Rules/laws with selling crafts

[VickityBoo]

I'm just wondering, if I made something from say, a cath kidston sewing book presumably I wouldn't be permitted to sell it. Is that right?

I've always assumed that. As far as I know commercial patterns state you can't use them. I look at a lot of online tutorials and free downloadable patterns, most of them either say that you can't sell items made from them, or you have to credit the pattern creator in some way.

If there was something I wanted to make to sell I would change something about it, like the dimensions, or closure, or strap to make it look different. However I would imagine that some things would be difficult to prove where you got the pattern/idea from - like a tote bag for example.

I also think you need to be careful with fabrics you use, some of them state on the selvedge that they are only to be used for home purposes.
Would be interested in others opinions though!

Wow I really didn't know that about the fabric - I bet plenty of people do sell items using such designs.

I once tried contacting liberty to see if I could sell stuff made out of their fabric. No one called back. Assumed it was okay, but actually haven't tested the theory and have only ever sold stuff made of fleece and with a pattern I made up. But dressmakers use commercial patterns so there must be a variety of standards applied to different people making money out of sewing.