I try to shop as wisely and as cheaply as possible. BUT sometimes you just gotta make a splurge. :)

Someone mentioned the Kai scissors. I love the Fons and Porter Kai red handled dressmaker scissors. They are the ones I grab at my charity quilting group to cut lots of fabric, batting, etc. They have lasted beautifully and are properly weighted and easy on the hands.

Most items related to quillting can be very expensive or cheap and usually not worth the money. Some LQS will let you "try" things like scissors, cutters, rulers, that they are using in their shops. Or if you are fortunate to have quilting friends, ask to try some of the things they use.

I looked at the blades at Harbor Freight...didn't buy them.

I'm a pretty frugal crafter/quilter/embroiderer... Quilt police don't live around here, LOL.... We don't have a place to even buy a spool of thread here...have to drive 36-40 miles to nearest place to buy (Walmart is 36, Joann & Hobby Lobby are 40 mi each way)...so I make darn sure to get everything I can in one trip. We plan our trips to Lubbock like we do our grocery shopping...lists of what's needed...I check Joann for coupons & for what's on sale, etc. We came to TX from Calif...where everything was local...I could walk to Walmart! This was the biggest change for me...location...but it's been a blessing of a move (health & income wise at least).

I think I do prefer the more expensive stuff, and just get along with less "stuff".

For example, I bought a June Taylor cutting board years and years ago and brought it to Poland. It has served me well for many years now, but I really want to replace it with an Olfa one. It will cost me close to $100 here in Poland, so I'm waiting to buy it as long as I can, but this time, I want to try the one that everyone says is great and hope I can get 10 years or so of cutting out of it. :) I'm sure many will think it is extravagant, so I just won't tell anyone around here how much I had to pay.

Gingher Scissors aren't an extravagant purchase. I'm still using the pair that I bought in 1992, have bought another pair that has a USA flag design on them. I send my used blades off to a company in Minnesota that recycles them and gives me a good discount on new blades.

I grew up in the 60's and early 70's with a family of 3 girls and 1 boy. Mid income, 98% of my clothes were homemade, by the time I was in 4-H (bleed green still) and at 7years I was sewing my own clothes and by 13years I was sewing for others. Always used what mom could afford for us. By the time I was 21, I was DWF with 3 babies, then again it was what I could afford (used toilet paper for Kleenex - how many of you remember those days?)and made most of their clothes till the graduated and moved - now just gifts.
Now that I am a very proud grammie to 6 precious grandchildren(make them each summer clothes each year so far), I still buy on sale, but my luxries include having not one, but two pair of ginghars, my fabric varies from Walmart - LQS - Online (find what I need to go with I am working on.) and Kleenix with Lotion and a box in almost everyroom in the house and every vehicle I own (no kids at home).

Yes, sometimes, I will purchase something now, just to try, if I like it, I keep, if not I Play it Forward.

I still won't buy my DH a store bought western shirt, because I promised to make him ONE for every month since we go married (they are cheaper that way, and he thinks he is "special" in that way - have a wife that sews).

About 5 years ago, I purchased duplicates of guilting tools (rulers, rotary cutter etc...), just so I don't have to repack something to teach a class or take one.

As long as it works, I will wither buy store brand or big name brand if on sale.

Frugal and extravagant are kind of loaded words -

I was raised in an environment where 'frugal' was a virtue, and 'cheap' was a vice.

Extravagant was sort of equated with 'wasteful' and/or 'unnecessary'
BUT inadequate/skimpy was also frowned on.

Examples: If making shirred curtains for a bedroom - Mom thought it was better to make them look nice and full with inexpensive muslin - as compared to trying to cover 36 inches of window with 30 inches of more expensive fabric.

Amazing how some childhood ideas/standards stick with me!

What a great thread this is - have heard of some new products, some reviews I agree with, some not, but all very interesting. I like to buy good quality for some things - Aurifil thread, Olfa blades, but for others, I buy where I can find a good deal - my pin cushion (metal tray) from Harbour Freight; my sewing table a piece of plexiglass cut to fit around machine by a local window shop instead of the one sold by Bernina, fabrics from guild swaps, free patterns online etc. I almost always wait to buy the special notions until someone I know recommends them or I have tried them in class - works for me!