Another rant on Copyright...ugh!

As you know, I am a moderator for the Ravelry group, Alan Dart. So periodically I get emails from Alan re: copyright issues. Last summer I got an email regarding a new children's book called Mouseton Abbey. They also have a FB pg. So the issue is that the characters are knit and the women that knit them used Alan Darts mice patterns, more than likely his Dickensian Party Mice or his 

Medieval Mice. On the FB pg it was finally acknowledged that the mice were knit from Alan's patterns, however now they are saying they are going to release a pattern book of the mice...ugh!

Oh and to top it off...this is a play on the popular tv show Downton Abbey...copyright infringement there as well!

So I got a request on Ravelry to pass on a pattern, which I had paid for.

I was non committal and said I needed to find out what was going on. As you know I had purchased the Angry Birds crochet patterns and I have been slowly working on the set. I actually have three done: The Cardinal, The Goldfinch and The Blue Bird. I am halfway done the The Bomb Bird (its all the black yarn) then need to crochet the Green Bird and the White Bird, with its own egg. Then, last is the pig. Hubby loves the birds and still plays the games.

So lastnight, after a long day at work I got this message:

Hi CraftyGal,

You’ve probably already had several questions like mine, but as I’ve look all around the net, there are not much options left than to send you a message.

It’s about the angry bird patterns…I was half way through crocheting them, when the patterns were discontinued! I only bought the red bird and the green pig and was gifted the white and black bird (not finished yet). So I don’t have the goldfinch and bluebird.

Would you mind to share the pattern with me? So I can complete my collection?

I don’t mind to send you a small gift in return.

Thanks for reading!

Greetings all the way from the Netherlands!

Mar10a

So needless to say I was a bit shocked! Everyone knows my stance on copyrighted material, I simply do not share. The reason being is that designers work hard to do what they do. I have learned a lot about copyright from Alan Dart, Pheony Knits and other designers that they lose payment for designs etc. It is not a win win situation at all!

So I gave a non-committal response back:

Let me talk with the designer and find out what is going on.

So this is what is happening...saw this post on Karla's blog, Itsy Bitsy Spider. It is the second post on her blog.

The end of the Angry Birds

It was a lot of fun while it lasted. I got to know people from all over the world and I got to share my patterns in a way that made people happy. But it's over.

On Tuesday, I was asked to stop selling the Angry Birds patterns. I cannot get into the details, but suffice it to say that I stand to lose more than just my business if I continue.

The patterns have been pulled from Etsy and pattern sales have been deactivated on Ravelry. They will not be re-listed or re-activated.

I will continue to sell my other original patterns in both venues and I have some new designs that should be released very soon. I am truly sorry to everyone who did not get the opportunity to get copies of the patterns.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

This is a very similar situation to Mazzmatzz and the BBC. (Website: mazzmatazz.co.uk Ravlery: mazzmatazz) 

More recently, I have had wranglings with the BBC, after they served me with a C&D for sharing free patterns based on characters from the TV show, Doctor Who. This became an international news story, during which Russell T Davis - a huge driving force in bringing Doctor Who back to our screens as well as being the producer and writer of many episodes - was said to have very much liked the patterns I created. Further developments have led to me being in talks with the BBC, and I hope the end result will be the re-release of these patterns, fully endorsed.

Following on from the news story, I was offered a great deal of work, including guest patterns in printed publications, and also a whole pull-out supplement which the Guardian produced, known as the Rebel Knitters Guide.

For now, however, things are fairly quiet on the knitting front, and I am taking time to enjoy projects for myself, and my friends and family. I post these up on Ravelry, which is a kind of Facebook for knitters and crocheters. I highly recommend this site if you do knit.

So there you have it, two designers hit wit a cease and desist order on the designs. Mazzmatazz's were free, Karla's were not but they were reasonably priced and Karla was using the extra cash for her daughter's medical care, which isn't cheap in the USA. Oh and to add insult to injury for Karla on the Angry Bird Facebook Page they have an album for Angry Birds Fan Art. In fact the green crocheted pig that is picture in this album is Karla's design!

What a sad day!

Cora

Wow what a way to begin my afternoon...

Simply Knitting 49, January 2009

Sackboy

I received an email earlier today, along with 2 other moderators from the Alan Dart Group on Ravelry, from Alan Dart regarding a Ravelry user who produced a pdf of how she worked the design and then she published the pdf on her blog and on Ravelry. This was an infringement of copyright both Alan Dart's and Sony's. The pattern was Sackboy which was published in Simply Knitting and on the Sun website (a free pdf). Sackboy is from Little Big Planet which is produced by Sony for Playstaion and PSP. Sony and Alan Dart entered into a contract where Alan would design a pattern to design a pattern for this character.

Alan's design is lovely and very easy to follow if you are patient and trust the whole process. I have often found that I look forward to figuring out what these pieces will look like as I work through his designs.

Ravelry doesn't mind if you write in the notes the changes that are made. However they frown on copyright infringement, so within 20 minutes it was removed from the database and the person removed it from their blog. I did send her an private message to explain everything along with a copy of Alan's email, minus the personal information.

There is a very fine line on being a fan and overstepping into copyright infringement.

The story of Mazzmatazz is one such story.  Mazzmatazz was known for being a big fan of Dr. Who. The BBC went after her with all there might after dolls/toys, that were made fro her patterns that she offered for free on her website, were being auctioned off on eBay. She has since published a supplement for the Guardian (a UK magazine), her patterns are listed under related articles. So anyways Mazzmatazz ended up having to remove all of her Dr. Who patterns.

There are many other designers that are selling their patterns but they haven't been "caught" or "reported on". Mazzmatazz's designs were discovered due to dolls be auctioned off on eBay, which is very public.  Etsy has a copyright infringement policy however it hasn't bee enforced judging the following blogs:

• http://etsybitch.blogspot.com/

• Callin' Out On Etsy

 So there have been issues...big time.