https://www.etsy.com/listing/939564126/1992-country-threads-long-tall-chickens
Please click on this link.
A friend sent this to me and I’m hoping you can help me let this person know that she does not have the right to sell a pdf of our 1992 pattern Long Tall Chickens.
Every time this happens I wonder what the person could possibly be thinking. This is even our photo. Her website says she restores vintage out of print patterns but does not address who owns the copyright. The pattern sheets are simply copied and available for sale on her website – Home Ec Hangout or on Etsy for $4.99 as a pdf download. Her name is Samantha.
She did not ask permission. These are the diagrams we drafted for our pattern in 1992.
This is not what I need after 4 hours of raking today. Hope you’ll all be willing to help by contacting her and protesting on my behalf. There’s a message box on the link. Thanks for your help.
Sigh
Of course, I’m a day late on emails. I clicked on the site link and it states: Sorry, this item is unavailable. I believe this means she took it off her site.
I sent her a message and also Etsy. I find it ironic that she doesn’t want anyone to copy this pattern if you buy from her but its okay for her to steal from you. What the he!!
Kim. – ironic, huh?
Hi, I did send a message to inform her she did not have the right to sell your pattern.
Mary, if you go to the listing on ETSY that you sited, there is a place below the picture to report this item to ETSY. I think that would be appropriate to do.
I also sent her a message. When did stealing become socially acceptable?
THIS IS WHAT I SENT TO THE SELLER:
What a laugh! You tell people that they cannot copy this pattern and sell it and that is exactly what you are doing!!! This is a copywrite protected pattern by Country Threads and you are selling it illegally. Please stop and take this item down from your website. Also you have listed it as designed by you. What a lie. Very UNPROFESSIONAL! Take this person off Esty Please.
I also wrote to Etsy. Hope this all helps.
Just sent an angry email to that Samantha for stealing your patterns. It is not right,
and it is dishonesty.
Years ago, I bought a pattern on ebay. I paid around $5 for it. I should have read the fine print at the bottom. It was a page torn from a magazine in a plastic sleeve! I’m sorry that someone is infringing on your copyright. Hopefully, she will remove it from her site.
I also sent a message, but didn’t contact Etsy itself regarding this. I hope to take of that later. Hope you get some positive results from this. Can’t wait to her if I get a response from the seller.
Along with everyone else, I contacted Samantha and voiced my displeasure with her. Hopefully, she will get enough emails to make her take notice she’s not very popular. It would be wonderful it all the attention crashes her site.
Looks like she is selling other patterns without permission (looks like she digitized older patterns and is selling them for her own profit). I couldn’t figure out how to report her store… but, at the bottom of the item listing, you can report that specific item…. I sent her a message anyway so hopefully she gets the point.
I sent a message to Samantha and advised her that this is not a pattern she designed as the description says and that this is a copyright infringement.
Reply ↓
I wrote a brief note to Samantha regarding your pattern, Mary. At this point, I’d give her the benefit of the doubt, hoping she simply does not understand copyright infringement. Although in the quilt world that is an issue that is talked about ALL the time, so one could also assume she should have had some awareness.
Nah, she knows and just doesn’t care, figuring that nobody will spend the money to take her to court. It costs a lot to defend a patent or copyright, and small creators get ripped off all the time. I sent her a message, reported her to Etsy, and also noted down her seller name so I’ll never buy anything from her.
Done! Contacted the seller and Etsy…. How do people sleep at night????
Mary,
I messaged the seller and also reported this infringement to Etsy. Shame on her. Your readers have you very supported!! 🌻
I contacted the gal! Hope everyone does!
I wrote to her, and told her that it was wrong to sell this pattern without asking permission, and as though it was hers…I was nice, and suggested she try to get hold of Mary—and she should not be making money off the work of another designer…I don’t want to assume the worst, but suggested she become informed about copyright.
Hope this ends up being resolved…
Mary, I sent her a message that what she’s doing is illegal, but you, as owner of the copyright, must report intellectual property infringement to Etsy yourself. At the very least they’ll make her take the item down. I told her that ignorance of copyright law doesn’t hold up in court!
Reported it to Etsy and sent her a message! Arghhh!
I have joined the long list of your supports and contacted both the seller and Etsy about ceasing and desisting selling and profiting from your work. I don’t understand how anyone can be this forward and especially advertise to be the designer of pattern. I will spread the word to friends and family members to add to the protest. That woman is shameful.
I also messaged her and reported the item to Etsy as an illegally digitized copy of your copyright protected pattern. If they don’t get the message, something’s missing
Mary, I so enjoy all you do to support the quilting community and this sweet group of people who read your blog. You are loved.
I tried. I could not leave a message and then was contacted by Etsy but couldn’t find a place to report the seller. I tried. Maybe she has shut down her message box. It is a really cute pattern.
I also sent a message! I told her you were aware and she should do the right thing and remove the listing. I also said that Country Threads was aware and that removing it might help her avoid legal action. We’ll see if Samantha caves to the masses! I bet she’s NEVER had that many messages on an item before!!
I also messaged this seller. She is going to have a lot of negative messages!
What Samantha is doing is disgusting! I too have your back Mary.
I messaged her, I agree with previous comments, hopefully she will get the message and remove the pattern. Mary, sending you a hug. You certainly don’t need this aggravation.
