When does it stop being the same pattern ?

[Lisanne]

I've found one of my standard ways of working is to start from a pattern, and make many changes so it fits me and has flattering proportions for my body.  Now I've made so many changes I wonder if it counts as the same pattern.  Would the original designer be aggrieved if I didn't mention her, or insulted if I did 

Last year I did a lot of work on a casual pullover top.  Added darts, changed the shape of armhole and sleeve cap so they fitted well, changed to a more flattering neckline for me.  The only thing unchanged was the parallel sides of the body !  I had made so many changes I decided it had become one of the large family of slightly drop shoulder loose fitting top patterns, and I needn't mention the original designer.

Recently I've been working on a knit tee.  I didn't notice when choosing the pattern that it is close fitting, and I don't like wearing close fit knits.  In fact the hips even have negative ease, the last place I need tight fabric.  The sleeves are so tight I couldn't bend my arms, and the neckline was too small for my head.  I debated whether to use another pattern, but this has 2-piece raglan sleeves - a seam along top of sleeve.  Which make it possible to get a good fit over the shoulders without all the strain and drag lines at the armhole of a 1-piece raglan sleeve.  Now I've changed nearly everything about the pattern except the armhole seam shapes.  It does still have the original general style elements : raglan 2-piece sleeve, near jewel neck.  But it is now a loose fitting top, not a close fitting one.  A different spirit.  So I wonder if the designer would be peeved to be linked with it, if I said 'derived from' or 'inspired by'.

In a sense I'm doing what a designer does when they develop a new style.
What do you do about giving credit for the pattern in these circumstances ?

[sewsy]

Hi Lisanne;

Do you mean...making reference to a particular pattern when posting about it on your blogsite? Well, I'm not sure if the designer would be peeved or not. I think pattern designers realize that their work is open to interpretation, and would be tickled to see where that kind of creativity goes concerning their designs. I'd love to see your starting point, just to be able to compare the two! I think it would be fun to see. 

[KathrynT]

I know where you are coming from as I have some patterns that are so far from the original as to be unrecognisable, but I think you should mention the original pattern because it started you on the journey.  The designer designed the bits you are keeping and should be given the credit as well as designing the basic shape that you have then altered to suit you.  A designer develops a new style based on a block that they themselves have constructed.  You have developed a new style based on their block.

[andib]

Then  there is the related question..if you take your own sloper/fititing pattern, and lay it over a commercial pattern, and trace a morph of those two, is it still a commercial pattern, or is it just based on your own sloper/block?

I would suspect this really gets to be a problem if a person is trying to sell the new design.

I also think it is a bit more difficult with a basic pattern/design, like a tee or a a line skirt w/o details.  Every designer has a few basics in their line, and at some point they all look the same.  I don't see anyone complaining that Ralph Lauren (or some other designer) stole a  t shirt design from Fruit of the loom!

[Zalin]

I believe you should always give credit where credit is due. For example, "I started with this pattern ####, but I morphed it into this result."

Two good things come of this. The original pattern designer gets credit/publicity, and you get credit for clever morphing. 

To answer your title question. If you started with that "pattern," it is appropriate to say it is "that pattern." Now if you didn't start with a pattern and just used a picture of a pattern for inspiration, then you could throw a bone to the pattern designer and say you were inspired by pattern ####. They might like it.

[Lisanne]

Thanks for your interesting and wise remarks, I found it very helpful.

[FrancesGrimble]

I believe you should always give credit where credit is due. For example, "I started with this pattern ####, but I morphed it into this result."

Two good things come of this. The original pattern designer gets credit/publicity, and you get credit for clever morphing. 

And also, you are teaching other people techniques for altering patterns in general.