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Is it illegal to sell a quilt -

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Old 12-17-2014, 06:13 AM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Cari-in-Oly View Post
I make purses and other items to sell with copyrighted sports fabric. I've gotten into more than one discussion and even arguments over whether what I do is legal. Yes, it is legal. This went all the way to the Supreme Court and here is a portion of the ruling:
the "first sale doctrine" upheld in the court ruling of Quality King Distributors, Inc. v. L'Anzaresearch Int'l, Inc (98 F.3d 1109, reversed). Justice Stevens: "The whole point of the first sale doctrine is that once the copyright owner places a copyrighted item in the stream of commerce by selling it, he has exhausted his exclusive statutory right to control its distribution."

In other words, once you buy the fabric, it is yours to do what you wish with it.

Cari
To me, this sounds like it would include quilt patterns too. I always wondered how you could sell a pattern and then say, only one could be made from the pattern, and no sales allowed, must be for personal use. Now, adding a statement like "no mass production" I can understand. I am considering mass as being several hundred, not 2 or 3.
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Old 12-17-2014, 06:41 AM
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I have been quilting for way to long. I have never heard of something like this. I have made quilts, bought quilts, sold quilts. Friends have bought fabric so I could make them one. Once I buy it belongs to me. I can do whatever I want to do with this.
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Old 12-17-2014, 06:43 AM
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It is the fabric ,itself, that is copyrighted. You're not suppose to copy the design on the fabric to produce your own . In other words, the fabric may not be duplicated , what you make of it is your product using their fabric. and does not pertain to copyright laws.
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Old 12-17-2014, 06:58 AM
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yes, it is legal. If you feel uneasy about it - use the Tabberone Disclaimer . just a note pinned to the quilt that states "this quilt was made using 'da-da- da 's fabric" . Very few ever make it to court.
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Old 12-17-2014, 09:07 AM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by Cari-in-Oly View Post
My favorite LQS knows what I do and they always know what's up when I'm buying more sports fabric but we don't talk about it openly because their distributor has threatened to pull the fabrics if the QS is selling fabrics to people like me who sell items made with these fabrics. The distributor can't legally stop me from selling my stuff but they can stop selling the fabric to the shop. It's wrong all the way around.
Cari
Sounds like distributor has inflated ego and lack of brains rolled into one. There are a lot of strange and clueless people out there today.
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Old 12-17-2014, 04:58 PM
  #26  
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This has been an interesting post--very informative for me. I hate it when someone asks me about Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls that I make from patterns I bought in the 70's; so I don't "sell them" I "give them away"......and if the lucky recipient wants to pay me, OK, if not, that's OK too.
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Old 12-17-2014, 05:54 PM
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Originally Posted by betty32084 View Post
It is the fabric ,itself, that is copyrighted. You're not suppose to copy the design on the fabric to produce your own . In other words, the fabric may not be duplicated , what you make of it is your product using their fabric. and does not pertain to copyright laws.
Direct quote from the selvedge of my latest fabric purchase: "This pattern is licensed by the NFL. This is for individual consumption only. Any unauthorized use of this fabric is prohibited and illegal." So you are correct technically. But that middle sentence is still the one that is trying to say we can't sell what we make from it. I like how they put it in between the two sentences that pertain to the fabric design itself.

Cari
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Old 12-17-2014, 06:05 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Cari-in-Oly View Post
I make purses and other items to sell with copyrighted sports fabric. I've gotten into more than one discussion and even arguments over whether what I do is legal. Yes, it is legal. This went all the way to the Supreme Court and here is a portion of the ruling:
the "first sale doctrine" upheld in the court ruling of Quality King Distributors, Inc. v. L'Anzaresearch Int'l, Inc (98 F.3d 1109, reversed). Justice Stevens: "The whole point of the first sale doctrine is that once the copyright owner places a copyrighted item in the stream of commerce by selling it, he has exhausted his exclusive statutory right to control its distribution."

In other words, once you buy the fabric, it is yours to do what you wish with it.

Cari
Ha! Mahalo for posting this!!!

It ends all the arguments about what you can do or not do with fabric you've bought.

Do you know what year this ruling came down?

Again: MAHALO! (Thank you).
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Old 12-17-2014, 06:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Cari-in-Oly View Post
My favorite LQS knows what I do and they always know what's up when I'm buying more sports fabric but we don't talk about it openly because their distributor has threatened to pull the fabrics if the QS is selling fabrics to people like me who sell items made with these fabrics. The distributor can't legally stop me from selling my stuff but they can stop selling the fabric to the shop. It's wrong all the way around. Cari
It's hard to believe the distributor isn't bending over backwards to get them fully stocked in team fabrics as hard as it is to make a buck in this day and age. I'd be sending chocolates with every team fabric order from the LQS.
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Old 12-17-2014, 06:29 PM
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Originally Posted by HouseDragon View Post
Ha! Mahalo for posting this!!!

It ends all the arguments about what you can do or not do with fabric you've bought.

Do you know what year this ruling came down?

Again: MAHALO! (Thank you).
From a quick Google search it says 1998.
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