If you wouldn't be using the kit why buy it? I don't feel the least bit bad about calculating my own fabric, drawing out patterns and making quilts. I'm going to be using that money to buy fabric anyway and that supports our LQS's too. I do buy patterns if it's one that's complicated enough that I don't want to spend the time or can't figure it out. Most kits don't come in the size that I'd like to make anyway. I saw some at Hancocks the other day that were marked 70%off but by the time I'd have bought what I needed for a kingsize quilt it would have still been $120.