Citations in knitting? What's polite?

[aedifica]

If I'm writing an academic paper and I find some information I need in someone else's paper, of course I cite them. If I'm writing a knitting pattern and I find something I want to use in someone else's pattern, do I cite them? Or do I just write up the pattern and it's fine as long as I'm not copying someone else's whole pattern?

Bringing an academic background to knitting leads to unexpected questions. :-)

Comments

[wired]

What I have seen as polite is citation. For instance, garments that incorporate lace patterns that the author got from a book will often cite the original book. For example, the Tree-Patterned Aran in Knitty says:
The sleeves are based on a twining vine leaf pattern taken from Barbara Walker's "A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns." The front features an elaboration of the twining trees from "Charted Knitting Designs."

Fair use in knitting is something I think of the same way I do other writing. When I made the Mason-Dixon Perfect Sweater with a little row of colorwork, that was an elaboration, but I could never publish it as my own. If I add significant colorwork, a different shaping pattern, a different construction technique, and some other changes, then it seems like I have created Sense & Sensibility & Seamonsters or whatever it is, and can claim it as my own. It would still be gracious to acknowledge my debt, but not required.

[aedifica]

That makes sense.