I always come back with fabric when I go to a show. I purposely only bring cash so I limit how much I spend. ;)

It's a good way to not over do it.

Great post with lots of information! Thanks

I, too, buy what I can't find locally. We no longer have a quilt shop in town, so I try to find my needs at quilt shows. Then, I look at my wants. Usually I don't buy anything else.

I love creative grids rulers so I buy one everytime I go to a show. I have bought a few speciality rulers I never used. One from Deb Tucker that looked so easy at the time but not so easy now! I bought some Primitive Gatherings packs that are 3 X 3. Never saw those before. Wish I bought more. Patterns,scissors, Im a sucker for trinkets.

Wow! Some good ideas on how to limit your spending! Cash?? I never have cash, just use a card, but that needs to change. When you're out of cash, you're done! That darn card just makes it so easy to buy. I am an impulse buyer. That needs to change too! I have so many rulers that hang on my peg board that I don't even know what they are for! I usually buy patterns that I haven't seen anywhere. And books with patterns in them. I'll be going to Quilts Around Chautauqua the end of September, and my plan is to look, don't buy, unless it jumps off the table and begs me to take it home.

I just went to my first show this year in Texarkana Arkansas & Loved it!! Awesome quilts & their prices were much less than the LQS..It was a smaller show as I went to another one in Hot Springs & their prices were much higher but had more of what I was looking for civil war fabric for a Dear Jane planned. Would I go to another one? You bet!!!

These days I take a list. I have so many patterns and books I will never be able to make them all. I buy fabric that catches my eye and I know I can't find localy. I try not to buy books unless I can look at them. So if I see something online that look interesting I look for it at a show. And ofcourse there are the impulse buys. Its all fun. Looking forward to Long Beach next week-end.

I have purchased a serger. Southwest fabrics that i cannot find in the midwest. Large appliqué sheet, Aurifil thread...my fav!. Patterns that strike my fancy (and still have not used!). I love novelty prints so I find some fun ones along the way. Route 66, dogs, hot air balloon prints are favs of mine.

Sandy

Reading all these posts about making lists makes me feel very disorganized. I usually just buy what speaks to me, the things made up grab me. Sometimes that is not a good thing. I am now trying to destash some of those "speaking" things. LOL

This week end my Guild had a quilt show and I bought the newest gadget called a cling it is a magnet disc that you wear like a broach and can hold small scissors, metal thimbles, your needle, or pins. Now maybe I will quit losing these items as I do my hand work.