My mother says..."cotton is going to do nothing but go up in price, so buy it while it's good price now." My husband (and engineer with both a MBA and MS) says, you don't have "just in time inventory, you have whenever the h*** you feel like it inventory." This is the same man who has bought me not one, but two Handi Quilters (Sweet Sixteen and Avante), so really it was just a funny moment. Oh and when I got the Avante I thought about selling the Sweet Sixteen to fund the ProStitcher for it and the family went in an uproar about that as well and just bought me the ProStitcher. I apparently can't sell any tools. I feel like now though since I have all the tools to finish my own quilts, that I don't worry about a big stash.
Also, since I have my Avante set up in basement, I do have 2 sets of tools and a set I carry with me in my travel kit. I like to keep that packed, so I can leave at a moments notice to go quilt with the girls. However, I like to piece while the machine is running and don't want to have to keep going up and down for this or that.
I did take inventory about a year ago. Not of the kits, but of the WIP and tops that need to be quilted. That was a feat in itself and have since hung the tops and have started to work those down. I do feel like I have enough now that I could work from stash for awhile, but I like to support my LQS b/c I love those gals and I would like to see them stick around. I love the community at the shop.
A little background... I have both a BS and MS in Business, but I'm more of the creative type and I just love to collect fabric. I also retired at 40 last year and need things to do. I figure there are worse ways to spend money.