I buy kits and BOM kits. I like them. It's the same with pre-cut bundles and fabric lines. I don't do as we'll with a "stash." That concept alludes me. I need a picture, either in my hand or in my head. It's usually inspired by a pattern, fabric, or something I've seen. Then I proceed.

No kits for me. I have enough stash that can make my own "kits" most of the time. Besides, the creation, search for just the right fabric and calculating how much is part of what I enjoy about quilting projects.

I usually buy patterns, then find fabric. However, I recently purchased a bunch of kits (9) at a garage sale for a fraction of what they cost in at LQS. They were colors and styles that really aren't my thing, but I knew that my mom and MIL would love them. Included in the mix were 2 that are perfect for the 2 nephews I have graduating next spring. My cost on the kits ranged from $7 -$25 and the average for the kits I purchased was $12. I'm alway looking for a great deal on LQS fabrics. This time I hit the jackpot, and spent $115 all in one spot. I would have spent more, but that was all the cash I had on me, and had left my checkbook at home. (Good thing, too or I could have done a lot more shopping!)

I have bought several kits from Connecting Threads. I only buy clearance kits (I'm cheap) some I will make as is and some were for my stash. I can't always find a whole collection in the store so instead of running all over searching it makes it easier and cheaper (gas) for me. I am thinking about trying kits from other stores, just haven't yet.

I purchased a couple of kits, one for book covers and one for a walker bag. Wasn't wild about the fabrics and one pattern was a pain, so I don't buy them any more. I have plenty of fabric that I need to use up anyway.

I love kits. First, I have to love it. Second, I have never been shorted on fabric. I am working on a quilt now that is from John Flynn that is a kit. I sometimes change colors in a quilt kit; however, I have a quilt shop that will help me with making my own kit from a pattern, or a picture that I have. And a lot of kits are already cut... something I have come to hate.

I don't buy kits, because I always prewash the fabrics. I don't take chances with fabrics, for the most part they don't shrink or fade, but it only takes one naughty piece to ruin months of work.

Haven't bought a kit yet. Like others, I'm always thinking I'll be short fabric if I make a mistake... then where would that leave me? :rolleyes: Plus, half the fun is picking the fabric!

I do not buy kits, I prefer to choose my own fabrics, and maybe change the pattern a little to make it my own.
Choosing your own fabric gives you freedom to make your 'own' quilt. Kits restrict your freedom, and your quilt will be like hundreds of others. :)

I do not buy quilt kits based on a bad experience.I signed up to do the block of the month at my LQS and some of the pieces that they had cut were too small for me to do the assigned quilt block piece. I went to the LQS and they told me that it must be my fault. Needless to say I have not bought another quilt kit.

My husband found a quilt that he loved and bought the kit. It was my first time with a kit. It turned out beautiful and was easy to work with. This particular quilt had a bonus of a table runner with the scraps.

I do both. Sometimes when I fall in love with a "line of fabric" and they have made a kit with all the necessary fabric and a cool pattern why not? I just ordered two new kits from the new line at Connecting Threads. But when it comes to picking my own patterns, I have stash and magazines full of patterns that I can to. Best of both worlds.

Neither... I don't understand patterns. I just make what comes out of my head.

Unfortunately I buy a few too many kits. When I see a quilt with all 'my' colors I think I need to get it. That being said - I also like to purchase individual fabrics and make up my own.

I don't buy kits very often. This summer on a cruise I bought 2 because we only had 30 min at each place and didn't have time to have fabric cut. Another from local shop because it was applique and they cut all the pieces for the kitl
Otherwise I dig into my stash and decide what I want.

I have never used a kit or precuts, however I have only enjoyed my hobby of quilting for one year. Thus, lots of time to try these in the future. While I really like the way kits look, so far I have been scared off by their cost. The beauty of quilting is that there are so many options available for everyone to meet each one's need and preference.

I never buy kits. If I did, I'd probably use the fabric in a bunch of other quilts. Part of the fun for me is putting the fabrics together, and I love the look of scrappy.

I buy kits from Keepsake and Connecting Threads. Had a shortage one time, called customer service, they sent me another piece with no questions asked. Got it in 3 days.

As a former quilt shop owner, I resisted kits for along time, as it took away from the originality of a quilt, but it was what most of the customers wanted....their quilt to look like the sample. So we made kits...lots of kits. Personally, I try not to use kits, I like my quilts to be my colors, my fabrics, different than everyone elses.

Hmmm.. never thought about buying a quilt kit .. have looked at them for ideas .. maybe one day I will try it ..

I've never bought a kit. I go through my stash, choose the fabrics I want to work on......then peruse my quilt magazines for a pattern that catches my eye to go with the chosen fabrics. I'm usually happy and pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

I've bought kits early on when I first started out. It can be a great way to end up with a quilt that you like as designing one on your own sometimes results in a surprise which can be good or bad. You might run out of fabric if you're doing the planning yourself and often times colors and designs can be less than you hoped they would be "in your head."
If you find one you love, check the price and see if it is worthwhile to you. If you don't have a stash yet or you aren't near quilt shops or fabric stores that carry great fabric, a kit can be a good buy to save you time and trouble searching out the fabric you want. Now that I have a pretty good stash and several UFOs, I seldom buy a kit. It can be great for a beginner though, in my opinion.
Brenda

Obviously lots of people do buy kits; they seem to be great money makers for the people who sell them. I don't buy them because I would not be making MY quilt, I would be making someone else's quilt. That's the same reason I wouldn't paint a"paint by numbers" picture, or frame a puzzle. If you want to own someone else's quilt, why not just buy the quilt someone else made?

