Copying and selling patterns...

What do you think about people copying patterns from the internet, maybe tweaking them a little, and then passing them off as their own ideas—or even selling them????
Unfortunately, I discovered something like this here a few days ago!!!
I just find it brazen and shameful... it makes me angry and sad....

@spargelchen
Hello and welcome to the platform and the forum.
If you discover a copied pattern, please send a private message to operator, to Mod Lilaura, or to me. Thank you

Hello Spargelchen

Yes, unfortunately I notice that more often too. The patterns can even be seen on the CP homepage, and for €0.99. And then it even says: it is not permitted to resell this pattern or use it for commercial purposes. For private use only!!!
Design & pattern & idea ...................... All rights reserved.

A slap in the face for everyone who really writes and designs their patterns themselves and puts in the effort!

Unfortunately, sending a PM to the Operator doesn’t help. I did that and was referred to the terms and conditions.

If I go by the terms and conditions, then I can only do something if I am the owner of the copyright or am authorized to act on behalf of the copyright holder.

Unfortunately, in the case mentioned, I am not, but I can prove that the pattern comes from books that have already been published.

It’s really such a shame that this kind of activity by such “so-called designers” is not being put to an end and is instead more or less being supported. It really makes me seriously wonder why I put so much effort into my patterns. Copying would be much faster and easier ;-)

Best regards
Jolanda

Hi everyone,

I think this kind of behavior is just brazen. But most of the time, it’s only discovered by chance—unfortunately...

When patterns from books are copied and passed off as one’s own, it can get pretty expensive for the “thief.” Over the past few years, I’ve designed projects for various publishers, and they’re not at all pleased when copyright is infringed.

I definitely couldn’t reconcile unauthorized copying and passing it off as my own with my conscience....

Hi Petra

Then today I’ll simply send this pattern, or rather the link, to the publisher if CP doesn’t do anything about it.

I’m sure they’ll be delighted and send a nice cease-and-desist letter ;-) You don’t mess with the legal departments of big companies. They have plenty of money and time to take on cases like this. Just think of the Jack Wolfskin case, where a “housewife” embroidered a dog’s paw on a T-shirt and then offered it for sale on DaWanda. They immediately sent a stern warning... several thousand euros!!!!

Best regards
Jolanda

Hi everyone

Thank you so much for all the feedback and offers of support I’ve received regarding the issue of copying and selling patterns.

I really appreciate it! However, I’d like to encourage you to speak up if you have any reason to suspect that you’ve come across a copied pattern. Post it in the forum, write directly to CP, or even to the original creator. Only when there’s significant public pressure will anything happen.

Don’t hesitate and don’t be afraid to stand up for yourselves. If we work together, we’re strong, and we can put an end to this brazen behavior!

Best regards
Jolanda

Hi everyone,

I’ll be completely honest—I don’t like this whole “naming and shaming” thing (even if no names are mentioned).
I also don’t like stealing and selling it as your own—that much is crystal clear. After all, I work out my patterns on my own too.
However, I, too, find inspiration in pictures, on the internet, in magazines… and I’m sure most of you do as well.
After all, you can’t reinvent the wheel, and you can’t claim a poncho made from one giant granny square as your own idea either (just as an example—I don’t even know if there’s a pattern for that here) or anything like that.
Directly stealing something and passing it off as your own is just one thing: intellectual property theft, and it should be punished just like any other theft.
But I don’t think it’s right to denounce someone without knowing for sure whether anything was actually stolen.
The “person who was stolen from” has to come forward themselves and say, “Hey, that’s mine”... and if the patterns were published in magazines or books, that’s exactly what will happen—they already have people keeping an eye out who investigate even the slightest suspicion.
It’s like the “reporting” that happens with Disney or other license holders when licensed products are sold here as patterns (there was/is also a “complaint thread” for that).

Don’t get me wrong—I also think it should and must be punished, but by the right people, and that’s not us as “colleagues.”

Best regards,

Nina

Hello Nina

That’s why a notice about this pattern has now been sent directly to OZ-Verlag. They will then decide whether they want to take action or not.

