Free Knitting pattern websites

[NCAknitter]

Sorry someone complained about this link so I took it off even though they gave it a like. By by

[Cablegrrl]

Thank you for complying with the Our Unraveled policy regarding posting pattern links.

The policy statement is posted here: https://vb.ourunraveled.com/forum/kn...-free-patterns

A quote from the policy:

Our Unraveled wants to protect both designers and crafters and enable everyone to enjoy their fiber arts to the best of their ability. This means taking caution when posting free patterns that they haven’t been stolen or copied from a protected source. Many patterns are provided by designers as samples of their portfolio of creative work. Free patterns are also provided by yarn manufacturers to promote new and existing product lines.

Free patterns, therefore, help build long and lasting relationships in the fiber artist community.

[MaryJ]

Cablegrrl I have a question for you regarding policy. I saw that Admin admitted he "borrowed" the words from you. My question involves the posting of the picture of the free pattern. Where did you get the words that state "not to post a picture to a free pattern unless given permission from the designer" or words to that effect? Is this a legal rule or just something you wrote as respect to the designer? My idea of fair and honest is that it is ok to post their "published" pictures as long as the link to the pattern is also posted. Logically if a designer posts a picture it will be picked up by the web crawlers and published all over the net (with their link included) how is that different than doing the same thing here? Admin

[Cablegrrl]

MaryJ , when Admin said that he "borrowed" the words for the policy from me, he was really just giving my group credit for researching and drafting the policy. We have had numerous discussions here at Our Unraveled about how to protect the designers' copyrights. While it may seem that the pattern photos are just part of the published pattern, the reality is that the photos are protected under copyright laws, and the designers or yarn companies own the copyrights. So we need to get permission from the designer or the yarn company if we want to post their photos. Any other questions, please let me know. We're all here to help each other.

[MaryJ]

Thanks for your reply Cablegrrl. Doesn't posting the link with the picture protect the copyright? I can't imagine any designer who posts a pattern with picture for sale would not love to have their patterns advertised everywhere (which of course would increase sales). I am much less likely to click on a link for a description than a picture. Of course posting the link is mandatory.

UPdate: Just re read your post and saw you answered the above questions already. Sorry I'm usually not that dense. Been fighting a headache for over a week. Anyway. I disagree with the "rule" and think this is an unnecessary restriction which will also not introduce us to new designers but will abide. I just won't share any pattern links at all that way I'm covered. I did do a search on Google for free knitting patterns and a whole bunch of websites popped up where free patterns were their only purpose. Those sites did include the picture with a link to the site where the pattern is. And I mean a ton of sites like this. Ie ; https://www.allfreeknitting.com/ Admin

[Cablegrrl]

MaryJ , thank you for your reply. We're listening to everyone's feedback, and everyone has a voice on Our Unraveled. The new policy was drafted based on the input of designers and yarn companies who own the copyrights to the patterns that we share links to on Our Unraveled. Designers and yarn companies have granted us permission to post the links to the pattern pages on their own websites or blogs. Their permission is not extended to posting links to other locations on the Internet where their patterns may be residing.

A growing number of designers and yarn companies are also granting us permission to post the patterns' photos, which they hold the copyright on, as well. Designers and yarn companies invest time, money, and other resources in photographing their patterns. Often they hire professional photographers with a studio, an expert lighting team, etc. The effort that goes into creating Instagram caliber photos is extraordinary. Often you'll see the designer's creation photographed from different angles, long shot, close-up, interior shots, exterior shots, worn on a model, etc. The photo not only displays the finished product, but it also represents and summarizes the huge effort that the designer put into creating the pattern and the costs incurred in presenting it to the public. The copyright laws recognize and protect the designers' and yarn companies' rights, therefore, not only to their patterns, but to their pattern's photos.

We are asking everyone on Our Unraveled to respect the wishes of the designers and yarn companies by following the Our Unraveled policy regarding posting pattern links and photos. Any questions or concerns, please contact me or Admin . Thank you, everyone!

[qfknit]

NCAknitter MaryJ - one idea which I have used when mentioning a pattern or designer whose work I have become acquainted with, is to photograph my completed project and post my original photo.
This provides the benefits of:

- avoiding potential future difficulty over possible copyright violation or infringement on intellectual property,
- crediting my photo as my own intellectual property,
- sharing with other OurUnraveled members that I have knit at least one of the designer's patterns,
- acknowledging the work invested in seeing my project through to a successful completion,
- contributing quality content not readily available "everywhere" on the internet.

Just my 2 cents.

[MaryJ]

Hi qfknit. I do that too (currently my avatar). When ever someone asks me where I got the pattern I always post the link to the designer's page. Sadly I have a zillion saved patterns I will never knit but now can't share here. Rules are rules and I try to follow them but I think the copyright was designed so that you could not use the photo to make money for yourself or claim as your own. I don't think it was meant to stop people from sharing a "published" photo designed to make money for the original inventor as long as you clearly credit the inventor. After all, that's why they publish it in the first place, to generate income for themselves. Good discussion.