Is it legal to sell things you learned how to make in a craft book?

Asked by ParaParaYukiko (6116

) June 9th, 2010

There are so many craft books out there that teach you how to make adorable and awesome things. Lately I found this book called Fashion Geek that shows you how to make some awesome techie clothes and accessories.

Now if I were to, say, make a bunch of these things and sell them to people at my local artisan’s market, would I be breaking the law? I looked at the book and couldn’t find any legal information regarding this in the fine print, but I want to be sure before I plan to sell things that were designed by someone else.

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6 Answers

If you’re not copying a pattern, you’re in the clear.

People can sell knockoff Louis Vuitton if the pattern is something like 2% different than the proprietary aspects of the original (like the size of the logo, or the colours of the print)

No one has exclusive rights to handbags made from old t-shirts.

Seek (34805

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Yes, it is legal, and that is part of the understood purpose of a craft book, to provide ideas that you can do on your own without restriction. The items you can’t produce are those covered by copyrights, trademarks and design patents, and such items are not found in craft books. An example of what you CAN’T legally produce and sell is your own version of a “Tickle-me Elmo”

GeorgeGee (4930

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