Saturday 8 September 2012

Cobblestone Square



Hi All,

I have a new design to share with you...


Before I get to the new pattern I want to apologise for the lack of posts lately; my last post was 6 weeks ago!  I'm afraid I've been a bit disenchanted with the whole blogging and designing experience...  I've been aware of another blog, in German, who has done a translation of my lily pad hexagon flower, complete with a photographic tutorial - pretty much a copy, picture by picture of mine, for a few months now.  It crossed my mind that it would have been nice to have been asked, and I mulled over whether to do anything before thinking to myself that it wasn't worth getting my knickers into a twist over and forgetting about it. 

Only I kept seeing it pinned on pinterest, and when I saw a couple of pins with the comment "pattern only in german, but with good pictures" I'm afraid my anger bubbled to the surface and I looked at the blog post again and with the help of google translate deciphered the post to find out if she mentioned the original source at all.  Not once within the blog post did she mention that this was not her pattern, but after she had signed off at the very bottom of the post where nobody obviously reads, she had put a link titled "Translation in English here" - or something to that effect (I'm relying on google translate).  She had lots of comments congratulating her on her tutorial and she had replied with thanks to all but one - from an english speaking person asking if she could do a translation in english...  Blood boiling by this point I commented myself, pointing out that this was not her pattern nor tutorial, that I thought it, at the very least, good manners to ask the designer before publishing a translation of the pattern, that she hadn't featured my blog or credited me with the original nor, tellingly, responded to the commenter who wanted the pattern in English.

A couple of days later after not hearing anything from her I checked her blog again and found that she had removed my comment and, again at the bottom of the page after her sign off, she had replaced "Translation in English here" with -

This is the original, on this page I found this flower.

Something at least I guess...  but I still feel that the original creditation should be within the body of her post. For anyone interested the blog post is  http://elbeglueckmd.blogspot.de/2012/03/hakelblute.html
Am I being petty?  Should my designs be considered fair game to pass off because I share them for free...  I can't help thinking that she wouldn't have dared do this had she bought the pattern.

Anyway I'm sorry to say that it has made me reconsider sharing so freely, and while I will no doubt offer the odd freebie I have decided to open an Etsy shop and sell my patterns from now on.  It is something I was planning on doing eventually anyway, just not quite yet...  At the same time I have been asked by a few people if I would produce my patterns in a printable pdf format.  When time allows I am going through my patterns, producing both a pdf photographic tutorial and also a brief non-photographic written pattern (to aid in printing) of all my past patterns, and I am adding them to my Etsy Shop.  The charge for these will be half that of any new patterns that have never been published publicly before..

So, my first brand spanking new pattern in my brand new Colour in a Simple Life Etsy Shop is the Cobblestone Square...


I originate from Ulverston, a small market town in South Cumbria (also the birthplace of Stan Laurel - it's only claim to fame!) where the market street is cobbled, and these squares remind me of the textures of it's old streets.  The pattern pack includes a photo tutorial to produce a Cobblestone Square, plus directions and photographs to show how to 'join as you go'.  Adaptable to lots of different things - blankets spring to mind - I have also given simple directions how to make them up into a cushion cover.
 
 

 
Illustrated in bright colours with a cream background they also look fabulous with bright backgrounds...
 
 

 
I really hope to see you there...
 
To all my fellow musers out there (muse to lose blog); in my misery I have hurled myself off the wagon most spectacularly, but I hope to clamber on again very soon.  I quite understand if you have all lost patience and abandoned the cause...
 
Happy crocheting everyone!
 
Karen
xx

52 comments:

  1. I am utterly outraged on your behalf! It is fundamentally WRONG to rip of someone else's work and pass it off as your own and people who do that REALLY make me ANGRY. I am so sorry you have been a victim of this, but now that the German perpetrator has in a round about sort of way rectified her post by naming you as the original designer, maybe try looking at it from another angle: someone liked your work so much that they copied you and blogged about it. Not much of a consolation, but still...

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    1. I am with you Craftgirl Seventyeight! That is more than *wrong*.

