Again.....

There have been so many instances of copyright theft that when I hear one more, I think where will this all stop? Or who will be the one that stops it?

I was saddened to read that Kim Guzman was again the victim of thieves. Though I've never met her, I feel like I've known Kim forever. I first became aquainted with her patterns in magazines, especially I remember Crochet With Heart. I 'met' her again when I went online and discovered the About crochet forum. Her patterns are wonderful. She has the ablility to design anything, afghans, sweaters, baby clothes, men's clothing, and on and on. I've always been impressed with her patterns and with her ability to perservere no matter how rough and rotten her life became at times.

And so now, someone has bought one of Kim's patterns and passed it around on some group. Who knows how many sales Kim will not have because of one criminal copying this pattern and handing it out in an online group on the web. This thief has taken food out of the mouths of Kim's children. When crap like this happens, I wonder how long Kim will be able to design full time. She may be forced again to get an outside job, pushing her designing to what few moments she can spare from working and taking care of her family.

I want to know how these people can sleep at night, because they know what they are doing is wrong. They complain about 'copyright police' but they keep on doing it. They come up with excuses like they're poor or they're helping someone.

They are not just hurting one designer, they are hurting all of us. Kim may have to raise her prices, and I don't blame her at all if she does. Or like some designers, she might get so disgusted and give it up for awhile. Those of us who buy all our patterns legally spend thousands of dollars on patterns. It's a lucrative business, or it would be if there were not the pattern piggies out there just waiting to snatch any pattern they can get their hands on for free.

We need to have the designers band together and take these criminals to court. Something needs to be done. Less designers means less patterns for those of us who believe in legally aquiring our patterns. Everyone already complains about less magazines to choose from in stores across the country. All of these people illegilly scanning and copying patterns have directly affected all of us who buy our magazines and DON'T share these patterns online. We're not selfish, we want designers to be able to make a living. We want them to continue selling their patterns to magazines and online.

But neither do we want to be suspect if we purchase a pattern online. Right now I wouldn't blame any designer for suspecting anyone who buys a pattern from her or him. Who can blame them for wondering 'Is this the one that is passing my pattern around?' 'Or this one?' We can't let the 'pattern piggies' win. They need to be rooted out and fined for what they are doing.

I wish I had more ideas on how to do this. Somehow it needs to done soon.