale. Well I looked at it and it looked really simple to throw together so I made it how I thought it would go, obviously it looks different. so is this classified as making my own pattern or did I kind of steal this persons. Oh and it was no one from here it was on ebay.

I will post pics later of the 2 tops I did in teh last 3 days

[winstongang]

That would be copying the other person. If you didn't come up with the design concept, then it's not yours. And a lot of crochet sellers on ebay are also here on crochetville.

[lilybean31905]

thanks for clarifying. I didnt want to be a thief and now feel guilty. At least it wasnt for sale just for my dd to wear. I guess I wont be posting pics just in case. I will also try to be more creative.

[Shelleden]

Aw, don't feel guilty, you didn't intentionally do something wrong. Now, it would be wrong if you posted it & claimed it was your design, or if you sold it, etc.... I'd say you were just inspired. Since you say it turned out a little different, then it's not an exact copy of someone else's design, and since it's for your dd, I don't think you have anything to feel bad about. IMO

[Melissa]

Erm, I don't think that designing your own version from the photo of something someone else did is stealing. Especially something basic or simple. (No one owns the concept of a tank top, even one edged in shell stitching.) And it's certainly not stealing to design your own version for your own personal use, or post pictures of what you've done.

 

On the other hand, the more closely you follow something intricate or detailed that someone else designed, the less it belongs to you. You have to take it on a case-by-case basis and use your judgement.

[sjkmaurice]

Last I knew, discussions like this were not allowed. Too much "gray" area.

[snugsmontreal]

Last I knew, discussions like this were not allowed. Too much "gray" area.

 

i dont think it is "gray area". she can post pictures and say she made it, she isnt saying she made the pattern. its really no different than someone posting a picture of an item they made from a pattern, they arent claiming it is their own concept

[craftconnie1]

As a designer I am often "inspired" by someone else's work or color schemes. Taking a pattern whether you buy it, or borrow (friend , relative, library) and copying it and then claiming it as your own that is stealing. Let's face it, there really is nothing absolutely new. Somewhere in this world each and every design has been made by someone else.

[winstongang]

I'm gonna chime in one more time here. It's fine to be "inspired" by something you see, people do that everyday. But to look at a crocheted top, and purposefully attempt to copy the exact design, is copying plain and simple. No matter who you intend to give it to. If you have to ask about whether its right nor not, then usually it's not.

[sjkmaurice]

i dont think it is "gray area". she can post pictures and say she made it, she isnt saying she made the pattern. its really no different than someone posting a picture of an item they made from a pattern, they arent claiming it is their own concept

 

 

You've missed my point. Please read post number 7. I don't care whether or not she's going to post a picture and tell us she copied it from another picture. The point is, copyright discussions tend to get nasty and although I can't find where it's posted on the board that we cannot discuss it at all, it's been mentioned several times that we are no longer able to discuss our opinions in regards to copyrights.

[lilybean31905]

I did not at all mean to start such an uproar over a simple question. I guess that I should clarify. I saw a top that I liked, I then attempted to make my own from that idea/inspirtation. It is in no way an exact replica of what I did see. I was inpired to make something along those lines. So I picked up a differnt yarn brand, probably different hook size and made a top for my dd. I have no intentions of posting pictures, selling this, claiming it as a pattern I came up with, sharing the pattern I used or telling any more about this. I apologize for causing so much trouble over something so silly. thank you to everyone who clairified this and shared their opinions to me regarding this. I am well aware that I did not come up with this idea, it was probably come up with many many years ago and people just continued to make their own personal versions time and again. So thank you ALL so much and please dont argue or bicker over something so silly.

to all

[sjkmaurice]

Please don't feel bad about it. The new "rule" has been mentioned several times but I looked last night and I couldn't find a formal written policy regarding asking for opinions about copyrights. I just didn't want you to get shut down with a warning.

[tlisley]

I don't think the copywrite thing is even valid here. It's not like she wants to publish it. If it doesn't even look like the first one what does it matter? If you wanted to you could always say "Inspired by..." I've seen that before. It's like someone else said, the tank top has been around for a long time. But really if you aren't selling it or planning to publish the pattern I think it's a non issue.

[craftybutterfly]

I'm gonna chime in one more time here. It's fine to be "inspired" by something you see, people do that everyday. But to look at a crocheted top, and purposefully attempt to copy the exact design, is copying plain and simple. No matter who you intend to give it to. If you have to ask about whether its right nor not, then usually it's not.

 

Then can someone please explain to me how all these "knock-off" patterns of say, the Jessica Simpson shawl, are being designed (exact copies from what I can see) and the patterns being sold? Or perhaps the pattern that is soon to come of of the Molly Weasly sleeves, (just an example)? I personally am glad we have these discussions, and think they should continue regardless of gray areas, keeps folks from getting in trouble. If I find a crocheted top I like at walmart, go home and copy it to the best of my ability, write out my own pattern in my own words, this does not make it my pattern to do with as I wish, such as sell it? It seems that there are "gray areas" because you can get a different answer and a different opinion depending on whom you ask, and some of the answers just don't make logical sense. And to be honest, this is the reason I don't design, or if I do come up with a design, I don't usually share. I did one time, and got literally jumped on by a band of blood thirsty gals who had one hand on the key board and the other on the speed dial to the attorney, and accused me of "stealing" the design because it was vaguely similar in schematics to some one else's, when it was actually something that I had come up with off the top of my head, not even inspired by anything they had done because I hadn't seen their work. I was so hurt, I left the group and vowed to keep my designs to myself in the future, now there's the spririt of crafting huh? Sorry, but they were so mean and nasty, I was completely bowled over how such sweet ladies could turn into rabid dogs so quickly without even being sure they were right first.

[faedragon]

Knock-offs, don't violate copyright, and neither does seeing an item then making a similar( knock-off) item using your own talents. If you were to purchase the item, deconstruct it to see exactly how it was made, then duplicated it : that would be a copyright violation. Manufactures knock-off things all the time. Case in point: everytime there is an awards show, some company ( and this has been shown repeatedly on Inside Editon, Entertainment Tonight and every other entertainment tv-zine)is watching the dresses worn by the celebs just for the purpose of mass producing ones that look very similar to sell to the public. That is not copyright violation, and neither is crocheting a sweather, shrug, rug, hat, cat,bat, etc, based strictly on having seen one you like, and the pattern for it would be yours, to do with as you please.

[winstongang]

Gah, I said one more time, but here I am again. I enjoy discussing issues such as these as long as people don't get crazy.

 

Let me illustrate my point a little better. If I were to look at a picture of one of Katchkans fabulous chokers and whip out a duplicate, would it be mine? Of course not. I would have used my knowledge of crochet to create a product based on her creation... =copying=

 

Copyright violation discussions can get nuts, and I believe those aren't allowed here. But who knows. The original question posed was "is this my creation"..and the answer would be no.

 

Others may have their own opinions, but this is pretty black and white as far as I'm concerned.

 

Megan

[lilybean31905]

THanks again to all so this is not my creation I miss typed what I was saying, not sure what that is but its obviously not mine I could say this is not my creation but a different version that may appear somewhat similar. Thanks again to all. I am currently working on my own original creation using stitches I have in a book of mine. So the design not the stitching idea will be all mine and no one elses (as far as I know) it is coming from my head and I dont think anyone else is in there. I havent heard the voices in a while. I mean um I dont hear voices who made me say that. not me , me either, wasnt me . LOL ok I am not amusing myself haha

thanks again to all. I understand:manyheart