So A cyber friend had a dig at 'no one in particular' about buy and using patterns and NOT crediting the creator of that pattern....I thought it might have been a dig at me... So I had a look at myself, and what I have been making, and the patterns I have used, read them front to back and made sure there was no where on them that asked to be specifically credited....then I had a *gulp* moment and thought about the patterns that have been traced, handed on and gifted to me...were they all above board? Well it turns out one of them was NOT above board, and not only was it not above board in the sense that it should have been credited, WORSE....it says....'You are welcome to make as many of these as you like for yourself or for gifts but you are NOT permitted to sell them' .....EEEKKKK.....feeling pretty bad about using the pattern and selling the items now. The pattern from what I can see comes from over seas and the chances of the original person finding little me here in the sticks is low, however that isn't the point or what it is about, it is about being true to yourself and being fair on the person that created and sold this pattern, so I have made the decision to not make anymore to sell, but will stick to the guidelines and only gift them. I would just like to add here that I have seen another person selling the same item and NOT crediting the creator either, so it wasn't just my wrong...maybe they don't know either? One pattern that is getting absolutely *SmAsHeD* by people claiming it as their own is the WhimsyDolls, dolls and softies....there are a lot who DO credit her, but a lot that don't too.
NOW....my Wooo Horses are NOT a pattern, but are a melting pot of snips and chops until they were just right using free images, written instructions, trial and error....IF they were a pattern wouldn't there be other people out there making exactly the same as me!? I have seen a lot of the Melly and Me 'Giddy Up' horses getting around and not all people credit that pattern but you can tell plain as day that they have used it....anyway I challenge you to go through your patterns and see if you are being true to yourself and fair on the person/s that made your patterns. I truly don't care if you choose to not advertise it, that is none of my business or concern, I just think it is an interesting exercise as I would never have thought to do it until my cyber friend pointed it out.....Thanks Elizabeth! I feel better for being honest to myself.
I remember when I was making my 'Bibbles....the Bib for Dribble' I started to look into copy rights and licensing and found out very quickly that is it 1. Expensive 2. not fail safe...the slightest change to your pattern and it no longer is 'yours' and 3. Realistically a waste of time because WAS I going to hunt down someone who did copy me, take them to court and sue them....um no. AND if a BIG manufacturing company decided to run with it (dreaming I know) as if little old me is going to be able to say 'hey that is my idea', they are going to chew me up and spit me out and make millions (dreaming again) out of my idea.....so obviously I moved on! LOL
Rant officially over....for today!
Mrs Woo xxx
Dear dear friend it so wasn't aimed at you lol (and I don't even know which of your patterns yuo are talking about), it was aimed at some fb pages that have started using the same owl pattern as me, and although I would like to think it was because they had seen that mine where selling well and decided to grab a piece of the action, I sadly can't claim rights to any of the owl pattern. When one page was found by me and another pointed out to me I noticed that they hadn't mentioned the pattern and thought I felt compelled to say something. The funny thing is they are obviously 'likers' of my page because within a couple of hours they had changed their info to include this :) I know how it feels to start out and to almost not want to give the pattern name in a way of trying to protect your product even if it is readily available to purchase and struggled with the idea myself in the beginning but funnily enough it was the blatant misuse of the whimsy pattern that got me so frustrated that I thought it was the right thing for me to do to acknowledge the pattern makers and hope that people would value the creative element and uniqueness I bring to the pattern through my fabric choices and character owls (which I have personal permission from the pattern maker to modify the original pattern). Fb is a harsh world and things get copied or modified in a second and as much as I try to pretend I don’t care it really upset me to see more of my owls around (even though they aren’t officially ‘my’ owl) and I would definitely be devastated if I saw a copy of one of my character owls or use of certain fabrics. I think some people who have ‘modified’ the whimsy pattern in hopes that it takes away any obligation to have to credit Sarah for the pattern need to take a good look at themselves and think about how they would feel if the shoe was on the other foot :)
ReplyDeleteI am sure I know which pattern you are talking about, as I make it too. I have contacted the designer of said pattern and I have received special permission to make and sell 5 at a time of these items.
ReplyDeleteAmanda - Designer Mumma