Y'know, this is probably going to sound sacrilegious, but I think we're a lot more obsessed by accuracy now than the average quilter was in the past. I mean, there were people who did magnificent work then, just as now, but most quilts were more utilitarian.
Re: the original question...argh...it's guilt-producing to look around and see all the tools/toys I was so *sure I needed and are just sitting there...