Selling finished projects…

4500

Like most people in the world at the moment, I’m looking to see if there are ways I can make a bit of pocket money on the side - I wondered if it was legal to sell completed pages from colouring books or if this is an infringement on copyright laws? I know I can’t copy or reproduce them - but who owns the rights to the page once I’ve put my own stamp on it by colouring it? 

I’ve had a quick look on google but all the results were from the US (even if I put UK in my google search criteria) and they seem to think it’s okay… but I do wonder if it is a grey area. 

On the same vein, is it legal to sell a cross stitch that you’ve completed, since you’ve followed someone else’s pattern to make it? Or knitting/crochet? Or paint by numbers paintings? Anything that you’ve made by adding things to, or made by following someone else’s work?

Chloe_G

I don't know for certain but I think it's infringing copyright.

unforeseen

I would think that they still hold the copyright on the design 

newlywed

I do beadweaving and some patterns I purchase says you can sell your finished product but not the actual pattern/instructions.  Other pattens say something different.

Check with the person who produced the kitting/crochet/cross stitch pattern? 

theoretica

Some patterns come with permission to sell one item - so you can't set up a production line.  Coloured pages, I assumed would be like selling a second hand book/reselling art.  Most of the copyright protections are on duplication.

sheramber

If you sell you may have to give credit to the designer and not claim it is your own design.

Sandtree

As long as you dont pass it off as your own design it'd be fine.

Just remember the other complications of running a business from home like registering with HMRC if its going to go over £1k a year of revenue, letting your insurers know that you are technically keeping business stock at home etc. Sensible companies will shrug it off but did see a £50k claim declined from a home fire due to them running a small sideline from home that they hadn't declared (fire was unrelated)

GhibliFan

Designers usually have their own angel policy.  Example, Debbie Shore normally says sell as many as you like of items made with her patterns/fabric (individual crafters, not large scale manufacturers!). Other Designers will allow you to sell a limited number and others say you can only sell for charity. The designer of the Amineko (amigurumi cat) had a firm no sell for any reason on items made from her pattern, but you see people selling them on ebay or etsy.