# The Unofficial Downton Abbey Knits



## wyldwmn (Jun 11, 2013)

http://www.interweavestore.com/the-unofficial-downton-abbey-knits


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## jvallas (Jul 16, 2013)

You're making it very difficult for me, because I really had my eye on the unofficial Harry Potter book, and now you throw this one into the mix! I don't know whether to thank you!


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## wyldwmn (Jun 11, 2013)

jvallas said:


> You're making it very difficult for me, because I really had my eye on the unofficial Harry Potter book, and now you throw this one into the mix! I don't know whether to thank you!


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## NZKnitter (Oct 31, 2012)

Looks lovely, but as it says due to copyright not available outside the US -- sooooo sad!


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## wyldwmn (Jun 11, 2013)

NZKnitter said:


> Looks lovely, but as it says due to copyright not available outside the US -- sooooo sad!


Does that mean that someone in the US could not purchase it for you as a gift and mail it to you? Or does that mean that it can't even be shipped outside the US? I ask because I don't know how that works.


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## wyldwmn (Jun 11, 2013)

NZKnitter said:


> Looks lovely, but as it says due to copyright not available outside the US -- sooooo sad!


I just saw that there is a digital issue. Does that mean that if someone is outside the US they can't download that issue?


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## NZKnitter (Oct 31, 2012)

Don't know the answer to that one, and I don't have an I-pad - (Yet!)


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## KnitterNatalie (Feb 20, 2011)

Thanks for sharing!!


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## jvallas (Jul 16, 2013)

wyldwmn said:


> I just saw that there is a digital issue. Does that mean that if someone is outside the US they can't download that issue?


My guess is you would be unable to download but that from a technical standpoint, someone in the U.S. could download it and email it to a non-US resident as a pdf. *BUT* I also think that would be copyright infringement. Just a guess, though, and could be dead wrong.


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## wyldwmn (Jun 11, 2013)

jvallas said:


> My guess is you would be unable to download but that from a technical standpoint, someone in the U.S. could download it and email it to a non-US resident as a pdf. *BUT* I also think that would be copyright infringement. Just a guess, though, and could be dead wrong.


My understanding from the document prepared by Interweave itself, is that it is a copyright infringement to re-sell or distribute anything that is an electronic download. That's why I'm wondering about purchasing a magazine to give as a gift to someone, which is different than selling it. I have often purchased magazines to give to relatives in Mexico as gifts when I travel there, but that wasn't because they weren't able to get them there from a company that specializes in obtaining magazines and books from other countries. Several years ago when I looked into getting a subscription to a magazine published in Mexico, the international book and magazine seller that I contacted said that the way it works is that they get the subscription in their name, and then send the magazine to me--it would not have come directly to me. But I don't know if that was to protect me in the event a magazine didn't arrive when sent directly to me, or if there was some other legal or contractual reason.


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## NZKnitter (Oct 31, 2012)

It seems this is coming out of the US being INterweave Press - which totally admire and respect. -And I do not believe in infringing copy write as the artisans and designers deserve their due payment. I really have no issues here and do not want anyone to try and circumvent the proper process. 

However it does raise issues with international copy right that are ongoing ( BIG issue here in NZ.) It does seem also that quite a lot that comes out of England ( in this instance the Downton Abbey patterns )especially seems to have the restriction of not being able to be sold/distributed overseas. Maybe someone in England can enlighten us as to why this might be? 

There are lots of points around this e.g. taxes, recognition, plagiarism, illegal downloads etc and I somehow think the lawmakers need to sort it out as soon as they can. I will watch with interest.


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## wyldwmn (Jun 11, 2013)

NZKnitter said:


> However it does raise issues with international copy right that are ongoing ( BIG issue here in NZ.) It does seem also that quite a lot that comes out of England ( in this instance the Downton Abbey patterns )especially seems to have the restriction of not being able to be sold/distributed overseas. Maybe someone in England can enlighten us as to why this might be?


I'm confused because the magazine issue that inspired this thread, is published by an American company. While I don't know what each country's laws are, I think I remember that the US Supreme Court case stated that if a company "overseas" had been given the right to publish a product of a US company, then they also had the right to distribute and sell that product in the US (for a lower price than what the US company was charging in the US).

