Knitting Passion

So, I do a fair amount of knitting - not as much as some - more than some others. All in all, I’m a pretty typical knitter, I guess.

My budget is limited as far as how much I can spend during any given pay period - how much yarn I can buy, or how many embellishments, or how much I can spend on postage if I am sending things here and there.

Like many others in this same boat . . . I use a lot of free/shared patterns. I am grateful to the designers for allowing me to knit my version of their stuff - letting me bask a bit in the glow of compliments for the things I make. You know - you all do the same thing, too.

Much of my handicrafting is done for others . . . I made myself a sweater - and a scarf or two, but just about everything else is given away at some point in time. I either make it specifically for a person, or eventually a person is found by the object.

Sometimes I knit for charity events or ongoing charity projects. And, this is where I get a bit stumped and feeling my need to rant a bit . . . we have to ask the designer if it is okay to use his/her design for a charity project? Not, mind you, a project where said knitted piece will be SOLD, but a project where the piece is simply given to someone?????

Isn’t it just the same as my making a scarf, sweater, or socks for someone and then gifting said items to a loved one? Do I need to ask a designer’s permission to do that? Is it okay if I gift just once, but do I have to ask permission if I make the object more than once and gift it again (and again and again?)

Seriously . . . I am asking here. What say you all?

* I was reading a post over in Knitting Daily and came across a charity project with the following disclaimer: Size, color, pattern are all up to the knitter/crocheter, however, we do like to remind you that you must honor copyrights, so if you’re using a pattern with a copyright it’s wise to ask permission to make it for charity . . . I’ve never been told I couldn’t . . . but I still ask. The project in question was scarves for cancer patients - they would be GIVEN to the patients, not sold to make moneyh for anything.

I just find it interesting, is all I’m saying.