copyrighting your own patterns

I have never copyrighted a pattern but my writing I have.....it does protect what your imagination has given you but it takes very little for someone to change the pattern and call it their own. All they have to do is change it 10% I believe.....but still I do think it's worth it.

I've already read what hatley and stowyk have said, and I agree with them. I'd definitely get it copywritten, patented, whatever the word for it is. Especially if you plan on sharing it online. I mean, crocheters are generally nice ladies but it doesn't hurt to get things protected, and besides if you patent it and put your name on it, and a way to contact you, you may get business that way.

That is beautiful! If you were going to share the pattern online...or sell it online I'd definitely look into getting it copyrighted. I've never done copyrighting before but then i've never designed my own patterns before. I'm more apt to buy someones pattern's they've published and use them over and over again! Is that crocheted? or knitted?

There are things that you can do to make your work something that is your intellectual property alone by writing a terms of use to go with the patterns that you've made (this is what I did with my digital scrapbooking supplies that I created). These could say that what is created with your work cannot be used for profit, etc. As far as going through all of the work to get an actual copyright on the work, I don't think it would be worth your hassle unless you think that there is a real possiblity that someone could get rich off of your creation.