So, the company publishing this magazine issue in the US is an American company, not a UK company. I'm a little surprised because the TV program that was the inspiration for the US published article, is a UK TV series. That seems odd to me.


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## pattibe (Feb 2, 2012)

wyldwmn said:


> My understanding from the document prepared by Interweave itself, is that it is a copyright infringement to re-sell or distribute anything that is an electronic download. That's why I'm wondering about purchasing a magazine to give as a gift to someone, which is different than selling it. I have often purchased magazines to give to relatives in Mexico as gifts when I travel there, but that wasn't because they weren't able to get them there from a company that specializes in obtaining magazines and books from other countries. Several years ago when I looked into getting a subscription to a magazine published in Mexico, the international book and magazine seller that I contacted said that the way it works is that they get the subscription in their name, and then send the magazine to me--it would not have come directly to me. But I don't know if that was to protect me in the event a magazine didn't arrive when sent directly to me, or if there was some other legal or contractual reason.


Unless the NSA is now monitoring the U.S. Postal Service, there is no reason why you can't buy it and send it to the U.K. as a gift. A friend of mine did just that. She's not in jail.....yet!


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## poverbaugh (Aug 9, 2012)

wyldwmn..Your avatar. Are they real dogs and what kind are they. They are adorable. Look like chichuauas.


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## jujee (Aug 29, 2011)

I'm in Missouri, I know a person that does cartoon versions of TV characters, puts them on hoodies and T-shirts. I approached them to see if they did Duck Dynasty, I need a 4X T-shirt for a friend and can't find one in the stores. Their reply was that they couldn't because of copyright laws that they only do British shows. What I took away from this conversation is that copyrights are only good in the country that issues them.


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## grammylynn (Mar 2, 2013)

wyldwmn said:


> http://www.interweavestore.com/the-unofficial-downton-abbey-knits


Has anyone bought this yet? I thought I saw a post last week about you having to buy both in order to get the complete patterns. That the charts were on the download and not in the book. Am I wrong? Can't believe they would charge double! But stranger things have happened.


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## StitchingFool (Jan 31, 2011)

I also saw this in hard copy at JoAnn's the other day.


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## Cynthia Turner (Oct 16, 2012)

I've seen this, but because I've never seen Downton Abby I don't have knowledge of the knits. I am too busy trying to take pictures with my iPad (for future knitting reference) of the knits in Foyle's war...haha. Well, the magazine is called unofficial perhaps because it is an American magazine. If the copyright is therefore not for distribution in British countries, it is likely they hold the copyright to the official rights...never took a legal course in my life, but it might stand to reason...


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## wyldwmn (Jun 11, 2013)

jujee said:


> I'm in Missouri, I know a person that does cartoon versions of TV characters, puts them on hoodies and T-shirts. I approached them to see if they did Duck Dynasty, I need a 4X T-shirt for a friend and can't find one in the stores. Their reply was that they couldn't because of copyright laws that they only do British shows. What I took away from this conversation is that copyrights are only good in the country that issues them.


There are also issues of royalties, in that if you get permission from X company to reproduce their logo on a t-shirt or an embroidery kit for sale (for example), they may grant you permission as long as you pay them a royalty fee. This is an issue as confusing and messy as copyright in certain ways, and I don't remember the specifics about whether you can make one image of a character for your own use but not for others.


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## wyldwmn (Jun 11, 2013)

I contacted Interweave Press and asked if they could clarify the copyright restriction on this special issue. Before doing so, I looked at other sites where the issue is for sale, and did not see any statements like this. 

Thank you to the person who mentioned having seen the issue at Joann's. While I don't like Joann's, I may stop in today while running some errands to have a look.

I see on the Interweave site that they also have a special issue inspired by Jane Austen. It will be interesting to see if either of these issues has any historical information--that's one thing I've always liked about Piecework magazine.

If I hear back from Interweave, I will post about that.