And I don’t think this has anything to do with snitching. If someone were to copy one of my patterns, I’d also be very glad if someone brought it to my attention so I could take action. After all, you can’t be everywhere.

And by the way, I’ve already caught someone copying my texts word for word. I was then able to track that person down and point out the “theft.” But that too was only because someone alerted me to it, and I was glad about that.

Best regards
Jolanda

For me, the key difference lies in how I bring this to someone’s attention. If I do this in a private message to the "affected person," then it’s perfectly fine, and they’ll certainly be grateful for the tip.

But if you point out in a public space, e.g. a forum, that you have a suspicion, then I agree with ZwergnaseBaer. That’s not acceptable at all. You can seriously damage someone’s reputation here, and first of all, the presumption of innocence applies. You need solid arguments, not just a suspicion based on the picture. And even with solid arguments, you still have to be able to prove it. Keep in mind that a public statement like that can also trigger a reaction from the "accused." If, for example, he is not guilty of copying, he could sue you for defamation. I, too, have once been wrongly pilloried. And that was not funny.

So I think this topic needs to be handled sensitively, and people need to be aware of the consequences for both sides.

But where you are absolutely right, Jollyknits, is that we need to stick together and help each other here, whether, for example, by giving tips or by keeping an eye on what is happening in some groups, e.g. on Facebook, where people sometimes ask for patterns to be shared.

Hello Jolanda,

Over the last few years I’ve had quite a few experiences with copying and idea theft, and they have only encouraged me to keep going my own way. Whether it was test purchases of my finished items or questions/attempts through the back door like “Can you help me with ...” etc., yes, even well-known fashion designers I used to work for for years had the nerve to pass off my ideas and designs as their own.

My conclusion: If I have such great ideas that even big designers like that feel the need to “snoop around” with me, then I pat myself on the back and tell myself: There are still so many more ideas in my head, so what, they’ll never keep up.

I’m not going to spend the effort and energy tracking them down and trying to put a stop to it. For people like that, the slap on the back of the head will come from somewhere else. I trust in that.

And I’ve now started publishing some of my ideas and patterns, and I’ll gradually upload the others too. That already puts a stop to those who only copy.

Besides, with the huge range of clothing, whether crocheted or knitted, it’s very, very hard to check who copied what from whom and when. You can’t prevent it either. Those people are simply to be pitied; be glad you don’t need to do that.

By the way, many hat designs, for example, are very similar, and I don’t think it’s a bad thing if you vary a pattern a little and it turns into a new hat.

Enjoy your time for yourself, your loved ones, and your shop.
All my very best wishes to you, success and lots of energy for new projects, and Happy Easter, Ines.

Hey again, Jolanda,
what’s the name of that little cutie in your enchanting cover photo?
You radiate such a sunny personality—don’t let those copycat types get to you.
See you later, Ines

Dear Ines and MyBatzi too

Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words!

You are so right!!! Basically I feel the same way, but it still gets annoying now and then when you see "copies" like that, where you can tell from miles away that they were stolen. It’s simply hard to always keep your eyes and mouth shut and look the other way, and at some point the bucket is full and you have to vent your anger. Above all, I think that if nobody complains about it, the "thieves" will just get even more brazen. At some point you have to put a stop to them! 

Yes, and you are so right, it really isn’t worth getting upset about such brazen thieves. So I’ll get back to my work, and Ines, the little cutie in the picture is now an almost 11-year-old Golden Retriever lady named Kayla. She brings joy every day and motivates me to come up with new ideas and patterns.

And exactly...a copy is always a copy, and I think that the customers who buy our patterns (hopefully) see that too ;-)

With that in mind, I won’t comment any further and definitely won’t get upset!

Kind regards
Jolanda

Dear Jolanda,
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was referring to a very specific paid pattern that was posted here.... I brought it to the creator’s attention... and she took action... The paid pattern was deleted... along with some really nasty comments and contradictions... along the lines of “These are my numbers, my words, my pattern”... even though it was copied from a book by “some” designer who hadn’t protected it... but come on!!!
How brazen some people are!!!!