it shouldn't need saying...

...and I'm really sad that it obviously does but copying another person's work and selling it on as your own just isn't right. I really didn't want to bang on about it here as it seems a highly contentious issue but discussion about copyright has been cropping up in lots of blogs recently and I wanted to be clear on my views.

I have no problem in people copying the look of my toys for personal use or for gifts. Neither do I have a problem in people taking individual elements of my designs and incorporating them in their own - that is all part of the normal creative process. What I, and most other crafters find demoralising and depressing is recognisable* copies of our work being sold without our consent.

The reason I'm mentioning this now is that I've had several kind and concerned emails recently about toys similar to mine being sold. The most blatant example was this which was found on a russian website with a claim that the designs were their own and instructions of how to make them.

The copies...

My originals...

The lovely Barbara at Fuzzy Mitten has written up some of her views on copyright too - we've been comparing notes as recently some of her patterns have been adapted to copy some of my designs. I think her views are very similar to my own and really what we, and other crafters find upsetting is recognisable replicas of our work sold with a claim that it is someone else's.

Ok, getting off my soapbox now... and ending with a big thank you to everyone who has sent me concerned emails with links to copies of my toys. It's good to know that I have friends out there who are looking out for me.

PS: I've had lots of emails in the past about knitting up my free patterns to sell to raise money for charity and I always say a categorical yes - I'm really pleased if you want to use my free patterns for charity fundraising and I'll be trying to write up some more.

* Addition: I've changed the word above (see *) from exact to recognisable - as someone pointed out in an email the copies are never going to be exact. Thanks so much for all of the comments - will write a proper post tomorrow.

Comments

[claire]

How depressing Julie. . . they're not NEARLY as nice as yours though. Actually their faces are quite evil!

[Shawn Mary]

I am shocked and saddened.

I know that I am new to the craft world, and therefore a little too trusting, but how could someone do this?

After reading the comments left on Fuzzy Mitten's blog, I realize now that this happens all the time.

As far as I am concerned it is stealing!

P.S. Those are the worst looking copies too.

[raspberry]

Oh no, I can't believe this has happened to you as well :(
I was so shocked when I went to Wee Wonderfuls the other day and saw what has happened to some of Hilliarys wonderful creations :(
I hope this doesn't stop your creative wonder :)
And I have to agree with the other comments, they do look evil!

[trashalou]

did someone smoosh their faces against the edge of the box? They certainly have a look of 'something of the night' them.

Sad that this has happenend too you. Other than soapboxing is there anything you can do?

[SmurfPop]

I'm so sorry to hear this... It's one of the bad bits about being a crafter :( It really makes my blood boil that people do this kind of thing. You should email the website they're being sold on. Is your pattern copyrighted? *hugs* x

[Marie]

WOW! I can't believe how similar they are to yours (although nowhere near the quality, obviously). I've made bunnies for my DD and for friends from Barbara's pattern, and some similar to yours (I'm about half way through the ballet bunny btw ;)) but I would never dream of selling them to make a profit. Some people have no scruples whatsoever.

love xMx

[dottycookie]

That is so disgraceful - there's a huge difference between being inspired and outright copying. And anyway, theirs are not cute, and yours are. This seems to be happening a lot - or maybe it's just that the internet makes it easier to see it ... Either way, it's wrong.

[craftylibrarian]

Those are two ugly bunnies (poor things). It's a shame that some people have no respect, and that intellectual property law is so difficult to enforce.

[Tania Ho]

So sorry to hear this :( And I agree, yours are so much cuter !

[Cara]

Gosh - the similarities are incredible striking. I feel it is such a shame when a crafter makes a design, only for it be copied exactly. Its one thing to take your bunnies and make then for a child - adding your own element, or indeed make them the same and give credit where it is clearly due. Awfully sad.

[mummynat]

It's terrible, i have been noticing it around the blogs too.
I have to say though, this one is a complete credit to your skill and talent, for this is like beauty and the beast. Yours have a style..an element of you within each one, and it's quite obvious they haven't been about to copy that, to give them the personalities you do.

[Jacqui]

They're not a patch on your beautiful creations Julie. Unfortunately because your designs are available for everyone to see, it leaves them vulnerable for despicable people to copy and profit from. If I ever do manage to buy one of your lovely little rabbits (and I do try!) I would want it to have been knitted with love by you. That's what gives them their heart and personality. xx

[Martine]

They look ugly. But I understand how it must feel! Yours are far more cute!

