According to the Copyright Laws YOU CANNOT SELL ANYTHING
unless you created the whole product yourself. If you
change a pattern you still can't sell. The pattern has to
be yours only. Just wanted to warn you before you get into
trouble.

That isn't entirely correct. You need to check the statement each pattern creator makes regarding their patterns. Some will allow you to sell items you make using their patterns. Some just want you to ask permission. Some won't allow it.

Well, thank you, that's very good to know. Do you know if there's any law against using a pattern as inspiration, when the finished product ends up completely different than the original pattern? I would think most of the businesses of the world would have a problem, if so, because a lot of businesses/products are the result of someone having seen something else and having come up with an either slightly different, or better way of doing something.
Still hoping to hear from someone who has created stuff for sale.
Diane

I think you are safe with a unique version you made up. after all, how can you copyright making two rectangles,adding handles, and sewing it all together?

I am afraid, however, that you will have trouble selling such purses for an adequate price. I have seen a boutique near me selling evening purses knitted of silk ribbon, eyelash and a third unique and more pricey yarn. Then it's lined, with a bead shoulder strap and lovely button closure. They sell for about $200+. Since they are small, they should make up faster, but I would pursue this only if you have a ready buyer like a boutique. People love hand made things, but rarely want to pay the price.

I crocheted a flag design purse after 9/11 and gave them unlined but with a couple of inside pockets to a few friends. Flag purses were no where to be bought. A friend's daughter sold a couple for $50 for me, and then a club bought 10 for $40 or $50 to sell at their club meetings. They had trouble selling all of them for $60. My costs were under $20 and I could make one in a day or two. One handbag shoppe raced after a friend who had bought one and wanted to know who the maker was so they could contract with them. I held my tongue, she got the hint, and did not tell him. It wasn't too long before you could buy flag designs in stores.

As appealing as the thought is to be paid for something so creative, I agree that it could be iffy finding folks who will pay what one feels it is worth for one's work. Add to that the pressure of HAVING to get something done as opposed to working on your own time frame, and knitting could become quite the chore. I foolishly promised my daughter an afghan by Christmas and December was the final push to get the thing done. I didn't enjoy the deadline at all.
Well, so far, my sister and a friend have expressed serious interest in the bag. I guess I could say "you pick out the yarn colors and pay for it and I'll get it done when I can for you". The store clerk and physician's office worker will just have to make their own, if they're so inclined.
Thanks for the input,
Diane

I agree about trying to find "buyers" but couldn't resist sharing this ad from Sunday's NYT magazine section - a Ferragamo crocheted bag for $990!

I also made an evening stole black with silver strands many years ago as a gift and was targeting Mother's Day - I calculated how many inches day I had to complete to get it done on time. Better to make a decision to make something without deadlines/promises.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ferragamo Crocheted Bag

You can't compete with the stuff from overseas. It's not worth the time and effort to make anything on speculation. Go for the prepaid, or partially prepaid, custom work.

One way to handle the copywrite is to have the customer buy the yarn, the pattern and keep the pattern. You'd be suppling the labor. We found that once our customers put money down they were committed. You still have to figure out what your time is worth. Just don't undersell yourself.

Try www.etsy.com for selling any handmade items.

For the great majority of knitting patterns, you are safe in selling the articles you knit from them and this is true no matter what the copyright notice says. The copyright prevents you from copying the pattern and giving or selling it to other people, but it doesn't necessarily prevent you from using the pattern as you see fit. In most cases, you can knit as many items from it as you care to and dispose of them however you wish.

Most knitted articles cannot be copyright protected because they are considered a useful articles. This is also true of most items made from sewing patterns.

But in some cases, the pattern may include an artistic element of sufficient originality that a knitted article which includes that element may be considered a copyright protected expression of the artistic element and you would not be able to sell it without permission. In knitting, this would mostly come up in multi-color patterns, such as intarsia or fair isles patterns, and then only if it is sufficiently original as to merit protection. Or the pattern might include a chart that enables you to knit an article which features an original graphic design, such as a popular cartoon character.

And in even fewer cases, the design of the entire article could be considered to be sufficiently artistic and original to be protected by the copyright in the pattern. This could occur, for example, in designer handbags or novelty slippers.

I do agree that it would be hard to make much money knitting because it takes too long.

Well I'm making my first shell now, also from a very unique yarn, and I know I'll get inquiries about it. But at the rate I'm sitting down to knit right now (3-4 rows a day) I think I've realized there's no way I could create things on a constant basis. I just have too much else to do in my life. As much as I enjoy creating, gardening season is approaching, and that's another creative outlet, not to mention work and home responsibilities. So, the issue is dead. No knitting for profit here!

while I know the topic was knitting, since I already posted something about crochet - thought I'd share this link I came across for those of you who use granny squares. Don't know how many of these Frida sells but I was quite surprised at her prices.

Here is a link that might be useful: Crocheted by Frida

I crocheted a shawl and sold it at the local farmers market, along with the tomatoes I grew. I can see doing this on a very small scale indefinately. I also sold one to a lady at church who admired the one I was wearing. She bought the yarn and gave me no deadline. That's the way to go, just doing it in spare time, if there is such a thing... like waiting in the doctor's office and relaxing before bedtime.

I'm going off-topic on this one, but we have discussed how to join squares and not liking the ridge on the back created by crocheting squares together. Interestingly, I noticed Frida in the above link crocheted her squares together on the front of the baby afghans, making the ridge part of the design.

My sister sewed a quilt and kept track of how much time she put in. She figures 850 hours. I don't knit very fast. I once made a sweater in three weeks. I don't see how it could be profitable for me. I agree, the foreign businesses have it made. But then again, would you want a hand-made item if you thought a 12 year old was kidnapped from her family and forced to work 16 hours a day? It happens.