To the original poster, ask ... better to be safe than sorry. There are folks who make their living off of patterns and designs. Think of how you would feel if someone took your pattern because they could reproduce it without buying said pattern or asking permission, yet this is how you earn your living and put food on the table.
Now on copyright laws ... read read read. You'd be surprised at how confusing it can be, and how the misconception is about easy it is to be infringing upon the law without knowing. When I started making graphic designs, I did this without researching the law. But the more I visited other graphic designers and read the copyright laws ... and then of course creating my "own" work (though it was not good, it still is time consuming) ... I realized the other point of view.
Put yourself in the artist shoes and imagine your money walking away one person using your design without your permission, then someone copying their work, and then someone copying their work ... and the list goes on ... man you've lost alot of money all of the sudden.
I can tell you personally, I'd rather be safe than sorry. :)
/steps off the podium