Mary, Add me to the others who sent her a note. Not sure she will actually reply or take it off her site, but we are bombarding her with negativity for having it online. We’ve got your back.
I always understood that copyright laws protected original quilt patterns. I found something that seems very strange. I did a search of copyright rules and found that Etsy generally allows pdf’s of vintage patterns to be sold if the content was created greater than twenty years ago.
This sure sounds like a violation of copyright laws as I understand them. I wonder how Etsy gets by with this.
Interesting – vintage is onlyl 20 years according to Etsy. To the rest of the world, copyright is good for 72 years. Seems like not just the sellers are at fault, but so is Etsy. Outright copying and claiming as your own is known as plagarism – and there is no time limit – today or at any time -it is always wrong. I never recommend shopping at Etsy for that reason.
Mary – if it isn’t one thing, it’s another…
I sent a message to Samantha. Looks like she copies patterns, books, cookbooks, etc. and sells them. Hopefully, she’ll get the point when she reads the messages from all of your faithful followers. 😊
Take care y’all.
I just sent a message to the seller. I will see if I can also contact Etsy to report as well. I’m sorry this happened to you…again!!!!! I don’t understand people.
Mary,
I just messaged her, hopefully she will do the right thing and stop selling someone else’s work!
What happened to ethics? Just so wrong!
I reported it to Etsy as a violation. Stated the seller is not Country Threads and does not have permission to sell the copyrighted pattern as a PDF or a copy of the original pattern. I hope they will remove her listing. It is obvious that the seller doesn’t mind breaking the law.
I just did a search on Etsy ‘Country Threads’ and there are multiple sellers selling your patterns. Most seem to be printed. I am not sure if they are copying without permission or if they bought several copies and are selling the extra.
Diana in NY
I also sent a message to the seller. Hopefully she can take a hint and check that ALL of her patterns etc. are within her rights to sell. Good luck!
Mary,
Sent message to her saying she does not own, etc. Also, report to Etsy per link on the page.
I sent a message saying she was breaking copyright if she did not have your permission to sell this pattern. I also asked if Etsy knew she was selling copyrighted patterns without permission.
I reminded her that it isn’t her pattern she’s selling and that a copyright lawsuit could happen.
Hello Mary, I sent a message to Samatha stating she had no right to sell your patterns. I know how you feel as this happened to me several years ago on 2 of my hooking designs.
Carolyn b Shenandoah Valley Va
I sent her a message – she hasn’t responded of course. We will see if it does any good or if she just ignores. It might be wise to contact Etsy.
Reported.
Mary, that pattern brought back memories. Still have it along with Bone Apoertite and Bird in the Hand. Hope you get your problem sorted.
Mary: I found this on Etsy when I typed in a qiuestion on how to report a copyright violation:
To report a copyright violation, use Etsy’s Reporting Portal. You must be the owner or authorized to report on behalf of the owner. Register, add your intellectual property, and create a report detailing the infringement.
The seller has all kinds of PDFs and e-booklets she’s selling, that clearly come from patterns.
Mary, I sent a message to Samantha to tell her she needs to contact you about YOUR pattern! I hope enough of us bombard her and she’s ashamed enough to change her ways! Heavens!
UPDATE – I reported this to Etsy. Easy to do – on the pattern page, go clear to the bottom and on the right side is “report this item”. Click on it and you get choices. I clicked on “ I don’t think it meets Etsy’s policies”.
Then you have more choices and I used “It’s violating a specific law or regulation “ and then you can give your reason for reporting.
Thank you Paula for explaining how to do this. I just reported to Etsy. I clicked on Mary’s link and noticed the “report this item” was under the picture of the pattern.. I know that this happens to lots of designers. It’s not right, dishonest and I am happy to express my feelings!!!! Hope it makes a difference for Mary.
I agree that you should contact Etsy about this. I did message the Etsy seller, asking her to stop selling your copyrighted pattern, and to stop claiming that she is the designer! What nerve. Good luck, Mary, so sorry this happened.
You should contact Etsy. She is going against their Seller’s policy which states:
You understand that you’re solely responsible for your content. You represent that you have all necessary rights to your content and that you’re not infringing or violating any third party’s rights by posting it. You also understand that you’re solely responsible for any content uploaded by visitors to your Pattern site and for removing such content from your Pattern site to the extent required by our policies or the law.
I’ll try to leave a message as well.
Hi Mary~ I contacted Samantha also and stated she needed to contact you for permission.
Hello, I have notified Etsy and sent a message to the seller. Hopefully this will be resolved to your satisfaction.
Mary I would go directly to Etsy and complain. She is selling on their site and they would have control on removing her or certain items. I see she is selling a lot of other patterns (Thimbleberries etc)that she probably shouldn’t be selling. Why do they think this is okay???
Have you contacted Etsy? I would hope they would take care of this.
I sent a message to the Etsy seller stating that she was breaking the law by selling your pattern without your permission, which is covered by copyright laws. I urged her to swiftly remove it from her site.
I also sent a message say that she is NOT Country Threads patterns. Saying that you can’t copy and sell somebody else’s patterns without their permission.
I sent a message to the seller saying she had no right to copy and sell your pattern. As you noted, I went to the part where you can email the seller. Hopefully this helps. Must be so frustrating for you.