shudder
The thought of making something and selling it and being stalked as you say is enough to keep me from selling anything…even if I get good enough someone would buy it. Creepy and scary.
I see it like this: Unless you invented the knit stitch and the purl stitch, you’re building on someone else’s work. There is no such thing as an “original” pattern any more, it’s all been done. And no matter how unique you might think your particular combination of knits and purls is, someone else has already done it – and very likely someone else in future will do it again.
People like that are usually a tempest in a teapot and if you call the bluff they’ll fold like a cheap shirt. BUT. When you’re dealing with a soulless corporation with dozens of lawyers on retainer, it gets a little dicier. That said, unless you were mass producing the item for sale, you’re probably not worth their time and money to prosecute. In THAT way, you’re better off dealing with McCall’s than Madame Psycho Head Case.
But getting back to sharing the pattern with your pal, you could always go old school and print it out and mail it. It isn’t completely untraceable, but it isn’t out there in permanent archival status on a mail server either.
Great input, mojo! 
Madame Psycho is irrational enough to make one’s life miserable for months, emailing, messaging, threatening. It’s really quite horrid how she treats [B]customers[/B] who have plunked down their money for her pdf’s. I own about ten. I’m sure I’m not the only customer she’s terrorizes. I’ve determined to report her to the Ravelry higher-up’s next tinge she harasses me in the smallest way. Plus, I’ve actually since read that Ravelers can say whatever they want about a design they’re knitting in their personal project notes. Don’t know if that extends to the group forums. I left Madame Psycho’s Fan Group a long time ago. She jumped down my throat for asking a question about a sweater I was knitting. I was stuck. (there actually turned out to be a small pattern error fire my size). She deleted my question, and messages a nasty note saying questions have to be submitted via her website Q&A. She also claimed that in describing my question, in detailing how and where I was stuck, I revealed too much pattern information. [B] Really???[/B] (btw, I did not reveal much!)
Eventually if she does enough of this, people will quit buying her stuff because it’s just not worth it. I don’t care HOW good it is, it’s not THAT good. Besides, given a good enough photo of the thing, a lot of patterns can be reserves engineered anyway. :twisted: AND, they’ll probably be just different enough to be “materially different”. So take that Miss Poopie Head Psycho Nut Beast… from HELL. 
I’m not on Ravelry… I tend to avoid “social media” in general. (This forum being a notable exception of course.) And this kind of thing is one of the major reasons why.
Interestingly, the only dust-up I’ve experienced at Ravelry was at the hands of a designer, a [B]business person.[/B] She shoots herself in the foot, and systematically tanks her own business and reputation by her aggressive, paranoid behavior. Instead of protecting her business interests, she shoots holes in them.
So you see why [B]attention[/B] should be given to copyright issues, both from an ethical standpoint, but also as protection from psycho designers who would go to absurd lengths to [B]getcha![/B]…even if you’re in the right and she has no case.
I know exactly who you’re talking about Dollyce! She did the same thing to me I that group when I asked a question and at some point in the conversation (by pm of course) she asked me to be a mod in the group. Uh, no. She’s completely paranoid. 
I should add that there are patterns people have kind of taken from questions, but they usually aren’t identical and really, who’s got time to hunt down that info?
I don’t know about anybody else, but I knit a lot of Frankenpatterns – patterns that take one element from this and one from that and mix in some of my own ideas to hold them together.
Gee… sounds [I]just[/I] like what a pattern designer does.
I do that a lot too - take the shaping from one, work the pattern stitches from one or more other patterns.
OMG we’ll all get arrested, fined, put on bread and water for mixing and matching. I did that for years with sewing patterns then someone at a fabric store said you can’t mix brands when you do it so I said I guess I better not do [I]that[/I] anymore. As for knitting garments for myself, anything that goes on the torso must be modified to fit. No off-the-shelf pattern is likely to work. :hair:
When a designer can prove to me that s/he invented and own the rights to the 4-stitch cable, I’ll gladly capitulate. Until then, I’ll be guerrilla Frankenknitter. Viva la revolucion! (Maybe I’ll even make myself a felted black beret with a little red star on it or sump’n. I still have some black and red Cascade 128…)
GG, I used to mix sewing patterns all the time. I made a prom dress and other formal that way. People and their ridiculous rules… Honestly. :doh:
My daughter was a very large girl before weight loss surgery. The only way she had dance dresses was for me to buy a pattern and alter, alter, alter it, then alter it some more. One must get inventive and creative when the need arises. I don’t think she missed one dance, that was a lot of dresses to make. The last formal dress I made for her was her wedding dress. Now she’s easy to sew for and if she feels like it, does it herself.