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  2. Human nature, isn't it just lovely? Your work is, indeed, always brilliant - and I'm sure many aspire to have your creativity...but they have greater morals than to copy you and claim it for their own. Me? I'm happy to copy you with my hook and look at it in my home! =) (Meaning I make your pattern and revel in its beauty.) I'm sorry that happened to you...and selfishly, I'm sorry that the wonderful free sharing is prematurely terminated because of someone's disregard for what is "right" and respectful. Thank you for what was and good luck with your new shop. Hugs, Annette

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  3. Wow, how terrible! And what a cow. I've commented on her post, I'm sure she'll delete it but hopefully if everyone comments, she'll feel bad...

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  4. I'm sorry to hear about someone ripping off your patterns like that,as usual one spoils it for ll as I have used many of your lovely patterns for projects and if I were ever to show a photo of one of your completed designs I would have given people a link to your blog and wonderful patterns.
    And I would dearly love your pattern do you do it in a paper pattern format to post as I am having one or two technical difficulties with PDF on my computer :-((

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  5. The problem of taking someone else's pattern and claiming it as their own has been going on for quite a while now. But if the person doing it is popular enough, it seems to be ok to do. In my opinion, it is never ok to do. I've seen quite a few 'pattern takers' and I would sit there feeling bad for the original designer and wonder how she was feeling - then one day I came across a pattern that was just too close to one of mine and found the feeling not nice at all. It has certainly slowed me down with sharing of my patterns - I still do it, just not as much.

    Thank you for sharing your patterns with us and I'm truly sorry that this happened to you.

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    1. How does one put an imprint within the pictures to show it's owned by them? I have seen this in other sites.

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  6. oh Karen, I have been praying for you all this time...I suspected there was something bad happening to keep you away. I am so sorry you have experienced this. I understand your reluctance to share, but I do hope you know that there are still quite a few of us who do really love you and we all are standing with you! love and prayers, Cara Louise

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  7. What a cheek! I feel downright annoyed for you because I know what it is like. This has happened to me more than once at work and now I have to print out everything indicating my copyright on it. I give In-company course and the course material has to be teacher designed this of course means hours and hours of hard work. More than once other teachers have pinched my work and presented it as their own!
    People don't seem to realize that not only is plagiarism unethical it is an offence!
    You have some wonderful patterns and it won't hurt people to pay for them but even when you offer a free pattern you should add your copyright signature. Credit must be given where credit is due and this is the case with your own creations. I'm sorry to hear you have gone through this it does leave a bad taste ,doesn't it?

    keep well

    Amanda :-)

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  8. Sorry Karen got a bit carried away in the last comment but I also wanted to add your cobblestone square is very effective. Those vivid colours make it stand out.

    A x

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  9. My understanding is whether or not you express copyright to your patterns your work is still yours and no one else can claim it. It is appalling that she thought just because her blog is German she could steal your work and claim it as her own. I love your cobblestone design and will be purchasing it momentarily.

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  10. Como você fez?
    Muito lindo.
    Parabéns.

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  11. Your cushion is absolutely beautiful. I'm sorry about the plagerism of your pattern. Some people have no integrity. I love seeing your designs and your use of colour is lovely.

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  12. so sorry to hear all that. Stealing is wrong. When I think about all the work behind a tutorial and the love that the designer put in it.....GRRRRR!!! I know that A lot of my crafts pictures have been pinned on interest and NO ONE ever asked me the permission to do that....Why??? I really don't understand...All the times I use a pattern that is not mine I obviously link back to the right designer, to say thank you for sharing and because is fair.
    Love your cushion and welcome back!
    Big hugs and good luck with your shop, xxx Alessandra

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  13. ich hab es gelöscht..... nun ist wieder ruhe!

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  14. I have not as yet put anything original on my blog yet and I always list where I found patterns I am following. It's a lesson to everyone. People think because it is on the internet for all to read then it's free to copy. It is plagiarism. It is illegal. Course materials in written form can I understand be copied 10% providing it's for another course and credit given. Could be wrong in that but seem to recall it from a course I did on adult education in the UK. Photos are also protected by copyright and if you use a picture you took of someone you should also have their permission to use the photo. The problem with a pattern is that someone could claim to have thought of it themselves, the photos might be easier to prove. Also it is illegal to follow a pattern and then sell the item without permission and without changing that pattern, I think. Not a nice thing to have happened. She probably thought you would never find it!

