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Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:48 am
by Zeb
Thankyou from someone who is very VERY passionate about this topic. I've come across quite a few cross stitch groups that didn't respect copyright and it made me sick... I've seen first hand how this stops my favourite artists and designers from sharing their work... so THANKYOU guys for being onto this and sharing my views! :wub:

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:54 am
by Serinde
Zeb, copyright issues are about the only broad area where we at CSF become positively fierce. There's much to debate on the subject, of course, but in our little corner of the world, if designers keep getting ripped off, they will stop designing, and then where would we be. Disaster, all so someone who feels 'entitled' can save a few quid or bucks. No, ma'am. We get cross here about that. :x Not to mention, if it were seen that we turned a blind eye to this illegal behaviour, we would get shut down, and I, for one, couldn't stand that because I'd miss (among other things too numerous to mention) Angel's wedding photos!

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 10:47 pm
by Ingahaim
So what I do all the time is illegal? I buy a pattern, scan it in, print it out, put the original one away and start marking on the copy. When I made a huge mistake that is hard to find your way back in, I again print out the copy and start marking again.

So actually I need to mark on the original one, and when I'm wrong, buy a new one?

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:05 am
by Rose
Ingahaim wrote:So what I do all the time is illegal? I buy a pattern, scan it in, print it out, put the original one away and start marking on the copy. When I made a huge mistake that is hard to find your way back in, I again print out the copy and start marking again.

So actually I need to mark on the original one, and when I'm wrong, buy a new one?
No not at all you are allowed to make a WORKING copy that is said by just about every designer. What you can not do is make a copy and then give the copy away or keep the copy and give the original away.

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:09 pm
by Zeb
I just wanted to share this blog entry... it's making me SO MAD and sad at the same time :(

http://mymarkdesigns.wordpress.com/2010 ... he-math-2/" target="_blank

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 3:32 pm
by Elle
Hi, since i've recently come back to stitching i was wondering if anyone knows where we stand on this..

for example - if i took a photograph of my dog, paid a website company who turn our photographs into charts, does that company now own the copyright to that pattern/chart even tho the subject of the pattern was an original photo i took of my dog? i'm asking this because i want a photo of my dog and cat turned into a cross stitch chart but since it is expensive it would be nice to know where we stand regards these type of charts, until i read this copyright section didn't give it much thought, i could buy the software and do it myself however i think a proffessional service would do a better job he he,

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 5:58 pm
by Rose
If you send a picture to a company to get a chart made they can only make a chart for you as per your request. If they wanted to mass produce the picture they would have to get your permission to do so as you have the copy right to that picture.

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 11:26 pm
by nachosmiley
Hi,

I have a picture that I found randomly on the internet that I love and have created a chart from it, I do not know who the artist is so cannot ask for permission, I was wondering what the general consensus on this is? I will probably still stitch it....it's not a x-stitch kit I've found for sale anywhere else, and I have no intention to sell it, but would it be ok to set up a SAL on it or would that infringe copyrights and have an adverse effect on the forum (which of course would be the LAST thing I would want to do)?

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 2:11 am
by Rose
As long as you are not putting the chart up and all you are showing is the work that you have done there should not be any problem. This is for yourself and not for profit then I don see that the forum will be in an trouble.



After doing more research on the subject I have to saw that an SAL of this type could be a copyright problem..........

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 2:58 am
by Ladybing
Re: Copyright Information

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 10:31 pm
by crystalclear
Thank you for all the valuable info!!!

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 9:33 pm
by Peepfaleep
Just wondering if I can show a picture of a dimensions Gold kit I am currently working on. Not the chart, just the cover picture? Someone had asked me to see a picture since the subject was something she was interested in.

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 10:37 pm
by moogypop
Great information regarding copyright! is this just US law though? Might need to look into the UK version for myself but if im honest I never replicate anything so wouldnt get in any bother!

I do have a sort of related question though.. there are a lot of designs available on sites such as etsy with copyrighted characters (eg disney, star wars and various movie franchises) they dont always look 100% like the character they have been modified into different styles but is that breaking copyright laws? or is it to okay to use copyrighted characters if you are drastically changing them?

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 12:27 am
by LastingAllure
moogypop wrote:Great information regarding copyright! is this just US law though? Might need to look into the UK version for myself but if im honest I never replicate anything so wouldnt get in any bother!

