“Most pattern publishers categorically deny anyone the right to sell items made from their designs,” says oliverands.com, a popular fashion design website featuring children’s clothes and sewing patterns. What does this mean? In essence: You cannot make an article of clothing from a pattern and sell it for profit. Hear that, seamstresses? It’s illegal. Think copyright law. I know someone who was planning on doing this very thing. I hope she reads the blog and realizes she can’t do that before she starts selling stuff and a lawsuit comes her way. And when you think about it, it actually makes sense. This is artistic property here—patterns are made by someone for someone else to make something, not make money off of. And so, just like using a song in your film, you have to get a license to use a pattern. The adorable children’s clothing company, Oliver + S, has done just that as a way to reach out to people who would like to sew garments for others. Now, keep in mind this is not a mass production business offering, it’s for small sales. For a $6 fee you can buy a license and you are registered on the oliverands.com website as a Custom or Readymade Boutique Sewer. Of course, you can avoid all of this if you design your own patterns, but for novice sewers, this isn’t an option until their skills are honed. Even still, regardless of skill level, Oliver + S offers some adorable patterns, so why not stick to the finest? Visit oliverands.com for more information.
