I can do that! -figure out the pattern

[darski]

is it considered a violation of copyright if I can figure out a pattern:thinkor motif by looking at it and then use that pattern for myself but don't share it?

 

What if I share what I think is the pattern? Ah there now...

[shortylam]

I want to hear what others say about this issue too!

 

I just made a bag that is similar to a designer one and someone asked me how to do it. Since I didn't write down the pattern, I just gave the measurements of the bag and some important notes that I need to share.

 

Is that ok?

[amdm]

I don't see how it can be illegal to work out how to make a particular pattern. I wouldn't give the instructions to anyone, though. (In fact I have made things by studying the pictures, and reading what people had to say about them, but have kept my notes to myself.)

[Krystal16]

Well, copyright stuff gets a little funky, but here is my take:

 

If you came up with the instructions with a bag as inspiration, then it is YOUR pattern. It doesn't matter that you looked at someone else's work to get your idea. It's not like you bought the bag, frogged it and wrote down the instructions as you frogged, then turned around and pawned it off as your own.

 

If YOU came up with the pattern, then it is yours to do with as you please. If you are REALLY good at this, however - you may wish to take notes as you go to prove that it really is your own idea.

[darski]

Lets consider a couple of situations from our threads here.

 

The VS skirt is not offered for sale as a pattern so you are not taking anything from a pattern maker if you work this out. It is complicated and not easy to figure out anyway

 

The Moonflowers afghan motif is available still as a pattern leaflet (I think it is) and is offering to teach you how to make this. It is a rather simple pattern and easy to figure out from the pics.

 

hhhhmmmmnnn...

[lynned1952]

Lets face it, there are only so many variations....I designed my own heart pattern for an afghan I wanted to make and then later while surfing the net I saw several similar afghans...when I checked out the patterns there were slight differences but basicly they were pretty much the same.

[crochetbycharlene]

MY husband said since crochet has been around forever then everything we come up someone has come up with in the past even if it was 100 years ago, so it anything every anyones? I feel it is an art and if we could teach someone a pattern or a stitch then that is the way it should be.

[Sarah Jane]

I believe that if you got inspiration from the piece and made one similar then it is your piece. If you are not following a pattern then it is your own original design.

 

When you surf the net you see so many patterns that are the same but with only slight variations.

 

If you came up with it yourself and didn't re-write someoneelse's pattern then it isn't copyright. That's my opinion anyway.