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  15. vous devriez vous plaindre au serveur du blog pour qu'il lui demande de retirer votre tutoriel plagié.

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  16. It's never OK to pretend that someones else's idea was your! I always link back to a source and would never use their photos and call it mine! It's great that we can share ideas and inspire but don't ignore the original source!! Your designs are beautiful and I would have no problem buying them from Etsy. I buy patterns I love on there all the time. So congrats on your new Etsy shop and good luck with it! :)

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  17. Karen, that is just horrible. I can not believe the nerve of some people. I am not near good enough to create my own patterns, but when I post I always link back to the original designer, and if I don't have a link I detail the pattern name and designer and where I found it. It is not acceptable to do otherwise. I would have been furious. Good luck with the Etsy shop, you deserve it being a wonderful success.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  18. It is a shame how some people act,but it pushed you to act on a dream you wanted to do anyways.That doesn't negate the horrible way it makes you feel,tho,she is a total b*tch for what she did! I feel what goes around will come around and she will get "hers".
    But all that nastiness aside,I am excited for you and your new shop! I live in the USA and can't wait for all the details so I can order from you! Your talent is great!! I am always amazed by your creativity. Free is always nice,but you do deserve credit for all the hard work you do to create a pattern! I am ready to shop!! When can I start??

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  19. oops!! Just scrolled up and saw where to go to your shop! (red face here! LOL) I was so upset for you over all this I got caught up in it. I will see you in your shop!

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  20. Stealing is stealing no matter how it's done. How hard is it to link the original pattern? I would be ashamed to claim something as my own when I didn't put in the work to design it. I don't blame you for selling your patterns in your Etsy shop and since you were heading in that direction anyway, all the better. Hang in there and please don't shy away from blogging. I love your blog and enjoy your posts so much. BTW, I love the cobblestone square. I'm making a bobble baby blanket at the moment for my newest grandchild due in January. I'm not as in love with them as you are but they do make an adorable blanket.

    Hugs,
    Sharon

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  21. I have given you the Sunshine Award. Please head over to my blog to check it out! :)
    http://fewofmyfavthings95.blogspot.com.au/
    Hope you have a lovely day!
    Xx

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  22. I don't blame you for being angry. I really don't understand the people who aren't willing to share the sources of their ideas. Grrr.

    This new pattern is so fun! I love the 3-D aspect of crochet. Your work is so fabulous. I am still a relative newbie at crochet, so I have never tried to create my own design. I marvel at those of you who can do this.

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  23. I USED to share patterns till I realized SOME people could hardly bring themselves to say "thank you" for it. I was happy to share them, but I guess you have to expect there's gonna be at least one, and maybe several, who don't appreciate, or who lack manners/proper Blogland etiquette. As a result, I don't feel so excited to share any anymore. Still, if and when I find a pattern or tutorial I like, and would like to try, I at least say a simple "thank you", right away. It doesn't take that long to type, really!... In fact, when I do try someone else's pattern, and then post it to my blog, YES, I DO give credit, very prominently/clearly, with a clickable link, and I just think it's common courtesy to do so.

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  24. Gorgeous pattern and colours. I'm sorry someone stole your pattern, I know what it feels like as I've had the same happen to me, some people just have no scruples.

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  25. Maravillosos trabajos, y un colorido espectacular!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  26. It seems that this is a problem for lots of bloggers and it really stinks! It's such a shame that there are those out there who steal and ruin it for others.
    I love your work and your blog. I hope that you'll find great success with your shop and that you'll continue to blog. (It's a great way to get people to your shop!) I've recently started doing a little designing myself and your experience has warned me that I need to add my name to my pictures, and do what I can to protect my creative property.
    Good luck - and I love your new design!

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  27. Great to see she has removed it from her blog ... good luck with your Etsy shop.

