The kits are the way to go if you want a quilt that matches the sample as closely as possible. Whether it saves you money or not depends on how well stocked your local quilt shop is. Even with both of the two quilt shops closest to me, I would be struggling to get all the fabrics I needed for some of those kits - they just don't have the ranges of fabrics. I'd be forced to spend money on gas looking at shops further afield or having to guess colors by shopping online. However, if I was going to Grubers, no problem. Well stocked with lots of different fabrics, not just different colors.
These days, gas has to be figured in to your costs as well. Up to you. If my interest in the quilt was the pattern of the fabric and colors, I'd go for the kit. The two that I got in the past were well cut - no off grain. Please note - my comments all refer to Keepsake Quilting. I agree with other posters. Some BOMs from other places have used fabric that really isn't quilt shop quality. In addition, if you are willing to wait, the pattern often becomes available as a pattern only about a year after the BOM ends. Then you can use your own fabric.
Last edited by IAmCatOwned; 11-23-2011 at 09:43 AM.