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#709810 08/23/11 08:07 PM
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I designed a crocheted piece that took a lot of trial and error. I began selling it on etsy in the spring. I just found where someone posted it on a free pattern site two weeks ago. It's the exact pattern to the number of rows and where it's folded and the lot.

What do I do? Can I do anything?

Rebecca

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This is difficult. If they were selling it you could report them to whichever site they were using. You try contacing them and if that were to fail, try contacing their server. Of course, you would also need to prove it was your design and not theirs.

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Did you register your design? If so then try contacting the copyright site to see the steps you need to take. If the pattern is and exact copy then you might be able to do something through them.

Do understand though that many patterns are easily duplicated by intermediate to advanced crocheters just by looking at the piece. That often includes rows and stitch counts but writing it exactly the same in the same words is almost and impossibility.

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Oh one other thing is this a written pattern you are selling? If so can you find if this person bought this from you? If it is not a written pattern then maybe she saw your picture of the finished items and duplicated it from there.

It would help if you could prove she bought this pattern from you and then posted it for free to others. I left a facebook group because a lady bought a book and was offering the pattern up for free to anyone who wanted it. Constantly trying to get her to stop just didn't work. The moderators didn't seem to care but I and some others did.

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Unfortunately, a lot of copyrighting is going on; especially online. It's a difficult thing to get around. And, there are those who are talented enough to do copycat patterns just by looking at a pattern.

One way to protect yourself in the future is to write out your copyright on each and every pattern you put up online, in writing, or anywhere it may be in print.

Each designer has his/her own set of copyright rules. Some allow the pattern to be used for making and selling of items from that pattern. Some will allow making items from that pattern only for personal use or gift giving. Some allow making items from that pattern only as charity gifts; etc. But, ALWAYS state that nowhere should anybody duplicate your pattern. To change the wording, change the color of yarn, the size of the hook, etc does not warrant that they've taken your pattern and changed it into something new. It's still copyright invasion and punishable by law. (I state that almost word for word in nearly all of my patterns). Some designers even ask that if they do make and sell items made from their pattern to please be kind enough to include a tag that has the URL of their blog on it so as to help them generate more business. I don't think that's too much to ask for.

But, it's NEVER okay to copy a person's pattern to your own web site; especially if trying to pass it off as being your own pattern. Way not cool!

So, in the future, keep in mind that it's better to start off by protecting yourself in the beginning. There's also been some very good advice noted here as to contact the person first, then if there's no response, you can contact the person's ISP. One thing that I've always heard that is ALMOST as good as having a pattern individually copyrighted "legally" is to post in the mail a copy of that pattern and then do not open the seal unless there's a discrepancy such as this. Some courts will recognize this as a manner in which to show legal ownership of something by a certain date. Once you've had to go to court over an issue, it's already been decided (in a court of law) that a specific pattern belongs to you).


Beverly Elrod
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[quote=Rebecca G.]I designed a crocheted piece that took a lot of trial and error. I began selling it on etsy in the spring. I just found where someone posted it on a free pattern site two weeks ago. It's the exact pattern to the number of rows and where it's folded and the lot. What do I do? Can I do anything? Rebecca [/quote] you can contact this website and urge them to cancel this picture.


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I'm truly sorry to hear your pattern was stolen that you worked so hard on. But as Amoonsinger noted; Some advanced crocheters can duplicate a pattern by looking at it. I have done this many times when a friend had a crocheted item but not the pattern. I do feel badly for you; as it would be most frustrating after all your hard work and time spent.


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