No one is talking about making a copy of a pattern tho...simply using the ideas presented by a public image of a quilt. From the link you provided Dunster:
"Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts and schemes. Rather, it protects the manner in which the idea or information is expressed".
I understand what you're saying about Ms. Martin's income being reduced by quilters who can figure out how to put something together without purchasing her books, but it's certainly not illegal, and I don't believe it to be unethical either.
It would be much like the diamond log cabin quilt that you made after you saw one elsewhere (or at least I think that's what I understood about that beautiful quilt you made)...I will have to look for it, but one of my quilt books or magazines, has that same quilt pattern...it's not a new concept, nor is it terribly old...late 80's early 90's at the oldest.
Again...I make my points with all due respect, I simply don't agree (at this point of the conversation) with you.