A little while ago I was reading the knitting blog belonging to a friend of a friend. She had posted a pattern with a fabulous review. Some spidey sense made me look and e gads! It's a pattern that should be paid for not a freebie. I emailed my friend and asked if we could please let her friend know that the posting is a copy right infringement. I'm pretty sure that this was done innocently from what I know of the poster. It's even worse because I know the designer of the pattern. In some ways the knitting industry is very small. I did tell my friend how awkward this is for me as if the post isn't removed quickly I feel an obligation to advise the designer as I would be seeing her the following week.
Another designer friend has told me that she thinks these things happen because knitters don't realize that there is a real person behind the pattern. It is produced by some nameless, big, bad, evil corporation. The pattern in question has the designers name on it but was commissioned by a yarn company as a way of promoting their yarn and is available by PDF download.
ETA: the post was deleted very quickly once my friend was able to reach the poster.
ETA: the post was deleted very quickly once my friend was able to reach the poster.
When I was a more newbie knitter, I learned from Stitch n Bitch, so I knew right away that each design was done by just a regular person who was craftily endowed.
ReplyDeleteBut I didn't realize until a few years later, when I discovered ravelry, that there are copywrite rules.
I found out because someone had asked someone else for a copy of a patter from a book, saying that they had lost that page. And they got a reply saying that is a big no-no on ravelry and that they have to find another way. Like they could go to the library and photocopy x amount of pages or whatever.
but it blew my mind i was like woah. really? i was about to ask someone for a copy of a paid for pattern myself that day!
but now i'm so deeply involved in the knitting community that i'll buy a pattern even if i'm not going to knit it anytime soon just to show the designer some support because i love their designs!Like right now i'm waiting for a desaign to come out by one of my fave designers and can't wait to get some money to her because i know she's moving soon and will need the cash.
Kudos to you! I work in intellectual property law and I'm very familiar with copyright infringement. You did such a great thing!!! I, too, believe that it was an innocent mistake. Nonetheless, whether it is an individual designer, or a big corporate entity, they are both protected by the same laws.
ReplyDeletePS love your blog!