Originally Posted by
Onebyone
where did you read that?
My sew group wanted to make quilts to sell using a bought pattern. We contacted the designer and she said buy as many patterns as the quilts we were making to sell. All she wanted was the profit from the patterns to satisfy her end and that was all she was entitled to legally. We bought 20 patterns. Sold 18 quilts. One member's husband is an attorney and he said we didn't even have to contact the designer as long as we had documentation we bought 20 patterns sold no more then 20 quilts. Anyway no one was arrested.
That is different from your explanation in your first reply. Yes, if you have a group of 20 quilters, each one should purchase the pattern, not share photocopies. However, an individual may buy one pattern and make as many things from that pattern as he or she wants. Big difference.
Think of a commercial pattern as a book; the designer is the author, with all rights to the instructions, diagrams, photos used, etc. It is intellectual property. The author cannot limit the number of times you personally read the book, but you are not allowed to make copies and hand them out to your book club or lit class.