I often turn to my craft books and Pinterest boards for inspiration when there's a craft fair coming up but do worry about using someone else's idea for profit - even if its with raising money for charity in mind. I love these little purses I found in Nicki Trench's book Cute & Easy Crochet - they would be perfect for my stall, but there's that guilt feeling in the back of my mind again!
However I spied a similar comment on Nicki's facebook page and to my delight found that she has very generously given permission to sell her designs in return for a small one-off Product Selling Fee. Yipee! I can feel completely comfortable making these for my stall now. I have tweeked the pattern a bit. I found I coudn't make a neat buttonhole fastening so have changed to large press studs or magnetic fasteners. And if the lining fabric I've chosen is a bit thin I back it with fusible interfacing to make a sturdier purse that would perfectly protect a mobile phone.
Using odd balls of Aran yarn from my stash produces slightly random sized purses but I rather like that as different folks will want to use them for different purposes.
Note: There is one proviso from Nicki - you can only make up to 100 items from any one pattern. Hmm, can't imagine that will be a problem for me! :o)
The are lovely
ReplyDeleteJulie xxxxxxxx
These are so pretty although I think the pattern looks generic and I am sure I have seen this kind of pattern around years ago! I think you should make up your own pattern, you are certainly talented enough to do so and then you can charge a hefty sum for those that want to replicate it!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you do well selling them for your charity and are able to make back the money spent on the product selling fee. x
You are right of course Simone - it would not be difficult to make up a pattern. Crochet is a craft that lends itself easily to pattern making and indeed making it up as you go along! However its really the idea/inspiration that I feel I'm gaining from Nicki Trench books - and of course there are a whole lot of ideas/patterns in her books I can draw on. I don't really think I've paid over the odds to be able to make money from her patterns. And not everything I make is to raise money for a charity - its for me! ;o)
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