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Comment by Debbie Snyder/WA on August 17, 2009 at 4:24pm

Ally: I should have mentioned that I read parts of Nancys book at least once a week. I can't remember dink anymore. Hubby hears me saying, "oh yes, that's right" all the time. He just laughs at me now cuz he knows my memory is shot.

Comment by Debbie Snyder/WA on August 17, 2009 at 4:18pm

Ally: I've heard of that too but haven't done it yet. Yes, it takes money to sue someone. I have heard of a designer hiring an attorney to send a letter to cease and desist. Wonder if it worked? The attorney still cost money right? Good luck

Comment by Ally Bryant on August 17, 2009 at 12:18pm

Thanks Debbie and Lynda for your comments. I did get her book from our guild library but my mind can only take so much in!!!LOL.
I do want to buy one of her books will check out amazon.com I did ask the guy that comes to our year end quild book sale but he took my name but haven't heard anything.
I think when I do my pattern I'm going to do the symbol with date as Who would go to the expense of sueing someone. As you say people can change just 10% and call it theirs.
Also one of the gals I know who sell her patterns said she send a pattern to herself with the copy right symbol on and the post mark is her proof of when she sent it and leaves the envelope kept sealed. And keeps them on file.

Comment by Debbie Snyder/WA on August 17, 2009 at 6:31am

I should have added......pg 112 of her book.
Registration costs $30 and gives you two important protections:
*the right to go to court to prevent others from stealing your work
*The right to defent against allegations that you stole someone elses work.
The downside to bothe of these is: Going to court is expensive. Copyright complaints are typically civil suits.......each party has to pay their own expenses.
I REALLY SUGGEST YOU GET HER BOOK. I READ SOMETHING FROM IT EVERY WEEK. IT IS A FONT OF INFORMATION THAT AS A PATTERN DESIGNER YOU CANT DO WITHOUT. I got my at amazon.com and I want to think it was only $19.99. Best $20 I ever spent.

Comment by Debbie Snyder/WA on August 17, 2009 at 6:25am

Hope this helps. I didn't choose to copyright my patterns. Many reasons, the first is that anyone can look at mine and copy them. All they have to do is change it 10% and those who are going to do it will do it weither I have it copyrighted or not. I do have the (copy right symbol) on each page and on the back cover. As they say, "locks keep the honest people out", I feel the same about copyright. It's amazing how much money you spend getting started. I had to pick where it was the most important.
Here is what Nancy Restuccia says in her book, “Publish your Patterns!”. pg 111
Copyright is, quite literally, the legal right to copy and distribute original material. The minute you commit your original, copyrightable work to “tangible for” it is copyrighted--whether or not you register it with the U.S. copyright office, and even if you don’t have the (copyright symbol) on it. You should do both, but even if you don’t you still own the copyright.
For works created after January 1, 1978, a copyright lasts for the lifetime of the owner plus 70 years.

Page 112.………”In my opinion do it! Legally you own a copyright even if you don’t register it. But it’s inexpensive insurance to do so. If choose to register, do it with in three months of publication of your pattern. If you don’t you may not be considered to have had the copyright from your publication date.

Comment by Lynda Banks/Ont. on August 17, 2009 at 3:35am

Ally, you don't really have to copywright. If your work is original copyright is automatic. If you do register a copywright you have to police it yourself and we all know quilters love to share so it's probably a waste of time. I've just added into my website that patterns are for personal use only and not to be used for mass production.

Comment by Ally Bryant on August 16, 2009 at 7:16pm

Wow where have I been the last few day at the trailer- lots of comments to catch up on. Really interesting. I want to keep all this information when I get to that place when I set up a web site. Still working on Patterns. Also looking into copy right.
Lynda: Have you copyrighted your patterns yet? Where did you find your information for Canada.

Debbie: Seeing you are right in there maybe there is some tips you could give us on copyright - maybe it is different in the States. I have just had a story with others from our local library copy righted but didn't do it myself so wonder if it is the same form for art form as for books?
Is it worth doing the free sites or is it better to pay for a web site?

Comment by Lynda Banks/Ont. on August 16, 2009 at 2:36pm

Just use google , Debbie . WebRing is a huge site so just type in the name and you'll get there, sign up and they give you a html code to put into your site then you can start adding to rings.

Comment by Debbie Snyder/WA on August 16, 2009 at 8:58am

Sound good to me. Tell me, how do you get to webring. Any kind of traffic is good traffic.

I have and etsy.com acct but haven't had time to post anything for sale yet. My hubby is going to set up an ebay store for me one of these days. One of my customers has an ebay store and buy's patterns from me to sell on her store so I think I want a cut of that business. One of these days when there is less going one. We can only do so much at a time.

Comment by Lynda Banks/Ont. on August 16, 2009 at 6:48am

Debbie in webring you join groups of people in the same business as you. There's tons of different rings. Then you add a navbar to your site and you are linked to all the sites in that ring hopefully driving traffic to your site. I joined four to start because iIm not sure if I need a navbar for each group. That might make a mess on my home pageLOL Any way I joined a quilters group, a designers roup, a longarm group and of course a Canadians group!!! I'm sure you would find something there to help you, and that's what we all need...right?????

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