No it isn't. As long as it's for your own use it's okay to scan and store them in your own computer. It would likely come under the Fair Use Doctrine.

It is a violation of copyright law to distribute the scanned copies.

Technically, yes!
Likewise copying it--the "fair use" thing is kinda sticky and can spawn hours and pages of debate!
I think there is nothing wrong with copying to make templates( I do tracings for mine), but it is too easy for the copier to be off a smidge (and does THAT lead to problems!) or an easier way to keep track of the pattern layout while working on the quilt, but when you copy and share, that IS a violation of copyright law.

I have accumulated so many that I have started scanning them into the computer and recycling the paper.

I put a sticky note on the magazine and write what pattern it is on the note and put it in my magazine stack. If I actually use the pattern, then I copy it from the magazine so I don't tear up the original magazine.

I had tons of magazines (sometimes I think my hobby is buying magazines not quilting) and last year I went through all of them and removed all the patterns I liked. I put them into page protectors and into a 3 ring binder. Then I put a free add in the local newspaper. They were gone in a day. I also gave away a ton of fabric. You know the ones that made me say "what were you thinking?". That was also gone in a day.
Sue

When you scan, do the details of the pattern match exactly. A few years ago, we tried scanning blood bank records for digital storage at the hospital and found that small print and handwriting were impossible to read. Are the scanners better now? I have one with my Kodak ESP3250. Thanks for the info.

Any publication that prints patterns has to be aware that people are going to copy them in some manner. Often, there will be instructions to "enlarge 200%" or something similar, so how can that be done without scanning? Also, sometimes there is a statement requesting that if the pattern is copied and used for selling purposes, the originator of the pattern be "given credit".
Many of the patterns are not copyrighted at all. I think we are free to copy and scan for our own use, but as above, do not distribute.

i bought a box of clear plastic 3-ring plastic envelopes- i put the patterns into the sleeve and put the sleeves into 3-ring binders
i have separate binders for pieced patterns, applique patterns, table runners, ect; and foundation patterns. the sleeves were fairly inexpensive(i think under $10 for a case of 100. and i picked up (4) 1" 3-ring binders for 25cents each at a local thrift shop.

I don't think it is if you are just using it for yourself, is it?

I keep the mags for a year and then save only the quilt patterns I like. I staple the pages together and put them in a plastic sleeve and then into a binder. Patterns are filed alpha. by name of quilt. I can get a couple of year's worth of several mags into one binder. I also keep a binder of tip sheets.