Copywrite and Use of Quilt Patterns
 

There still seems to be some misunderstanding of the use of designer copy-written patterns. Recently a designer's pattern was copied and distributed to many others without the permission of the designer (not me BTW) even though the pages of the pattern were all copy-written. Just to clarify..... if you purchase a pattern or if the designer gives you a free copy of their pattern YOU, personally can make as many quilts from that pattern as you desire. You CANNOT copy and distribute that pattern to others. Each person wanting to use that pattern to make that quilt would have to purchase that pattern. The pattern is yours to use, but not to give away to others for free. The designer has spent numerous hours working on this and this is her income, so in effect by giving this away it is stealing. It does not matter if the pattern is being used for charity or for individual use. Giving away someone else's copy-written work is stealing.
When using free patterns off of the internet many websites will say each person must go on line themselves to download the free pattern. Please abide by the designers request. Also, if you are given a pattern via a charity or QOV leader please make sure it is not a copy-written pattern that was illegality copied. I'm sure if this were your income source you would not like others illegally copying it. Thanks for being mindful and considerate of others.

Thanks for bringing this up, Sherry. For honest people, the "Oh, boy! I got something for free!" response certainly fades when you learn that you've stolen something. There are patterns in the public domain that anyone can share or, as you mentioned, patterns given away for free, sometimes with restrictions. We have to respect creativity if we want it to continue.

PS - It's "copyright" - as in, the right to copy (participle: copyrighted). A copywriter is someone who provides words, usually for advertising or marketing.

Thanks for the spellcheck-- I noticed a few in there. Appreciate it.

You can do what ever you want to do with the pattern. Not very long ago someone posted on this site that very fact. The person did a lot of research on it. Once you buy and pay for the pattern it is yours to do what ever you want.

http://so-sew-easy.com/sewing-patter...term=Read+More

Apparently you can't copy and sell a pattern according to this article. Is that the same as copy and distribute? I am not an attorney. But I still don't do that.

I would agree with most of what you have stated except for the "may not give away for free" statement. If this were true, no one could buy a pattern and then give it as a gift to a friend. Or give magazines away. It's the multiple copies where it becomes illegal.

Implicit in the "give it away for free" comment, to me at least, was "a copy." Of course you can buy something and give it to someone, with the possible exceptions of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, firearms and pornography.

Just to clarify - you can give away, or sell, the original printed copies of patterns that you purchased, because once purchased, that paper copy belongs to you. The copyright protection means that you cannot make copies, either to sell or give away.

Dunster is right.
You cannot copy the pattern and sell or give away a copy of it. The actual pattern you can do what you want with it. If you think it's okay, I suggest telling a designer you plan to copy and make the pattern free. :D

Just for some more clarity, there are more restrictions on quilt pattern copyrights than on guns.
peace