One of the biggest fights of a designer is the protection of their copyright. We often read that this is a complex concept, but I disagree. I think it’s pretty simple, actually:

Copyright is just like bananas

First of all, you should know that everything we write or photograph is ours, even if we put it on the internet. Public doesn’t mean ‘now belongs to everyone’. There’s a nuance. This applies to designers and to you, dear audience! Your words & photos cannot be used without your permission.

Copyright applies as soon as the words or photos exist. It doesn’t have to be filed or registered or anything. The thing belongs to its author.

🍌 What does that have to do with bananas? 🍌

If you buy a crochet pattern, you buy one (1) copy for your personal use. You can’t make copies for others, or send copies by email. If after giving the pattern you still have it, you’ve just violated copyright.

It’s like with bananas: if you buy 1 (🍌), you can’t give it and still have it 🤔! If you want to give multiple bananas (🤲🤲🤲) and still have one for yourself, you must buy multiple bananas (🍌🍌🍌🍌).

With patterns, it’s exactly the same.

… even if you bought the wool
… even if you don’t have much money
… even if it’s for your neighbor who makes good coffee
… even if you once bought a disgusting banana
… even if you don’t feel like paying for it

And even if you don’t understand why this even makes us angry.

We get angry because all these stolen copies are money you’re taking away from our family.

Because writing patterns is very expensive and we have to sell a lot before we pay ourselves back.

Because we have the right to make a living from our time & talent.

And because if you don’t want to pay, the internet is awash with free resources! Take these, we won’t mind. (PS You can’t take a free pattern and copy it, either. You have to send people to the page where you found it – these designers also get paid, but in a different way than me.)

To share a pattern on the internet, and do it right, go to the page where you found it or bought it. Copy the address at the top of this page ) and paste it to the place / group / page where you want to share it. You will then be able to include your own photos 

Once you know why we ask you to do this & show you how to do it, it should become very easy. After a few times, you won’t even remember why you didn’t do it before. OH! And name the designer with an @ in front of her/his name so she/he knows how much you respect what she/he creates.

They will always be very grateful.

💖