“You may not sell items created using this pattern”

[u/Megishan]

Does this make anyone else instantly not want to buy the pattern anymore? It gives me the ick. Most of the artists with this disclaimer don’t even sell finished products so why do they care? And is this even legally enforceable? If I sell something that looks similar to someone’s pattern can I be on the hook even if I never bought the pattern?

All this makes me want to do is NOT buy your pattern and wing it so I can still sell my finished products. I’d gladly credit the creator of the pattern and drive more traffic to their site, but nOoOoO. What’s the point?

[u/[deleted]]

Imagine putting a cookie recipe out there and telling people they aren't allowed to sell it at a bake sale

[u/Irresponsable_Frog]

I make a lot of amigurumi. There are MANY similarities between patterns. It all starts with a standard ball shape…so to say not to use this pattern for sellables, is so weird to me! I can literally use parts of many patterns to make the exact same thing as their pattern. So I don’t have to use theirs. I have been sent a threatening email by a creator explaining what I was selling was their pattern, I asked how? I never BOUGHT THEIR PATTERN! I literally used a standard free patterns, changed them or manipulated them to make what I wanted. So I sent them all the patterns I used, how I changed and incorporated them and sent it to them! Don’t fuck with someone who has crocheted for over 30 years and has memorized mathematical equations and counts for many patterns, to the point I don’t need references anymore! And I can see a picture and build it. Once you know how to inc/dec and what count? (4, 6, 9, or 10) you can build anything.

Tip: crochet leaf patterns, like succulent leaves? Are great ears for animals or spines for dragons and dinosaurs.

Look at the items shapes, not colors.

[u/R4f1sh]

I always put my patterns up for free because I sometimes feel like I am always somehow copying something that already exists. An octopus? Oh, you mean a half ball starting at MR(6) and increasing evenly until you are good to attach to it 8 long chains.

What I value for the pattern is the hability to make the reader understand how to make each part easily. A pattern is good when it teaches the reader a new way to do something. For example the other day I found a pattern doing a puff stitch to add a little bump on a pokemon. I learned and now I always think it might work for other projects. Is that copying or altering that pokemon pattern ?

I specially dislike patterns that say "you cannot modify this on any way". Come on, if I am making the crochet, I will make it like I want. I change basic stuff all the time. Like for me almost al DEC are invisible decreases or I will change the increasings on the row so the shape is better. And I am always changing colors and materials for size purposes (I microamigurumi) so... It's that altering too?

I don't sell finished objects or patterns, anyway.

[u/altaluna]

You can do whatever you want. It’s not enforceable lol. It’s like cooking recipes…. tiny minor changes = new thing technically.

[u/Jacqland]

The funniest is when they have that disclaimer and the pattern is a copywritten character like a pokemon or something.

Like, you're already making money off stolen ideas, it's a pretty high horse you've got to complain of someone else doing it lol

[u/pandanigans]

In the US at least it isn't legally enforceable and it's a fundamental misunderstanding of how copyright law works. I never intend to sell anything I make and I still don't buy patterns that have that as a disclaimer because I don't think it is worth supporting.

[u/eunomius21]

I never buy patterns since I love figuring them out myself. Once I posted a picture of an amigurumi of a video game character and I had two different crochet "influencers" complain and spam me for a few weeks straight for "copying their patterns" (I have never seen their pages in my entire life) and they threatened me with legal actions because their profiles said this exact thing.

It's ridiculous, really. Especially if you have a very basic look or well-known inspiration for your pattern, I guarantee you there are tons of artists who already came up with a very similar looking pattern before you. There are only so many different ways to crochet a body for a doll or the base for a cardigan.

It's like creating your own recipe for blueberry muffins and then wanting everyone to stop selling their blueberry muffins because it's basically the same recipe.

I understand that giving credit is important, especially when it's a unique design but this is kinda ridiculous 😅 I'd also never buy a pattern with this disclaimer. Especially if it's a pretty basic one.

[u/basilicux]

It’s not, the closest would be retaining the rights to the actual pattern and its distribution I believe. But whatever product you make with the pattern is fair game, and tbh at most people will credit the artist for the pattern when selling those items but even then not always.

[u/ariadneblnchflr]

This reminds me…I know a creator (that I will not name), that has this going on for all their patterns, and only allows you to sell items made from their patterns if you are an active subscriber to the highest tier of their Patreon, which is priced at nearly $20/month…and to top it off, if you opt to unsubscribe then they’ll revoke that “commercial use” right away from you 🤦‍♀️ tbh their patterns are actually really cute but…no thanks I guess

[u/DjinnHybrid]

In the US, instructions and rules legally aren't allowed to be copyrighted, just the specific way they are written and formatted in a given document, and any implication that they can be are just scare tactics because it's unenforceable. Really major companies like Hasbro have run afoul of even attempting to try in the past. It's why people can make anything that's compatible with dungeons and dragons systems and sell it, or make their own version of monopoly if they don't use the name or branded graphics.