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## wyldwmn (Jun 11, 2013)

pattibe said:


> Unless the NSA is now monitoring the U.S. Postal Service, there is no reason why you can't buy it and send it to the U.K. as a gift. A friend of mine did just that. She's not in jail.....yet!


Well, as I understand things, it is one thing to purchase a book or a magazine and send it to someone as a gift. It's a whole different thing (or as my mother says, "a whole nuther thing") to have a business distributing the magazine or making copies for sale and distribution. In other words, if I buy a book or magazine and send it to my friend as a gift, that's not a violation of anything. But if I buy 50 copies of the book at a discount and then sell them for profit, then that becomes distribution. I think that one thing that makes it confusing is that different designers and publishers give different permissions to consumers. Some will say that you can't make anything to sell, and others will say "sure, go ahead and use it to start your own craft business, as long as you give me credit for the pattern." They all have the right, of course, to give different permissions, and that can be confusing for the consumer, or make it frustrating for the designer who does not want their pattern to be used to make things for profit.


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## wyldwmn (Jun 11, 2013)

poverbaugh said:


> wyldwmn..Your avatar. Are they real dogs and what kind are they. They are adorable. Look like chichuauas.


Those are rescued chihuahuas. Several years ago the restaurant chain Taco Bell was using a blonde chihuahua in its advertising. Certain groups in the Latino/Hispanic community objected to this because they believed it to be disrespectful to their culture, and because they felt that it perpetrated demeaning stereotypes. Taco Bell ultimately dropped the chihuahua from its advertising, and many of the stuffed dogs (different sizes, different poses) that had been given as premiums or sold to consumers, ended up at second-hand stores or garage sales, or the trash. These are chihuahuas that I have rescued and removed all of their Taco Bell logos. I am seriously considering crocheting clothes for them (with thread) and have started a notebook where I stash ideas for that. They are my posse and I consult with them from time to time on life's big and little issues.  Also, my nephew, Radar, who is a real-life Schnauzer, is afraid of them, so when he comes to visit fresh from the farm with all the farm poop on his feet, and sheep smell all over him, he stops short of my area of the house so that it stays nice and fresh-smelling.


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## wyldwmn (Jun 11, 2013)

Interweave Press acknowledged receipt of my inquiry, stating that they are experiencing slower response times, so hopefully I will hear something soon.


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## Medieval Reenactor (Sep 3, 2013)

I have the Unofficial Harry Potter knitting magazine and I LOVE it - it's fun to just look through and I plan to begin knitting through it as soon as I finish all the current obligations. I'm more likely to actually make and use a lot of the patterns in it - but that's just me.


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## wyldwmn (Jun 11, 2013)

mideval re-enactor said:


> I have the Unofficial Harry Potter knitting magazine and I LOVE it - it's fun to just look through and I plan to begin knitting through it as soon as I finish all the current obligations. I'm more likely to actually make and use a lot of the patterns in it - but that's just me.


I would like to see the unofficial knitting magazine for "Call the Midwife."  I keep remembering that "knitted" blanket they made that was actually crocheted squares put together. I wonder if they would put THAT in an unofficial knitting magazine for that particular show.


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## jvallas (Jul 16, 2013)

wyldwmn said:


> Interweave Press acknowledged receipt of my inquiry, stating that they are experiencing slower response times, so hopefully I will hear something soon.


I bit the bullet and ordered the digital Harry Potter and the site was indeed sloooooooow. Last night and today. Took several tries (iPad) before I could get the download to complete - finally this morning. Downton Abbey must be causing quite a stir.


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## knovice knitter (Mar 6, 2012)

I ordered the Unofficial Downton Abbey knits magazine/book. It has lovely patterns and wonderful articles about the history of the manor house and customs of the period. I have not tried the patterns or even read through any of them to see if they are complete. It would surprise me if you buy one version that would be useless unless the download was purchased as well.


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## grammylynn (Mar 2, 2013)

I went to Joanns and saw the magazine but only found 2 items that I would possibly make so didn't spend the $14. Not worth it to me but was a good read while standing in line. I was sorry to see that for me the hype didn't match the product. There were charts and written instructions but I guess I would not have done well in that era based on magazine choices, not alot designed for my body type. Glad I looked before buying.


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