Selling Your Crochet Tips

Copyright v. Licensing

Often, people ask "can I sell a crocheted item that I made from someone else's pattern?" There's no set answer to this, it depends on what the crochet pattern writer allows. Often, the pattern writer will have a copyright on the written pattern. A copyright protects the writer from someone reproducing the text, diagrams, and photographs that are used in the printed pattern, but it does not address rights over the finished crochet item. Licensing, on the other hand, addresses the finished product and reproductions. There are publications and designers that DO allow you to sell a finished product made from their patterns. Some designers will tell you upfront what is and is not permitted to be done with their patterns and/or the resulting items. If you don't see specific instructions on a pattern, contact the designer to ask for permission to sell items made from a pattern. Some designers might not grant such permission, but others will grant you a license to allow you to sell a limited number of items made with an individual pattern. Others might only allow use of their patterns to make items for charity. Just ask, it's the right thing to do when a designer has put in hard work and time to create something.