Whiptips craft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. Whiptips archive here. Questions to whiptips@gmail.com.
June wrote in with this letter:
I had the nasty experience [recently] of finding that some of my copyrighted crochet patterns have been stolen and posted online without my permission. I have already had a few comments on how to try to combat this or prevent it happening in future, but I was hoping whipup readers might have more suggestions as to how we, as small craft businesses, can protect ourselves from this kind of copyright infringement.
Thanks,
June
The new forum would be a great place to broaden this discussion. After leaving your thought for June here – go on over to the forum and discuss alternative options.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I wondered about this same situation when I started sharing some of my ideas and tutorials. I know I can’t control the world in forcing people to be honest but I haven’t any clue as to how to stop such things.
It’s sad and hurtful to the original designer. I’m so sorry this has happened with your crochet patterns, June (how funny, my name is June, too).
I’m not sure there is a whole lot you can realistically do, thus why people are so willing to copy someone else’s work. Have you tried sending them a letter informing them the patterns are under copy write protection? On the off chance it is someone who made an honest mistake, when faced with this knowledge they should take down the information. If it wasn’t an honest mistake but they have any kind of conscience the letter may shame them into taking down the information. If the infringement is on someone else site (e.g. a gallery or distributor representing the craftsman) when faced with this information the third party will likely remove the material they believe it to have been original. At any rate you’re already out the loss of your patterns the limited time/cost of generating a letter cann’t set you back much more and just might have a positive result…maybe.
Now if the patterns generated income for you then it might be worth seeing a lawyer, but that is probably neither a quick or inexpensive option.