[Elaine]

I can't believe some people. I have to second (and third and fourth) the comments above which state yours are much cuter - but I know that's not the point.
I must admit to having blatantly copied one of your rabbits myself (my niece craved one after having seem it on your site and I'm never quick enough off the mark when you have some in the shop) but I would never consider letting anyone else have the pattern (although it may be different to yours) and have not even listed the rabbit amongst my completed projects on Ravelry as it wouldn't 'feel right'. I hope this is ok.
I can't believe thay had the audacity to copy everything - even the outfits! How blatant!

[Krawuggl]

This is really a terrible thing and unfortunately my English is not good enough to explain how dishonest this behaviour is also in my eyes. Especially with saying the design is theirs. And above all their rabbits are ways apart from having this sweet and lovely faces and expression yours are having. It all is such a shame. It would be very understandable if creative people like you are, are deleting their blogs for not having all this trouble, but what a huge lost this would be for the rest of the blogworld. This makes me notice how generous it is, that designers like you are showing their work on blogs and are also writing about them. We readers should more often value and admire this kind of sharing.
Everything you are doing and saying will come back to you one day and steeling is a thing that will bring no luck to your imitators.
My best wishes to you and don´t let it brake your heart and your joy to create,
Suzi

[French Knots]

How galling and upsetting. As everyone has said they are not a patch on your lovelies, to try and pass someon else's creativity off as your own is really pathetic. We are all inspired by the work we see on blogs and in print but a blatant copy to sell, right down to the bunny slippers, is stealing.

[PG]

This makes me SO MAD!!!!! Especially when it is as blatant as this. If it is any small consolation, the quality is nowhere near the real thing, they actually do look like knock-offs. There is a blogsite dedicated to this kind of thing which anyone can post to, if it were me I would be naming and shaming...

http://youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com/blog3/

[Barbara]

Thanks for seconding the things I wrote on my blog. I hope my little stand will make some people think twice about using my patterns for nefarious purposes :)
And it's so true, that copies are never as lovely as the originals.

[Michelle Gragg]

Definitly a copy, very sad. But not nearly as cute as yours!

[Jennifer]

After reading Barbara's post last night I went to a popular "handmade for sale site" and looked around. It's not just you guys being knocked off... the site's like one big copyright infringement. I'm so sorry to hear about this for both you guys. Hang in there! ;-)

[jennsquared]

I am sadden to see this happen to you. I love all of your creations and hope one day I will have some time to get to them (for personal use of course!) As a crafter who loves to see original creations, I hope this does not discourage you from coming up with more things.

[kirsten]

aw, that's awful. those ears! they're so yours.

[Zoe]

So sorry about this and I agree those copies are very sad looking bunnies. They look poorly knitted and it looks like cheap yarn has been used. Your creations have real character, beautiful luxury yarns are used and your workmanship and designs are just superb.

[Trudy]

Don't worry Julie, your work is wonderful. Your creations cannot be compared to others, they are unique. What goes around comes around, hold your head up high and know you can rise above people like this. Keep up the good work. PS I love your blog x

[April Pardoe]

That is really dreadful , I am so sorry to hear about your problems, but must say that yours are much nicer!

April xx

[maria]

hey! your work is just wonderful! and unique! I found your blog and I've been trying - no success so far! - to do a little bunny just by looking, since here in US there's nothing that can compare to such beautiful little animals.
NO intend to copy or sell! I'm doing (trying with NO success just to have a little bunny that resembles one of yours!)

Thanks for the egg patterns!

I will have you under my feeds and I love your blog!

[Caroline B]

So sorry this has happened to you as well - saw someone on Etsy passing off Japanese Amigurumi crochet patterns as their own & selling them, it seems to be rife. Don't know what you can do about it as the internet just leaves designs wide open for copying. Must say the copies look like sad mutations of the real thing, bit like a distant cousin whose parentage nobody is too sure of......

[joanna]

I'm so sad to see those copys, its so sad people copy things. Captain rupert thumps his feet loudly his sad and cross too. I pity the people that buy into them because they are such bad copies and not half as wonderful as yours. Yours are the very best rabbits having wonderful soft looking wool and kind expressions.

