During the 1950's my grandmother modified a block to fit her needs. Does this make it an original? If so, can I publish it as an original or variation? Can I give it a different name than the pattern she modified?

Good Question !! :)

People give quilt blocks different names all the time. It what the block/quilt means to them.

good question!

Wow. Great question. I have no idea.

Have you checked the copyright status of the pattern she modified? I think that might help you decide what to do...

perhaps......

"Gramma's quilt, a modified..........."

You would have to do A LOT of research to claim it is a new block. Good luck.

I have googled "double framed 9 patch" and have turned up nothing. The closest thing is a "Framed 9 Patch" that was put out in the 1950s. It is a 7 inch block. My mother told me that she got the pattern from the newspaper during the 1950s but she didn't know the name I suspect that my grandmother wanted a 12 inch block and added the additional frame giving the block a totally different look.
If quilting is like the apparel design world, copy right laws for designs are not strictly enforced because there are only a x-number of silhouettes in design. Also, I'm not going to commercially produce this pattern.

if a person can look at it and identify it it is not original, there is a difference between new design and old technique...remember the log cabin block...many people publish 'new design' quilts made from log cabin blocks...i think you should locate the original block and check the copyright on it. and maybe show it as a
variation of ...block. one of the big magazines put out challenges every year to designers to take an old block and make it into something new, if they can do it it seems like anyone could