Terry,
Although I like your idea about having the ability to mark your own pattern as being editable by others, and I suspect that's do-able given the programers aren't tied up with other tasks (LHR is NOT MicroSoft by any stretch of the imagination, with unlimited programers and directions they can task at the same time).
Having said that, however, if you don't have the Pattern Editor, why would that help you or others in the same boat. You have to use a Pattern Editor (and Jeff's will soon be back on line, I understand) to edit a pattern. It can't be done now in designer, or any other graphics program (except Jeff's) that I'm aware of. Perhaps I'm behind times on this, but eager to learn, if so.
Bob