    Fleur xx

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  28. In honor of International Crochet Day, you've been linked:)

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  29. I don't think that you're being petty at all. I have been mulling this issue over myself lately. There is an interesting boundary about what is acceptable to do with a pattern that you find (for free) on the internet. I know that some specifically say for personal use only or ask to credit the designer if you use the pattern. I'm not so sure how I feel about the "for personal use only" disclaimer on some items--if you make an item using a pattern, YOU are still the one who made the item, so as long as you say "this is from ZZZ pattern" I think it should be ok.

    Copying your pattern and making a tutorial is a completely other issue. I don't think that is fair at all. At the least I think that blogger should have said "original pattern can be found here...." and that "this is my version of a tutorial" or something like that.

    Anywho, on a much nicer note...I love your new pattern! That is just so so so adorable!! Good luck with your Etsy store!! I think you'll do great!

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  30. Sorry to hear that it happened with you. I am still new to blogging and have not yet come across any such thing. But, looks like we have to be cautious sharing something very own and precious.

    Your cobblestone square is very beautiful!

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  31. Hi I am so sad that you had to go through all this, I know I had my share of this sort of stuff and even worst. I also have a blog of handmade things for kids. The worse for me is that people steal my designs and I find them at markets that I am also taking part, but of course they make it maybe a couple of dollars cheaper and I lose costumers. This is one reason I am taking a break from the handmade business. I also think that you should not give away you patterns, they are beautiful enough for people to pay for the pattern and in doing so, hopefully you wont have so many ripoff blogs featuring your designs as their own. Take care and good luck!

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  32. I can imagine how disheartening this has all been for you--you should absolutely be paid (and at the very least, credited) for your creative work. I'm glad you're making the leap to etsy! Wishing you all kinds of good luck, and many sales, too! :) Your new designs are so lovely.

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  33. Hi Karen, I'm not sure how I stumbled across your blog (probably via a crochet link) but I was really annoyed when I read about your problems with someone copying your design without crediting you. It is such a problem as there is no way you can possibly police the whole internet so this sort of thing is rife.

    Copyright is so important (my husband is a composer so it is a cause close to my heart!) and I've noticed a lot of people are producing crochet/knitting designs they say are their own and yet as I flick through my collection of old crochet/knitting books I find the exact same pattern which was written 50 years ago!

    Try not to be too downhearted and good luck with your Etsy shop. Susie

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  34. I love reading your blog and I cannot understand why someone would not give you the credit for your designs. Good luck with your new developments.
    On another note... I suspect the cobblestone pattern would look rather like a Dalek if it was in the right shades of blue/grey! But that is my world!

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  35. Being from Germany I visited the mentioned German blog and wanted to let you know that she has removed everything about your pattern. This person seems to be pretty new to blogging so I am sure that claiming your rights has helped her understand how the internet works. I am sorry that you had so much trouble and I realize how much work you put into creating and writing down these beautiful patterns. I appreciate it very much and enjoy all your innovative ideas. I wish you good luck with your etsy shop.Greetings from Germany

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  36. I LOVE YOUR NEW PATTERN, VERY ORIGINAL... THANKS FOR SHARING WITH US YOUR PROJECT, I MADE ONE OF YOUR BAG, BUT IN A DIFFERENT COLOUR.... ALL THE VERY BEST

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  37. Awww I'm bummed that I didn't find your blog sooner to take advantage of all of your beautifully offered patterns! So bummed, in fact, that I took myself over to the plagiarized pattern post and posted a nasty-gram.

    That said, I'm in love with this pattern. I like anything with lots of texture. I just can't afford to purchase patterns now tho, which adds to the bummed-outness. Good luck tho and I sure hope that the woman who stole your pattern is happy with herself!

