Two Knitting-Related Questions -- Seeking Opinions

[gnomi]

1. Mostly for those who knit with natural fibers exclusively, but open to everyone: Do "regenerated" yarns such as those made of corn silk or soy or whatever qualify as "natural" in your mind? Why or why not?

2. If I have a pattern that was originally available free online but is no longer due to the designer removing it from his/her site, is it ethical of me to share my copy of that pattern? Why or why not?

Comments

[crwilley.livejournal.com]

1) There's really a spectrum of "natural" - superwash wool is still a natural fiber, but it's been chemically treated, for example. I'd say "less natural than superwash wool or mercerized cotton, more natural than acrylic" - and I would have gone with "natural" until I realized that rayon fell into this category. I wonder why my brain classified rayon as synthetic and bamboo as natural when they're made using essentially the same process. Given that, it might also depend on the individual fiber and how much what comes out of the vat resembles what went in.

Those interested in sustainable yarn may be interested to know that soy silk is made from a waste product of tofu manufacture...I don't know how much it's processed from there.

2) For the clearest answer, contact the designer and see what (s)he thinks; copyright still resides with the designer, even if the pattern is in an electronic state equivalent to out-of-print. I'm a big fan of respecting the wishes of designers regarding copying patterns and making items to sell, with the caveat that if a designer seems to be batshit crazy on the issue I won't buy or use their patterns in the first place.

Failing that, you're in more or less the same situation as having an out-of-print book of patterns and asking "Can I copy this one bit out of it for a friend?" If you're talking about quietly making a printout of your dearest friend's favorite pattern in the history of time, you're technically violating copyright law, but I fail to see how it harms anyone*. On the other hand, putting the pattern on the Web for mass consumption without permission, even with full credit given, is over the line.

* unless the pattern is no longer available free because someone is charging money for it; in that case, it is unethical, but someone charging money for a formerly free pattern should not be surprised that they're not selling many copies, and the free edition circulates in the wild.