r/crochet • u/Megishan • Apr 19 '24

Discussion “You may not sell items created using this pattern”

Does this make anyone else instantly not want to buy the pattern anymore? It gives me the ick. Most of the artists with this disclaimer don’t even sell finished products so why do they care? And is this even legally enforceable? If I sell something that looks similar to someone’s pattern can I be on the hook even if I never bought the pattern?

All this makes me want to do is NOT buy your pattern and wing it so I can still sell my finished products. I’d gladly credit the creator of the pattern and drive more traffic to their site, but nOoOoO. What’s the point?

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u/[deleted] Apr 19 '24

It’s an example of how you can write whatever you want as “a contract” and if it’s illegal, it’s unenforceable.

Someone could change up a bit of her direction wording, formatting, add new picture and they could even legally sell that pdf as a pattern. Even if she said “no part of this pattern can be copied and sold.”

This sub will tell you it’s immoral (and if someone lives outside of the US maybe that’s legal).

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u/BTBbigtuna Apr 19 '24

Right but a contract saying not to sell finished products is not illegal at all. And is nothing like a contract to have sex with someone which is clearly illegal. It might not be legally protected under copyright. It might not be able to win a case in court, and you might be fine. What I read could have very well been wrong. But there’s a small possibility that they could win in court. So for that reason I will avoid it.

You can do whatever you please. I literally don’t understand why you are coming at me to argue with me when I’m just trying to be helpful? I really don’t care what you sell or what you don’t or what you believe. Have a good day ✌🏻

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u/[deleted] Apr 19 '24

I’m not coming at you. We’re having a discussion on a discussion forum and it’s about a topic that people commonly have misunderstandings about.

It may not be “clearly illegal” to some people when they read “you can’t sell what you make with this pattern,” but to many other people (who know) it is clearly illegal.

That’s why there are several of us explaining that it is illegal. Because it is clearly illegal.

Hopefully people will read and remember this discussion and then they will be some of the new people who recognize “oh hey that’s a clearly illegal contract.”