Sewing Mamas Forums FAQ

This question comes up a lot here at Sewing Mamas. Can you purchase or download a pattern then make something from it and sell that item?  I can only speak to those living in the US as we have a world wide readership and your mileage may vary:

In a short word, yes.  However please read on so you don't ruin your business before you begin.

You can use anything from these sites to sew items for sale so long as credit is given as to where you got the pattern:

http://www.sewingmamas.com/b/downloads.php
http://diapersewing.wordpress.com/
http://www.burdastyle.com/

I've spoken a few times with the US Copyright offices directly about these questions.

For any printed patterns yes, legally you can make and sell items.

You can also purchase an item, take it apart, trace your own pattern, and create something to sell.

While it may not be MORAL, it is LEGAL. It's really up to you to decide. If you're selling in the WAHM world, it's very small. If you're found out to be a 'copycat' then you run the risk of being blackballed by the community.

The "Cottage" licenses some offer are not legally really worth the paper they are written on. You are buying the license to make 'slaphappy undies' and call them 'slaphappy undies' but if you want to use the SAME PATTERN and call them 'nutmeg's briefs' you can do that and not pay any fees. This is legal -- morally you're on your own.

It's up to you to decide what is moral in your opinion. It doesn't matter what they write on their patterns. Every time they have tried to enforce their patterns not being made into items for sale, they go down in flames. But your business may too.

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