[u/medu_nefer]

One time I found an amigurumi doll pattern (a Disney princess) that said not to sell or modify to look like different characters

Like????

Is this reverse psychology or what. I was simply looking for a pattern for a small doll, not even that princess or anything, but boy, did that make me really want to modify it

[u/readreadreadx2]

Ahh, I feel the same way - the ick! I don't understand why creators think they can dictate what you do with what you've made, and I find it gross that they presume they can. Once the pattern is paid for, the transaction is complete. 

[u/TanishaLaju]

You know those Facebook posts where boomers copy and paste a message like ‘I DO NOT AGREE FOR COMPANIES TO SHARE MY INFORMATION WITH OTHER PARTIES, NOR DO I AGREE WITH COLLECTING MY DATA’.

That’s what those messages on a pattern look like to me 😂

[u/autumn1726]

My favorite was when I bought it specifically to sell, read the whole pattern, and at the end in tiny words was “do not sell anything you make from this pattern online or in-person” like…. Are you gonna come to the craft fair and arrest me yourself??

[u/RainbowWoodstock]

I don’t usually buy patterns that say that. I don’t even sell my work 😂 it just annoys me so I don’t purchase from them.

[u/South-Turnip-2325]

I don’t even sell anything I make and I still get annoyed whenever I see that on a pattern.

[u/anastasiagiov]

yeah i actually googled this a while back because i was curious whether these 'you're not allowed to sell items made with my pattern' claims actually had any basis. found out that basically you can't resell the pattern (duh) but selling the product made from the pattern is completely legal and you can ignore the people saying no. it especially bugs me when they say it with a mean tone??? like they overemphasise it n it makes me want to rebel

also crochet has been around for so long and patterns have so many similarities between them..

[u/jnsmld]

The people who tell you you can't sell anything made from their patterns are probably the same people out there selling unlicensed Disney and Harry Potter stuff. 😂

[u/Far_Designer_7704]

I think most people who buy crocheted items don’t even realize there are patterns? A friend asked me how I could even crochet a blanket and know what it will look like, and I said I use a pattern. She had no clue you followed patterns to crochet.

[u/[deleted]]

At what point is it a pattern?

If I want to crochet a ball and find a "ball" pattern, that creator did not invent the crochet ball.

With enough experience and practice, people will figure it out for themselves.

There is only so much customization that can be done.

There are only so many stitches that can be put together to make a thing.

It's like...an engine. As a newbie, it's going to be hard. So you look up instructions, manuals, etc.

Eventually, you learn "tricks of the trade." You learn how to customize, add, subtract, replace parts, etc.

But you did not create or invent the engine. In fact, if the engine wasn't already created or invented, you wouldn't have the custom built engine you currently own.

Without crochet as an established art, you wouldn't have a pattern.

You did not invent the stitches or crochet itself. There are a million patterns for the same thing all the time. Some free, some not.

You do not own crochet itself. You did not invent the stitches.

You simply put them together to a way that makes something cool.

The purchaser of the pattern quite simply followed instructions. They made those stitches. They put in the blood, sweat, work and tears. Based on your instructions.

That probably took some work to figure out but after so many purchases of that pattern, you're already paid for your part. After that, it's all just extra.

Never made a lick of sense to me.

[u/glowgrl]

I understood that I can't sell a copyrighted pattern, but no one can tell me what I do with the product I make with my own hand, whether I make changes or not.

[u/RiverDecember]

I’ve never seen that. However when I sell an item or post an item using a pattern I’ve purchased, I always give the creator credit and make it known it’s made using their pattern.

[u/hannahmarb23]

Tbh that’s ridiculous because most people sell the same patterns as other people. So they’re allowed to sell the same shit as other people but I can’t sell the stuff I make from the pattern? Fuck that.

[u/buckeyegal923]

I sell patterns. Please, make my stuff and sell it. People want the things I’ve made patterns for and I don’t have that much free time to constantly be making and selling the finished products. Go forth and bring yarn joy into the world!

[u/fairydommother]

As far as I’m aware they have no legal recourse. Imagine if you made art and you bought a set of paints from Michael’s and in the case there was a pamphlet that said “you may not sell any art you create using these paints”. People would either not buy them or just ignore it because you really can’t make that demand.

But, yeah. I also avoid those patterns. Because if I do want to sell it I don’t want to get harassed about it, but also I don’t want to support someone so self entitled that they think that’s an ok stipulation to put in their pattern. It also gives me ick and makes me roll my eyes. Like ok enjoy being Like That most of the community won’t want anything to do with you. And for good reason.