Most of the issues of copy right are related to selling the pattern or the items made from the pattern. If you are using it yourself, or giving one away as a gift, it is generally not a problem. A lot of patterns lately are just made of blocks in general circulation, just placed differently, and made with specific fabrics. If you copy the quilt (i.e. using the same blocks and same placement and same fabric), and plan to sell it, that's not good. If you are going to copy the placement of blocks that you already know, using your own fabric selection, and are keeping it for personal use, that's probably OK.
Just don't claim it as your own "original" design. As all the discussion above, it's the "original" concept that people get so worked up about.