Booga Bag Question

[RiverDaughter]

The pattern for the Booga Bag states that you can't sell it. That's awesome and cool. But, my question is a little wonky:

A friend of mine thought that, if I were to knit a padded divider (or just use foam), the satchel version that I'm knitting would be awesome for a small army transport for WarHammer. Especially for Harlequin themed Eldar armies.

I told my friend that it was an awesome idea, so I'm going to try it. But now she wants one. And, as fun as it would be to knit up an Army Booga for her, I can't afford to do it without asking her to either buy the yarn and give it to me to knit up for her, or charge her for the yarn and buy the yarn myself.

Do you think that would be okay, just asking for enough to cover the yarn? I don't want to step on copyright toes, but, if this idea works, I know she'll really want an Army Booga, and some other guys in the area might think they'd be funny gifts for other chicks, and might ask for some too.

[Susan P.]

It is always best to place your question and proposal before the person claiming copyright. That way there is no issue that may arise in the future.

For my part as long as you make one for a gift and the person covers the cost of the yarn and you make no profit then that is not contravening copyright (as LONG as the site doesn't say you can ONLY make for personal use).

Making for many people, even if there is no profit, becomes more of a problem because that is considered a form of [mass] production. Some may sell their bag and so on.

You COULD suggest to the copyright owner that you would like to make say a maximum of 12; that there will be no profit garnered AND that you will sew a tag inside giving credit to the designer of the pattern.

But as I said, many copyrights I've seen re knitting not only say 'not for profit' but also for 'personal use only' or similar phrasing. Best to approach the designer always.

[Abbily]

I agree- you're not selling the bag, you're just doing the work for a friend who is providing the materials.

[RuthK]

I'd email the designer, just to make sure, but what everyone else said makes sense to me.

I knitted a booga for my kid's school's auction, and just emailed the designer (Julie?) ahead of time to make sure that was okay. She was very nice about it and said it was fine, she just requested that the item description in the auction catalog give credit for the design to Black Sheep Bags.

[cathoo]

You could always take your friend to the yarn store, and have them purchase the yarn, then you knit it up... That way no money has exchanged hands...But the above people are right in saying that you should just email the designer

[Susan P.]

I should add that I agree with cathoo suggesting that no money exchange hands. Legal issues are not always the same as the way we see issues in daily life. If yarn was a dollar a ball and the day you purchased it was 95cents, technically that 5c is profit. Sure you can hand 5c back but just having someone else buy the yarn is cleaner and easier.

As RuthK suggests from her experience, designers are often ok but will ask for something to be done to give them credit (hence my suggestion re the tag).

Always ask and that way you avoid future headaches :fingerwag:
:-)