I have seen several things of mine over on Pinterest. I'm fine with that. Most everything I make I got the pattern online for free or it's a tradition block pattern. If the way I've used it inspires them, it makes me happy.

If your not allowed to pin, Pinterest will just delete it from your photos. They will notify you by email. I have had several disappear. Truth be told, I'm such an avid pinner, I don't even know which ones disappear. Obviously, I could live without it.

That being said, if you post it online, it gets very public very quick. So, just don't post anything you don't want to share.

Not quite. The actual picture appears on Pinterest. You have to click a button to the link but often on Pinterest it may be repinned so many times that it can be virtually impossible to get back to the "original" source of the picture. Here we put in what are commonly referred to as "hyperlinks" which is the web address and the user has to actually click it and go to the original source to view the picture. That is not the case with pinterest. Links are provided but what is posted is the actual picture, you only get a button to go back to the original source if you click the picture then click the button that says "visit".

Additionally with many screen grabber tools like snip it or snag it someone can pin a picture that will be linked as "uploaded by user".

I've been surprised to find my quilts on Pinterest. I think that is really nice.

There are private sites that state in the rules that you are not allowed to take photos from the site, so read the rules of each site.

Watson

I too was flattered to see one of my quilts on Pinterest. It doesn't bother me.

I've pinned things on Pinterest and had them removed by the Pinterest police because of "copyright" so maybe someone complained. Once it was a pin showing a lasagna where the cheese arrangement looked like a skull. I didn't quite understand how that could be a copyright.

If you have a quilt to be given as a gift don't post a picture of it online until after it's given.

I agree with those who feel flattered when someone likes my quilt enough to save/copy it. I create and adapt lots of patterns and am always happy when I find one posted somewhere like Pinterest.

Thanks for reminding me this is public domain and legally can be pinned to pinterest or other social network. I'll be more careful what I post in the future.

it is best manners to ask first.
don't assume.
the poster might have a reason you haven't thought of.

and remember ... their reason doesn't have to make sense to you.
just respect it and don't pin.

I would not mind. It shows that the person liked it a lot. I think I would like credit though.

It's assumed that if you took the photo, you own it, whether it's lasagna or a tree. It is considered copyrighted.

So, hypothetically, anytime you "pin" a photo to Pinterest without the owners permission, you could be violating a copyright law.

On many websites, if you post your own photo, it either becomes the property of the website or public domain. It's in the terms of service. I understand that if you post your own photo to pinterest, it becomes public domain and anyone can use it any way they choose. That is not true if someone else posts your photo to Pinterest. I think that might get murky if you have photos on your site and also install a pinterest button there as well.