Free Tandy patterns

[Chitin]

The Tandy site says you're not allowed to use their free designs on items you intend to sell. However, I can't figure out if purchasing a Craftaid gives you the right to resell items on which you've carved a design from a Craftaid, either in full or in part (like clipart on the computer). I realize this isn't something they're going to prosecute over, but I'd like to know the legal ramifications.

[Dan Hammons]

I am sure you are incorrect when it comes to the free patterns and as far as craftaids go you sell anything made with them or anything you make using patterns from books you buy. When you buy a craftaid you are buying the right to use that pattern and the same thing applies to any and all tooling books that you purchase. The free patterns are just that free!! Many of those patterns on there you can find else where also and given to us so we will visit their site. Dan

[Jim M]

Being the curious sort, I went to the free pattern section on Tandy's website, and here is what it says at the bottom of the page:

"©2006 by Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. All rights reserved.

Patterns in this publication may be reproduced for personal, non-commercial, use by our customers. No part may be reproduced for commercial use in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. For information regarding permission, please write to Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. at: Tandy Leather Factory, 3847 East Loop 820 South, Ft. Worth, Texas, 76119"

Tandy does indeed say "personal, non-commercial, use". Now if that's what they mean or not I'll leave to others to decide.

- Jim

[Dan Hammons]

I could be wrong but I understand that to mean that you are not allowed to reproduce and sell the pattern itself. An example would be making a pattern pack of their free patterns and selling them. Good question though. Dan

[ClayB]

I could be wrong but I understand that to mean that you are not allowed to reproduce and sell the pattern itself. An example would be making a pattern pack of their free patterns and selling them. Good question though. Dan

I got the same thing out of the statement that Dan did. The pattern itself is copyrighted and you can't sell the pattern. If you are really worried about it, the address for them is right there and you could ask them. That way you would know for sure.

[Chitin]

Thanks everyone! That's what I figured, I just wanted to be sure before I started putting stuff up on my website.

[ClayB]

I decided that the best way to find out exactly what Tandy's position on the free patterns is was to ask. Here is the response from Jim Linnell.

Clay,

Your read on the disclamer is correct. The patterns are for the personal use of any who wish to use them. If they want to sell their items made with those pattens, that's fine. Don't sell patterns, but make and sell as much leatherwork as you want.

Jim L.

[Johanna]

The reason that Tandy has a firm policy on the patterns is because once upon a time someone made a Doodle Page compilation on CD, and a leather guild made copies for their members, thinking that they were furthering the education of leathercraft by digitally sharing the freebie patterns that had been handed out over the years at Tandy stores everywhere. These Doodle Pages were written by some of the best leatherworkers of their time, and contain valuable tips and tricks, insights into the art of the author and his or her style, as well as sweet nostalgia. The leather guild didn't mean any harm by archiving the information on the computer. You have to be a leather lover to read through all the pages, front and back.

I think Tandy got hostile because they didn't think of doing the cds

first so they could sell their own. They threatened the leather guild with expensive litigation if any more digital copies of the Tandy Doodle Pages were distributed, so the guild complied immediatelyand stopped producing and giving away the CDs. To be fair to Tandy, they own the rights to the Doodle Pages. The actual authors do not own the rights to the Doodle Pages. Tandy's patterns and tip books have sold a lot of leather and tools, but they do have the right to make sure their property bearing their name, is distributed as they approve. I suppose. I can't help but compare it to making cassette tapes, and now the DRM wars with music and video media. I also remember being a Tandy manager and being encouraged to throw in the free book or pattern to sell hundreds of dollars of leather and supplies, especially to hospitals, youth groups, prisons, summer camps...and making sure that a current Doodle Page went to the customer with every shipment and inside every bag. The irony...now that the computers can transmit so much information so quickly, what what once available on paper, an LP record or a VHS tape pretty freely for private use has more folks than Tandy desperate to restrict the transmission of information, but it's inevitable that book publishers will ultimately have to give in and sell their own versions, just like the music and movie industries have had to adjust to new ways of doing business.

Whew. Didn't mean to get on a soapbox. And no offense to Tandy intended.

Johanna