both, some quilts are beautiful with colors already picked out, if you like it that way, why spend hours trying to figure out colors is my sentiment. I buy lots of kits, especially if they involve a lot of small appliques pieces that require a lot of scraps and can get pricey shopping for. I do shop for my own fabrics for certain patters especially if I don't like their colors on the pattern. I think it varies among quilters, some like to have a unique look, some like to replicate the color scheme because they like the look

I had never bought a kit before I purchased the pattern for Judy Neyemeyer's Hawaiian Star for my niece. When she saw it, my niece wanted it in the same colors as the box. After shopping for weeks and not being satisfied with the color choices, I ordered a kit. Unfortunately, they substituted some fabrics too, but it was close enough that only I noticed the difference. My niece and unquilting sisters thought it was identical.

I love to buy kits.....have done so all my quilting life. I like the fact that the fabric is picked out for me as I'm not super good at putting a bunch of colors and fabric patterns together and I really don't want to either run out or end up with a bunch of fabric. I have never run short of any fabric, but if I did, I would definitely contact the seller. I do think if you wait too long to make up the kit, this could be a problem, but..."knock on wood"....so far, so good....:)

I am in the "do it yourself" category. No kits cause I don't want a cookie cutter quilt. I want it to be all mine. Don't buy patterns either; at $9 or so apiece, I can't imagine how many they sell when there are zillions of wonderful patterns available online.

I seldom buy kits because I seldom make any pattern as written. That's not to say that I haven't bought any. I think the first kit I bought was a magnolia table topper/wall hanging. My mom loved magnolias and I made the wall hanging for her -- then I sought out fabric and made similar ones for my aunt and SILs. Later, I bought a kit to make a baby quilt with a little bit of applique. I bought it because of the simple applique and the shabby chic colors -- I have trouble with those -- I tend to pick bright colors. Finally I had a kit made from a shop sample simply because both my husband and i fell in love with the quilt. Both of these kits are still in their bags and on my list of PIGs (project in grocery sack) to do if and when I knock some of my UFOs off my list.

I don't mind others picking my fabric either, they are so much better at it than I am!!!

The only kits I have were purchased through Craigslist postings. One is a Fons and Porter (Stars & Stripes Sampler with backing included) and an Atkinson star quilt done in batiks. Working on the sampler first. For the most part, I do cut and kit my own projects. I like cutting ahead so I have projects when I just want to sew.

I love to buy clearance kits just to get a great selection of fabric for an incredible savings (and build my stash :)) and if I don't like the pattern or have extras, I just give it to another quilter who likes it.

Do you buy quilt kits?
 

Your question just made me realize what a control freak I am when it comes to fabric. I don't buy kits because I always decide I'd rather pick out my own fabric. I also don't do mystery quilts (why spend all that time making a quilt you might not like?). And I don't buy precut stacks (charm squares. etc). I might like the fabric on top of the stack but have no idea what the rest of the fabrics look like, and I'm afraid to risk what might be a disappointing purchase. My stash and I are very comfortable with each other and like each other a lot.

I do both ... depends on the quilt and the price, some kits are reasonable, others are SO overpriced !
If it really REALLY appeals to me and has unique fabrics, I will go for the kit. I may not find THOSE fabrics again ! Otherwise, I'll get the pattern or book, and sew from my stash ! and I usually buy books, a much better value than single patterns

I agree like the yellow brick road pattern, I could never do it in those colors but I have done it with yellow,orange,pink and purple for a little girl in a hospital. Or blues,greens and browns for a little boy.

My first quilt was just 6" blocks, cut with scissors, from scraps or used clothing. No pattern. I have done a couple of Block of the Month quilts, and am currently working on one, from kits. I have seen kits I'd love, but the price usually seems excessive to me. My sense of color needs help, so I am not opposed to following the lead of the colors suggested in the pattern.

I normally prefer to put together my own fabrics BUT in saying that, if I see a kit where I love ALL the fabrics in it then I would buy it. Saying that, I think I've only purchased 5-6 kits so far, but I'm not opposed to buying more :)

I buy patterns, If I bought kits I am afraid I wouldn't finish it or like it and they are expensive.

Many of the kits are beautiful and of course the convenience is a terrific factor for those who don't like to cut out and want to get on with making the finished quilt (to say nothing of the precision cuts of the kit pieces). But as for myself, I haven't and wouldn't buy one because I diligently prewash every piece of fabric that goes into my quilts. If there are many different fabrics within a quilt kit, surely some will shrink differently from others or darker colors may bleed onto light. If there are kits that are guaranteed to be prewashed until there's no likelihood of uneven shrinkage or bleeding, it'd like to know where they're available.

I have bought 3 kits. 2 were BOM kits - both at the same time. I worked on them for a while and now they sit ( it has been a couple of years).

I also bought another kit at a quilt show years ago. I have never even started on it. I loved the colors and the look of the pattern. However, when I read the directions - I hated it. You cut squares of specific sizes (some larger than others). Then you centered a smaller square on top of a larger square and topstitched around the smaller square. Then you cut out the larger square from behind the smaller square. I think you then used the cut out portion of the larger square on top of some other square. This method just didn't appear to me. I intend at some point to make a quilt with the same look but different construction techniques.

I don't buy the kits primarily because they are so expensive. Plus, like someone else already said, I do make mistakes and am very grateful to have extra fabric to fix them. I try to find fabric on sale when I buy it, so spending $200 or more for a kit doesn't make sense. There are tons of free patterns online too.