i'm with those of us that have duplicates. i'm lucky enough to have a bunch of "extras" in the house. there's a seam ripper in nearly every room, three sewing boxes scattered in the house (one used to be the "camping" box), etc. we have two levels, so there are sewing machines in three places--basement, main floor, upstairs. the arthritis doesn't like stairs so much, so it makes sense to have "stuff" in every spot. i've gotten a lot of it at estate/garage sales--and when it comes to the estate sales, i always have to stop and wonder at the life of the person, the things those notions have helped make, and mourn a little that there was nobody in the family to take these things and keep them working. (or maybe rejoice that the tradition was passed on, and they don't need these things--they already have them!) my favorite thimble is an ancient brass one i got at a thrift store, in a bag of miscellaneous junk. it is dented a little, and pretty darned old, but it fits me as though it was made for me. it found its "home", again. good stuff.