Thankyou everyone.

I lent a pattern to my very best friend, because she absolutely loved the quilt I made. She then moved, and has told me she "knows" it's somewhere, but not sure where. I'd like to have it back, but I'm not in a hurry....It's still currently available....but she's had it for over a year!

With few exceptions, people just don’t put much value in stuff they didn’t have to pay for.

I've wondered if it would be "appropriate" to ask borrowers for the "replacement value" of an item before letting them borrow it - and the "replacement value" would be returned when the item found its way back home.

I agree with Patrice J. When I show a quilt, If I remember, I mentioned how a got the pattern, online order, picture in a magazine or the local quilt shop. Lend? , only to my daughter. That way I still own it and I know where it is.

Iceblossom, thank you for respecting the work of the designer. Although not a designer myself, I purchase the pattern before or during construction.

I don't lend patterns or copy them for anyone. I will tell them where or how I got it. Then it's up to them to track it down.

If the pattern is your original you can do what you want with it. If it's a copyright pattern I would not loan it to anyone. Designers spend many hours making their product. It belongs to them. Many folks just don't want to pay the pattern and use friends to accomplish that goal.

Thankyou everyone.

Ruby, you're wise to not lend to them. You have obviously a "gut check" or inkling that the friend might do something illegal. I would simply say, "I don't lend my patterns or equipment, and I encourage others to support the designer and the economy by purchasing a copy of their own."