If I were a designer and read this thread, I would be sure to offer patterns without a kit. I don't typically buy a kit either. But another way to look at this - which I don't think anyone has mentioned - is not "am I going to get caught if I copy a pattern? " but "how would I feel if I spent a lot of time in designing a patten, and quilters looked at the pattern and said "I can save myself a couple bucks - I'll just do it myself." ? Just something to think about.