You are asking fellow crafters to do something illegal. The patterns you are looking for are all copyrighted. Making copies for others so they won't have to buy the books is not legal, and deprives the designers of income from their work.

However, if you can find the books in your local library, you are legally entitled to make a "working copy" for YOURSELF.

Copyright is a complicated issue. Asking people to break the law can get you (and possibly the people behind this website) in trouble...

The last thing I want to do is get anyone in trouble. I didn't think it was anything different thank photocopying from the library but as you bought to my attention it is. Please accept my apologies users of gardenweb for asking this of you. Is there a way to remove my post?

At the bottom of this page, in the green stripe, is a Contact Us...you might do so and ask that your posting be removed.

"However, if you can find the books in your local library, you are legally entitled to make a "working copy" for YOURSELF.

Not true. You can borrow the pattern book from the library and use it to knit the patterns in it, but you may not legally make any copies from it, even for your own use. Only the original purchaser of the book can do that.

Of course, in the real world knitters copy patterns all the time and pass them on. It's done quite often on this very forum. Don't forget that a lot of pattern books like these are now out of print and very difficult to obtain. Copying a pattern from an out-of-print book may be the only practical way of getting such patterns.

If the copyright holder lets this copying go on without doing anything about it, the pattern eventually enters the public domain and becomes legally available for anyone to use.

GOOD FOR YOU, FEEDINGFRENZY!!!! I COULDNT HAVE SAID IT BETTER...THIS FORUM HAS BEEN A GODSENT TO ALOT OF CRAFTY AND TALENTED WOMEN. THANKS FOR SAYING WHAT WE HAVE ALL BEEN THINKING!!!!!

pandora429...I'm afraid you're wrong when you say that all of us feel it's okay to misuse copyrighted materials and disregard the laws protecting them. If you, yourself had ever taken the time and effort to write and publish something, you would understand what it means to have others figuring out ways to keep from paying you for the use of your work....this is the same as picking someone's pocket. Copyright laws are in place to keep people from doing just that. Where on earth would any of us be if individuals didn't create and publish works, for all of us to benefit from? Please protect them by not abusing their work.

sandra...I NEVER SAID THAT IT WAS OK TO MISUSE COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS OR DISREGARD THE LAWS... So in the future, when accusing me or anyone else, remember we too are protected by the same laws. To slander someone is equally as wrong as to copyright....All I did was to reiterate what feedingfrenzy said. The only thing I did wrong was to assume I was speaking for everyone else. For that I am sorry!!

Copyright is an interesting and complicated subject. Discussions about the dos and don'ts have been held on several boards where I am a member. Creative work originated after Jan. 1 1978 is copyrighted for the lifetime of the author + 70 years. The fact that the author or his/her heirs are unaware of illegal copying of the work (or ignore it) does NOT send the work into the public domain; it is still copyrighted. Libraries have the right to make a certain number of copies for their patrons - "fair use" copies, to be used by the patron only and not for profit. The libraries pay for this right.

It is sometimes extremely difficult to determine if a pattern created before 1978 is out of copyright. I do hate to see an old but delicious pattern goodie go to waste, and I have in the past shared such with knitting friends, after making an honest try to find the creator/possible copyright holder. However, many of the patterns requested on this site are brand new.

If we do not allow today's designers to make an honest living, we'll all have to design our own patterns.