[Jackie]

I'm so sorry this happened to you, but I must say that your are so much lovelier

[Heather]

How awful. I'm so sorry that this is happening to you and your beautiful creations! YOURS LOOK SO MUCH BETTER, MORE ADORABL AND I WOULD NEVER BUY ANY OTHER VERSION OF YOUR LOVELY TOYS,now if I could only get ahold of one ;)

[rohanknitter]

Jeez that's pretty blatant- they didn't even change the color of the pajamas!! How people think that this won't get back to the original designer, with the internet and all, is beyond me. Well, inspite of their best attempt, yours are still much cuter.

[Lucy Locket-Pocket]

How horrible - and they are HORRIBLE copies too! Don't let this get you down!

Lucy x

[carolyn]

I this copy thing happens in many industries...can you imagine how much it happens with recipes. I know there are no "new" ideas" just our interpretations but to copy something word for word or stitch for stitch is plagiarism!!

[Lisa Wakely]

I don't tend to by knock-offs of anything else, and I don't think I would start by purchasing a knock-off of Little Cotton Rabbits. It is just not the same and it is wrong. People don't understand the time and creative talent it takes to create. So I will wait until I get my little email that tells me there are some more little cotton rabbits for sale and that way I can continue to support the amazing, creative and talented people that are out there.

[lisa Wakely]

Just caught it as it was sending. I don't "buy"... :)

[Pat Yates]

It's a shame that someone is copying your work.these crude copies look like they've got mixy to me.
Pat.

[jill]

Those rabbits aren't knitted with love - and it shows!

[Suzanne]

I love your blog, your bunnies,mice, and most everything you have on here. Designing isn't easy, you work very hard, and you so deserve all the credit due you. Hopefully people will get the message and stop infringing on your copyright.Thanks for sharing all you do!!!!!!!!!!

[Kathleen]

People are pretty brazen, thinking the internet is so huge that word will never get back to you, but actually the design community is pretty small and everyone looks out for one another.
Anyway your rabbits are very cute the copies look a bit like rats!

[janet clare]

They are very obviously low rate copies- they even look acrylic yarn to me. Move on and keep one step ahead... every designer from Gucci down is copied (just look at any market!) all you can do is keep developing and staying ahead.
I would think very seriously about adding a copyright logo and date to all your photos etc and I personally think numbering your originals as a sort of authenticity thing would be worth considering.

[Pink Sky]

:( I'm so sorry you are going through this!!! :(

I must agree with previous comments, yours are much better. I hope to be quick enough to buy one of the originals some day! :)

[willow designs]

oh..how i can sympathize with you on this one, I have seen a few of our images copied!!..I do agree with the others though..they are very freaky copies..;)

Sharonx

ps..Agnes sends her love.

[michaela]

They are horrible! They really don't look nice at all. And they made Bartholomew cry - he said they were scary!

[Danielle]

That's just not fair to you or Barbara, and I'm sorry it has happened. It makes me sad. I hope that a few "bad apples" don't ruin it for the entire bunch! Your beautiful work does inspire us all, but that's just it we don't need to be doing such things. It's just wrong.

[Kitty]

Gosh, those are certainly attempts at copying you aren't they? For what it's worth though, I agree with others who have said that your rabbits are unique. They cannot be mistaken for anyone else's - one sees them and simply thinks 'Little Cotton Rabbits'.

I don't know how people can lack the consideration for someone else's talent and design.

Take care. x

[Dragonfly]

It must be so disheartening, but as others have said before me, try to rise above it and keep ahead. And it so obvious that they are not yours!

[AJ]

I've seen a couple of blogs out there discussing copyright and it's really sad when an artist needs to remind people not to use their work for someone else's profit. I don't understand it. I guess I always thought it was an ingrained ethic that you respect other peoples' work, but apparently not. I hope that you can keep YOUR work YOURS without people stealing your ideas and creativeness.

[Theresa]

It always amazes me that dishonest people need to copy someone else's creativity as they have NONE of their own. The only part recognizable is the clothing as they are a poor copy of your beautiful bunnies. Don't let a couple bad apples ruin it for you, we need creative people like you.

[Maddy]

Grrrrr! Wee Wonders had the same problem with a shop selling her designs as their own. As I said there, it's just wrong.

[kim axten(gingerspice)]

Thank you for all the enjoyment that your creations give to so many of us.
Both you and Barbara Prime are very talented and creative people , and unfortunately people get jealous and dishonest when they do not have those same talents. Keep the creative juices flowing ,we admirers will not settle for anything but your designs (maybe one day i will be quick enough!!) done with care and love. We will not be fooled !!

Take Care