Originally Posted by
bearisgray
What if she did it at no charge?
She is still the only one entitled to profit from any sales of her pattern, if it is copied.
If the pattern is just a combination of shapes, then it is only her
words that are copyrighted. You cannot copyright shapes. If there is artwork involved, such as applique designs,
those can be copyrighted as original artwork. So if you take a pattern that is just basic shapes (as are most pieced quilts), and write your own new directions for it, it's not a violation of any copyright. You can do what you want with it.