One thing that get's to me is when I have very old patterns that have been handed down from my DGM and DM that someone publishes and copyright's them as their own. I have several like that and I will share them with those who have ask me to loan them as they are to old to have been copyrighted the last few years. I won't loan new patterns I have bought that are copyrighted. I will give patterns from magazines I have bought. Most of the ones I know don't want to break the law either and understand when I tell them why I can't let them copy them. I feel you can find most patterns on line free if you look hard enough or look at a guilt and design your own.

How about a simple friendly "NO!" you do not owe her an explanation.....

Copyright is a difficult and vague area. You can't sell someone else's work and claim it as your own. If you are teaching a class using someone else's copyrighted pattern each person must have his own copy of the pattern or book.
On the other hand, if you are teaching a beginning quilting class, say a regular nine patch with offsetting solid blocks... Probably can't find a copyright on that (and if you did, the claimant is probably lying, and should be dead because that block has been around longer than any of us).

It seems to me that if libraries are allowed to lend books (and unless it is digital they don't pay extra for the privilege as far as I know ---any librarians out there?) So can I. But neither I or the person to whom I lend a book can claim we are the source and owner of the pattern or that it is our original work (the quilt however is our work). If I lent my friend my copy of Moby Dick, and she decided to copy it (by hand with a quill) she still could not claim it as her own original work. I think a quilt book is not all that different. When you buy a book of any sort you can lend it or sell it or add it to the large pile in the corner. It is yours to do with as you please. On the other hand, copying those stacks of sheets for a paper piecing pattern is no fair and probably does constitute copyright violations.

quilt patterns are no different than others once I purchase a pattern it is mine to do as I please loan it ---give it away or sell it what is illegal is to make copies and sell those would you buy a car and be told no one else could drive it or you could not go across the state line there is really lots of people out there taking other peoples patterns changing them some and they are the ones putting on the stiff copyrights one for instance is Stack and Whack by Bethany Reynolds then along comes someone and made one block wonder I know took classes on both same pattern just different settings so that makes me wonder about these copyrights but I do agree that it is illegal to copy one sell but to loan I see nothing wrong with it if there was the libraries would be out of business it would be just as illegal to loan other books

I totally agree with this. Burned too any times by close friends and neighbors. If a person can afford to attend a retreat they can afford the same items that I purchased

I am so thankful for my friends a wonderful group of fun sharing people and we are really enjoying our Wed. all working on the same quilt we even share and exchange our fabric if one needs something for her quilt I am so thankful to live here may be isolated but people can enjoy doing things together in a very relaxed mode

Actually, copyright is free! It s even implied so doesn't require registration (unlike trademarks and patents, which are not implied and very expensive to register). A writer or artist can, of they choose, register their works for a fairly nominal fee, but its not necessary to do so. If a case of copyright infringement were to end up in court, and there was a question of ownership, this official registration could be used to speed up the process of determining ownership, bit other than that, not at all necessary to file formal copyright paperwork.

We are all responsible for at least trying to do the right thing.
If I lend a book or pattern, I make it clear to the other person that I am not lending it so they can make an illegal copy.
If I don't know the person well enough to trust they will do the right thing, I don't lend.

When I see a pattern that someone has that I like, I ask to look at it. If it is something I would like, I look for it on half.com or ebay. Usually, I can buy it for cheap there. I keep a bunch of patterns that I am not going to use that I give away letting people browse through them. I buy patterns at times that I change my mind on and pass those on.

Why not suggest she look for quilting books at her local library? That way if she is having a tough time financially, she can use the books for free and return them locally.