Can someone explain this to me?

[knittingmama]

I saw a wrap/shawl thing someone was wearing oh about a year or so ago and got inspired to knit up something similar.

I've been looking through my big book of stitch patterns and I think I've come up with something that I like. But I was thinking of trying to enter the finished piece for Knitty or another online mag and was wondering if that will be allowed if I'm using stitch patterns from a published book? Do I need to just name my source, or do I need to modify the stitch patterns in some way?

Either way, I'm making the shawl, but I'd like to try to publish the pattern, too.

[mamapez]

Hmm...good question. I think since you are submitting the pattern and not just the stitch you would be okay. But I am not positive. Try emailing knitty and see what they say. :sunshine

[knittingmama]

I read an article at Knitty, and really it left me more confused than I was before. LOL.

The article was talking about how you needed to take into consideration whether or not a certain stitch pattern is considered "public knowledge". And then you need to consider whether or not the combination of certain stitch patterns are copywritten or (again) public knowledge.

I should probably just email someone there and ask.

[pmcgary]

I would look around and see if that stitch pattern is in other books......I think it probably is pretty hard to make the case for copyright on a 'single' stitch pattern....or rather the instructions for how to creat the pattern.....'

If it is a rather 'common' pattern I would think you would be good to go......If on the other had it is unique or a combination of several patterns you might not be as able to use it as 'your own'

Keep in mine that I am not a lawyer and I don't play one on tv.....

[littleturtlemama]

pam's right :) If ti's a single stitch pattern, it's okay to use (as long as you reference where you got it from) but if it's something like an aran sweater with a series of cables that you're transferrign over to a shawl, then nope, that would be copyrighted (the composition of the cables) think of stitch patterns as music notes; you can't copyright a single note, but you can copyright a song (ie, a composition of stitch patterns)

[pmcgary]

pam's right :) If ti's a single stitch pattern, it's okay to use (as long as you reference where you got it from) but if it's something like an aran sweater with a series of cables that you're transferrign over to a shawl, then nope, that would be copyrighted (the composition of the cables) think of stitch patterns as music notes; you can't copyright a single note, but you can copyright a song (ie, a composition of stitch patterns)
I always love it when T. says I am right!

[knittingmama]

It's nice to have a little pat on the back, eh Pam. ;)

It's nothing like taking a design from an aran sweater. I'm actually taking three different cable patterns from the book and arranging them for the shawl. Two are simple cables that I've seen many times over in other books, patterns, and online stitch library collections, but the other one I'm going to have to research a little bit.