I do have a sort of related question though.. there are a lot of designs available on sites such as etsy with copyrighted characters (eg disney, star wars and various movie franchises) they dont always look 100% like the character they have been modified into different styles but is that breaking copyright laws? or is it to okay to use copyrighted characters if you are drastically changing them?
My understanding of the rule for those selling on Etsy is that it is illegal. They are using well known names and picking certain characteristics of a character to make a sale.

To make things a bit more clear though...you can create a Cinderella and call her Cinderella but she cannot resemble anything like Disney's version of her (blue ball gown, blond bun with black headband...the signature Disney look that can easily be recognized as Disney). Any of the Brothers Grimm Fair Tales are in the public domain (Snow White, Sleeping Beauty to name a few) however a Harry Potter for instance cannot be recreated in your own image and still be called Harry Potter because the name is copyrighted and trademarked I believe.

Disney and Hello Kitty creators do a sweep through Etsy once every few months and send out warnings...I'm just waiting for the day they decide to make an example out of someone or Etsy gets a huge lawsuit for allowing this stuff to be sold.

It's a shame most people can't be creative themselves and come up with their own original ideas for sale...they just take the easy route and steal from those companies.

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 1:05 am
by Rose
Peepfaleep wrote:Just wondering if I can show a picture of a dimensions Gold kit I am currently working on. Not the chart, just the cover picture? Someone had asked me to see a picture since the subject was something she was interested in.

Yes a finished picture of the project that you are working on is an acceptable post. But as you say you can not post the chart in anyway.

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 2:40 pm
by moogypop
LastingAllure wrote: My understanding of the rule for those selling on Etsy is that it is illegal. They are using well known names and picking certain characteristics of a character to make a sale.

To make things a bit more clear though...you can create a Cinderella and call her Cinderella but she cannot resemble anything like Disney's version of her (blue ball gown, blond bun with black headband...the signature Disney look that can easily be recognized as Disney). Any of the Brothers Grimm Fair Tales are in the public domain (Snow White, Sleeping Beauty to name a few) however a Harry Potter for instance cannot be recreated in your own image and still be called Harry Potter because the name is copyrighted and trademarked I believe.

Disney and Hello Kitty creators do a sweep through Etsy once every few months and send out warnings...I'm just waiting for the day they decide to make an example out of someone or Etsy gets a huge lawsuit for allowing this stuff to be sold.

It's a shame most people can't be creative themselves and come up with their own original ideas for sale...they just take the easy route and steal from those companies.
I thought it was a breech of copyright! thats why ive been so confused when ive seen "modified" versions of the characters available. Im amazed that etsy doesnt have something in place to stop infringement. Its not just the big companies that can be ripped off, you would think they would try and protect their sellers work. Ah well. I know if I ever list anything itll be a 100% moogypop creation! :)

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 3:38 pm
by Rose
With all of the currant question that we have had I thought making this post an announcement that shows on all of the Sections would be a good idea.

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 3:41 pm
by Serinde
Copyright is a real pig of an issue.

These are all really good questions! Since we don't have our own tame forum copyright lawyer, all I can say is that in relation to this forum, the best place to start is wherever the image you want to share is located. It will probably be copyright marked, and go from there, tracing the permissions back to source.

If you do find answers, please come back and share. The more we know, the better we can protect the forum and our members.

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:08 am
by Amanda G
I've just been reading through these postings. Serinde's advice about "tracing the permissions back to source" is pretty good advice.
I've had a few contacts from stitchers who have done this with me, sometimes asking for out-of-print magazine charts and, because they have shown consideration of copyright rules and approached me direct, I always respond. It is nice to be asked :D
The websites that get me :tantrum: are those ones who deliberately ignore copyright and sell my published magazine charts......a site in China comes to mind. They are quite blatant about ignoring copyright. The magazine editors know about them and have legal teams trying to tackle them.
Having said that, this forum is a great place to be and I definitely feel you have stitchers and designers interests at heart, so thank you :applesauce:

Re: Copyright Information

Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 5:02 am
by zephyr
Hi, this is a great and very informative thread. Very helpful.

I have a scenario. What if I took a pattern, for example a cake with pink frosting and strawberries on top. First I stitched it exactly like the pattern, make it into a bag and sell that. Later on, I changed the design. For example, change the frosting to blue and change the strawberries to blueberries (that I designed myself), make it into a cushion and sell that one too. Am breaking the copyright law?