I’m small and just changed the skirt on them, but I’m no stranger to altering. It can be a bugger, but it’s nice to have something custom fitted. That’s awesome that you could do that for her. I’m sure she really loved those dresses!
The most fun sewing was for my DDs when they were little. I no longer sew now though. It’s just too fiddly And too many steps now. I can pick up yarn and needles and go and I like that better.
ETA- I started sewing when I was 10 so I was we’ll versed in it by HS.
I think this begs the question - since you have the directions - just how much would you have to CHANGE the pattern, in order to call it your own? Or to at least be able to share it freely. That’d seem like the simplest way around it to me. Or could you make SOME changes, then give credit by acknowledgment that this pattern was inspired by a pattern originally published by so-and-so on such-and-such a date?
I’m pretty sure there’s something specified in this way when it comes to cookbooks…?
I think all this hullabaloo about copyrighted patterns and being unable to make copies is a result of the big worldwide web and trying to make money before someone else comes up with a similar idea. If you look at some of the older pattern books, booklets, leaflets, etc., there is no mention of even the designer’s name, much less saying the pattern cannot be reproduced. I just checked one of my Leisure Arts books “Sweaters For All Seasons” in which there are 14 patterns and not one designer name in the book.
I worked for 12 years in a law office and know the drill for copyrighted/patented items. I dare say I’d be amazed if a designer actually went to the expense and time involved to register a copyright. They couldn’t sell enough patterns to cover the cost. If you want to challenge any one of them ask for proof of copyright.
Years ago sellers of patterns knew the patterns would be hand copied and passed on to other women who couldn’t afford to buy the patterns themselves. Back then it was unusual to find errors in the patterns, unlike today when errors abound, even in a so-called “test-knitted” item.
For what it’s worth, that’s my two cents!
Judy
Part of the problem here is that it’s not a single designer and its a big company name. They may not go after anyone, but they do have the resources to do so if they want to. I’ve heard of big names going after someone for copyrighted images for instance.
As for changing a pattern that was discussed a few posts ago. No one really knows where that line is that one shouldn’t cross.
Well well…guess what!? Tonight I won the Ebay auction for the 1973 McCall’s Booklet that contains the Ribbed Hooded Baby Jacket I’m interested in preserving. Yay. My (hidden) maximum bid wasn’t driven higher than $17…so added to the $3.14 shipping…my booklet cost me $20.14! The booklet contains 65 patterns, a mix of knitting, crochet, quilting and sewing. For sure I know there are two baby cardigans I will knit.
I can hardly wait to get my hands on the booklet itself, to read the copyright language contains on the inside cover and/or back of book.
If I see any cracks, I will email McCall’s Customer Service again and ask if I can make photo copies of the Hooded Ribbed Baby Jacket and share it with two Ravelers that seem to be in a lather about the pattern.
As I said before, I have some old tattered notes for the design, but I am going to love having the original pages with the pattern.
I started another Hooded Ribbed Baby Jacket last night, but I’ve modified the stitch counts tremendously, for two pressing reasons: 1) rather than worsted, my yarn is bulky weight, 2) I need a newborn 0-3 mo size and the pattern’s smallest size is 6 mo.
The 6 mo size is a cast on of 102 with worsted. I cast on 78 with bulky weight…and it’s working! I’m almost done with the body up to yoke…and then will knit the sleeves 2/3 of the way, then work the round yoke by joining the body stitches with the sleeve stitches. Some of you are probably very familiar with this style and construction.
The hooded ribbed baby jacket is a fisherman rib, that is to say, the knits are knit in the stitch below…and it makes a very thick poofy pattern stitch. It’s very warm because air is strapped in the poofiness. I love it. Very cushy!
Did I tell you…I knit this hooded baby jacket back in 1977 for my daughter, Lauralee. Hot icy pink and red red. My BFF had one in royal and one in emerald for her son, 4 months older than Lauralee. The jacket is sorta sentimental.
I will post a photo soon!
Congrats on getting the original pattern book. This is a fascinating discussion and it’ll be interesting to rse McCall’s copyright information.
Adoreable sweater, no wonder you wanted the original directions.
If the pattern was copyrighted in 1973 (under the 1909 copyright act) and not renewed the copyright expired in 2001 after 28 years. Wouldn’t that save a lot of grief ?
Judy
:balloons: Congratulations, ArtLady! :balloons:
That’s a very lovely sweater you linked to. I can hardly wait to see the one you’re working on now. I understand that people want to be compensated for their work or use of their property but this has all gone into the realm of ridiculous IMHO. I’m so glad you won the auction.