kits
 

Question- if you get a pattern online free and make few kits for ppl who have a hard time cutting or decide you dont want to do them is it illegal to sell the kits and add tbe pattern free?
Thank you

Suggest you write the source of the pattern. This appears to me so specific it requires professional opinion or directly to the designer or other source

Is it someone's specialized block or one that's been public domain for years. I find it interesting when you see a really old block with someone's copyright on it. I assume its their choice of fabric they are protecting.

I personally would think that it is okay to make up a kit and to add the pattern to it. If the pattern is free to download I don't see it as a problem. As long as on the pattern that you print out says that it is a free download. Which MEANS Anyone can download it. And it wouldn't be selling the pattern itself...it would be selling the fabric to make the quilt itself.

To protect yourself I would sell the fabric and provide the link to the free pattern

I agree with this. Often a free pattern will have some verbiage about not making copies from the download or distributing the downloaded file. They offer the pattern for free, but require that folks who want it go to their site and get it themselves.

i agree with this. designers offer their patterns free on their website to draw more traffic to the website

Definitely this is the best idea for the reasons given by PaperPrincess and QuiltnNan. And if your customers do not have internet access, they can find someone on their own (i.e., not you) who does. Otherwise, contact the designer as Holice suggested. I would certainly not just go ahead as you originally described.

No, it's the written instructions that are protected. I agree with the other answers. It would be a copyright violation to make copies of the pattern to give away. The "price" of getting the pattern free is that you must visit the web site (and hopefully look around at other things that are there). Of course the risk to those who buy the kits is that the pattern may be removed from the web site at some future date, so it would be best for them to download the pattern immediately. Good luck with your sales!