If you change things just a little,and not make your item a carbon copy ,including color,fabric,that they used you should be fine.I've been sewing and selling for years,and have never had a problem.
Kathi

Hi Kathi, I'd heard that "way back" also. Thanks! bggs

Why not have the customer take the pattern home with them. Itemize the 'price' in your charges and they are paying you for your labor. I'm not sure but could it be that using one pattern to make multiple dresses is what they don't want to happen?

Changing the pattern does not cover you. Not a little bit, not 10 -, 20-, 30- percent. It is "derivative" of the original, also not allowed. You can certainly buy a new pattern for each garment, that's exactly what they're aiming for! By "manufacturing purposes" the companies mean multiple copies of a craft/garment/item from a single pattern and selling them. You can give away whatever you want.

This does not mean you'll get caught. It is the legal opinion of the Big Two (since McButterVogue is all one, now) that professionals who wish to manufacture items to sell pay a fair market price for their own R & D, pattern drafting, and grading services. I worked with a designer, making a prototype of the suit she'd desiged. She told me that the finished pattern had cost $600.

And some fabrics are copyrighted, too. Again, doesn't mean you'll get caught.

Okay, so that makes me wonder all the more why patterns are so expensive. After all, I have an M.S. in Counseling, and basically one hour of my pay would cover the cost of a pattern. How is the person making minimum wage supposed to afford one? It used to be that people saved a lot of money sewing their family's clothing, but no more.
When I was a teen, one hour of my babysitting money would pay for most patterns. If that would be the case now, then I really need to look into babysitting as a profession! bggs

BGGS,
I have a M.S. in Counseling and Psychology. Small world isn't it?
About the patterns, that's why I only buy them when they're 99 cents or 1.99.
Susan in Bama

Hi Susan,
Yes, small world! It doesn't surprise me though. When in college, I met a lot of cross-over Art and Psych majors in my classes.
Before I moved to the sticks, I used to make it to the pattern sales every time - now it's once a year, if I'm lucky.
I remember back about 20 - 30 years ago, there used to be a pattern exchange in the local library. "If you brought one, you got one." Any towns have that nowadays? bggs

I no longer buy patterns, I have found I can use basic patterns I already have and have adjust to fit me and mix and match the pieces like sleeves or waistbands. The more you sew the less you need commercial patterns. I do browse thru the pattern books for ideas and for current fashions. I do buy used pattens at yard sales and Goodwill especially for children, men and bridal as I don't have the sizing down as well as I do with women's patterns.

What about if you only charged for your labour costs? I mean if the client buys the fabric, notions and pattern and you do the making up, it's not you who has bought the pattern?

Or am I splitting hairs?

I'm still buying patterns - because I haven't finished Pattern Drafting at college and because I find drawing out such huge pieces, as for trousers, a strain on my back. Also I'm still building a stock of different shapes for necklines etc - the books don't tell you everything!

By the time I've altered a pattern, adding pockets, adjusting the fit, I'm sure it's 10 - 20% different.

Interesting topic!
AJ

I was thinking about the earlier post that mentioned the cost of making a particular pattern -- $600. When you think about it, if that's what each one cost nowadays, the company would make a profit in no time.
Meanwhile, the quality of patterns in general has deteriorated. Aside from inaccuracies, the paper is thinner than it was years ago, and the instructions are skimpier for the newcomer, in comparison with those in my old pattern envelopes.
I wonder, does anyone know how well the pattern companies do as far as the stock market? bggs

I was thinking about the earlier post that mentioned the cost of making a particular pattern -- $600. When you think about it, if that's what each one cost nowadays, the company would make a profit in no time.
Meanwhile, the quality of patterns in general has deteriorated. Aside from inaccuracies, the paper is thinner than it was years ago, and the instructions are skimpier for the newcomer, in comparison with those in my old pattern envelopes.
I wonder, does anyone know how well the pattern companies do as far as the stock market? bggs

A clarification- this designer found a pattern drafter in New York City, and contracted with her to draft the pattern. The pattern was on the stuff we used to call "oak tag" in school: very stiff and sturdy.

There were two fronts, two backs, two sides, etc. I've never worked in manufacturing, but it's my understanding that laying fabric out in a single layer is more economical, so having a pattern piece for each piece cut out is essential.

There was only one size, the one the designer said she wanted, (it fit her).

The designer had worked out all the specifications of the outfit, made the decisions about ease, detailing, etc. In other words, she was doing for herself what the pattern companies do in tracking the trends.

As the seamstress working with her, I had no instructions. I built this outfit for her based on the pattern i was given and conversations we had, and we had a few. She changed some details along the way, and it was a labor-intensive project.

The pattern had no instructions, no illustrations. No suggested layout, or suggested fabrics. And as I mentioned, no grading for different sizes.

So, basically, this woman invested a whole bunch of money to create an outfit with an educated guess that the end product would be something that people would buy.

As to the profit of the pattern companies: dunno, but I've worked in fabric stores and I know many, many are thrown away each season. So the R & D, testing, printing, marketing, shipping, of those particular envelopes fell short of expectations.

I haven't sewn anything to save money in a long time, and not just because of the cost of patterns. The cost of fabric is considerable. I probably can't buy nice linen to make a summer blazer cheaper than I can buy the finished product at Land's End. For sure I can't buy it from any fabric stores around here, which now cater to crafts instead of stocking garment fabric. Buying over the internet is the only way to get anything like that. I still remember buying wool for 16 dollars a yard, and having it pill on the first wearing.

Looking around the room: customer's overcoats from the shopping channel-nope, can't buy the fabric for that price.

Trousers- no,

Jeans? well, no, I get those mostly from Goodwill.

Wool coat? Got that at a discount place. I think I paid $200, and I don't know that I could find fabric that good for a better price on the web. The coat's lasted nine years, so far. Last fall I ran it through the wash on cold, figuring I could ruin it and justify the purchase of a new one. It came out fine.

I do make things I can't find, and I think that may be one of the reasons folks would be motivated to sew. Keeping clothing in good repair would be another. But the days of saving money have passed, I think, and not just because of the cost of patterns.

You are absolutely right! Add to that the large discount stores, and the brand-name outlets (if you have access to them) and yes, there goes the economical reason for sewing.
In my area, the only people I know personally that sew are those that either sell their items or quilt as a hobby.

I went through culture shock when I moved here from Massachusetts, where the fabric stores and outlets were all over the place in my area. That meant more variety, and more sales, especially on fabric. When I worked at one, that meant a discount also! Now all I have locally is a dinky place that caters to the quilting hobbyists.

Even the JoAnn's (an hour away) does not carry the amount and variety that I know are available in other JoAnn's.
It's quite disappointing, as I had expected more people to sew in a rural area, and thus there would be more products available. I guess that's why I keep finding great vintage machines at low, low, low prices, though -- nobody uses them -- a definite plus for me! ;-) bggs