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  38. I had 69 different clor yarns that were too thick for me tand i didnt want to make a sweater or something to wear from them. They stayed in my room for long time and storing these started to take from my room. So one day i made a colorful granny squre, then another then another. The colors matched perfectly that if i intended to match them before i start the granny project i wouldnt have found them ok together. I came out with a technique to join them ...in short, i created this thing from A to Z. Guess what? My blanket which i have neer posted to the web is someone's else original design! What i mean from telling this story is one thing: there is no such thing called original design in. Rochet. The techniques are limited...circle, square, triangle..and the uses are limited...this talk about originality confuse me as well because i buy english pattern books or magazines and whatever pattern there is it had been for ages in a japanese or italian book or magazine. I dont think any one intends to steal anything, if we make a circle starting with 5 stitches ir 6 we end up having a circle! So relax

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    1. I think she was upset because the other person took the whole thing she posted here, with explanations AND pictures. If I take the time to do that and someone else takes credit for it I'd be pretty hacked off, wouldn't you?

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  39. Hi there, I'm a bit sad because I love free patterns ;) but seriously though I hope you don't mind if I try to replicate your designs from the pics. I can't buy the patterns because the exchange rate (Argentinian pesos-dollars) would pretty much kill my credit card, so I'll have to resort to that.
    Don't worry though, blogging is something beyond my ken, so you won't see any patterns translated to Spanish and if I ever learn how to I'll give credit where credit is due.

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    1. Hi Maria Jose
      Thanks for your comment, and I don't mind if you replicate the pattern from the photos - we've all done it!

      And thank you for your support; some people just don't get it.

      Karen
      xx

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    2. I think I managed to replicate it! Took a pic and posted it on my fb ^.^
      Of course I'm not going to say how to do it (that's for you to do) but I'm actually happy with the result. My square is actually quite small because I used a thin kind of yarn so I might have to make one or 2 more rounds. thanks for letting me try to replicate your pattern =P

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  40. Hugs. Hope you have more positive experiences in the future. I see she has posted above saying she has taken it down, and someone else has commented the same.

    I can offer no sage words of comfort, except to say that it is obvious you are much loved. I love your designs (I usually go the free ones) and I hope to buy one or two of yours in the near future. xoxo

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  41. firstly sorry if i repeat anything already posted there were simply too many comments to read.
    i can understand someone thinking, hey that's a great pattern, i think i Will translate into German for all my friends. good idea!!! the very first line if her blog post should be. 'i found this amazing pattern and thought i would translate it for all of us German speaking crochet people"
    to claim it as her own is just Rude and totally immoral. i would even go so far as to call it theft

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  42. firstly sorry if i repeat anything already posted there were simply too many comments to read.
    i can understand someone thinking, hey that's a great pattern, i think i Will translate into German for all my friends. good idea!!! the very first line if her blog post should be. 'i found this amazing pattern and thought i would translate it for all of us German speaking crochet people"
    to claim it as her own is just Rude and totally immoral. i would even go so far as to call it theft

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  43. A thief is a thief is a thief. So sorry! A pox on her!!

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  44. I experienced something similar with someone copying my drawing style and been rude about it. Right in front of me. But no one saw how wrong it was around me. They made me feel bad for been angry. It's hard to be gracious to someone when it's something so important and personal. The stealing and lying. It was obvious that I was saying no in body language. But that girl was relentless. I complained that at least she should have asked me. She just did whatever she wanted. But her drawings never looked as good as mine. So that was a little consolation^^* And some people agreed with me. So I felt better afterwards. Validation.

    She copied but you're the original. What she did makes her look bad. No matter how many people "believe" her.

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  45. Hi,
    I would like to tell you that you are doing an extremely good job of sharing with others. It is very natural to feel outraged and be upset about plagiarism. I would just like to tell you that "GOD is watching your deed and rewarding you immensely for it"... Trust him and he will you open up his bounty for you in ways unknown to us... Feel good that you are helping so many people and teaching them and making them happy with your exquisite work... Your work shows that you are a HAPPY person, don't let anybody put you down... Rise and Shine.. For people like us.. Love you for your work and true nature...

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  46. How UPSETTING! I am so so sorry for you. That happens a lot in my line of work -- I'm a photographer and though my images haven't been stolen it is extremely common, sadly. So I feel your pain, however I LOVE this pattern you should "re-open" your Etsy shop I would love to do this pattern someday! :D

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