Hi Boo:
I took a quilt class to learn how to make a table runner. The pattern was published in a quilt book . I have been asked for the pattern and would like to share it but don't know if I'd be violating the copyright laws or rules. Can you help me?

Feathers

F,

Always put yourself in the shoes of the person designing the art (which a pattern is). Would you like it if somoeone took your work and gave it away free or even sold it without your knowledge, without paying you for YOUR work? In some case, the artist might not care. But that judgement is for you the consumer, to find out before you spread the copywrite work around.

Now if you find the work in a book long out of print, you might be able to justify this yourself.

If you feel uncomfortable, it's probably not right. Send a photo of the quilt runner, send photo of the blocks involved, send a note telling what the measurements are. Let the person on the receiving end work out the pattern themselves. No copywrite infringement there.

tim in san jose

Thank you, Tim. I'll do just what you said. Thanks for getting back to me so quick.
Feathers

Hmmm... if giving someone a copy of a pattern that is published in a quilt book is a violation of copyright...then giving someone a recipe out of a published cookbook would be as well, wouldn't it?

If a pattern designed by an artist is going to be published in a book, the artist is paid for their work by the publisher, doesn't matter how many books sell, they were paid an agreed upon amount. I buy a pattern book, someone sees a pattern in it they want to make, as long as they are not claiming the finished product as their own design, or selling it for personal gain, you haven't infringed on any copyright laws. This would fall under the 'fair use' clause in copyright statutes, at least in Canada's copyright law., not sure what the copyright laws are in the U.S.

I ran into a situation when I owned an Internet Service Provider. Web sites I designed, the copyright belonged to my Corporation. One of my customers downloaded a picture off my Corporate site and put it up on their own site, but didn't reference the picture back to my company. That was copyright infringement. Could I have filed a law suit? If I wanted to send my corporate lawyer on another trip to the Caribbean..sure. A simple request that they either take the picture down, or make reference to it being copy written to my company was the advice my lawyer gave me. Saved me a lot of money, and my lawyer had to endure another cold winter... LOL

Not claiming to be an authority...just my view and experience...

SD,

If you make a copy of that pattern that you did not buy, in the US, that is not fair use, that is infringement. You, as the consumer, have the right to use the pattern for your own use, you do not have the right to distribute that pattern.

Now for the most part, nobody knows if I copied a pattern out of a book in the library. It is mostly a matter of doing what is right or wrong and every quilter has to make that decision.

Even if the artist was payed a fix price, the person who bought that pattern bought it for the purpose of making money and gave that artist a chance to sell their work. The publisher in this case still has an ethical right to be reimbursed for taking the chance on that artist's work.

tim

....As I said, I am not familiar with U.S. copyright laws, the laws obviously differ greatly.

No biggie, will keep my mouth shut. :)

No, no, no.. That wasn't the point. I don't want you to keep your mouth shut. I have just pointed out US law, not Canadian.

You have been a tremendous addition to our group Shadow Dancer. No one meant to offend you.

tim in san jose (the other CA)

Tim, I was wondering if you could offer me some advice re this subject. I have on occasion wanted to share something on the board here. I design a lot of my own patterns and some times come across some thing similar later on. It's bound to happen, there are that many quilters out there and there only so many ways you condivide up a shape :lol: . What is the copy right situation then? It makes me nervous about sharing my patterns here as I don't wish to break any rules. Anyone else have any thoughts on this too?

Shelly....

1.) I would not lose any sleep over breaking any rules if you did design this yourself. The chances of someone coming after you for copy write violations is very small, and the proof is on them.

2.) I have had a number of conversations with Patrice on this very subject. I am sure she can give you some advice about posting original work on the board.

3.) Remember a lot of quilt blocks are public domain. They were designed many years ago, many have had the copy write expire, many are what are called "traditional" patterns that have no copy write associated to them. Kinda like you never need to pay royalties for singing "Amazing Grace" on the radio. Nobody owns that song.

tim in san jose

If you have any questions about what can or can't be done here, send a note to admin. As far as these boards go ,they are the last word. :wink: :D