had to verify my understanding of "patent" - this refers to inventions, not pattern designs. She would need to copyright it.
I was told by a quilting teacher that if you change the pattern 30% from the original, you are the "new" owner of the pattern. So, if you make enough changes, there's no problem. Examples -- block size bigger or smaller, sashing size different, borders different, etc.
hope this eases your concerns.