What was your best purchase at a show?
 

In piggybacking off a previous thread about "worst purchase made at a show" it was suggested that we talk about what was the best purchase we've made at a quilt show.

I bought my Bernina 1031 in the early 1990s at the International Quilt Festival in Houston on a late Sunday afternoon for a really good price. I'd been looking at them for a couple of days but waited until the dealers were nearly ready to pack it all up and go home. They didn't want to cart and move anything they didn't have to, at that point, so the deals were there to be made.

I love this machine! It's the 1990s version of the vintage Bernina 830 (which I also have) and is still going strong after nearly 20 years. My last service on it was in February with a nationally known Bernina repair man who teaches other Bernie service people all over the U.S. He was pleased with how well kept it was and said these were great machines.

I look for hand-dyes and other specialty fabrics at shows. Also, balls of perle cotton other than what I can buy at JoAnns (their color/weight selection is limited) which I often use for big-stitch hand quilting. And I look for John James or Richard Hemming brand English embroidery needles which have a larger eye for these perle cottons for quilting.

Jan in VA

I look for all the things that are different and spend my money on things that look cool but often turn out not.lol I love unusual fabrics that I can't find in other places too. I have so much stuff I really don't need another thing, but sure love finding those unusual cool items. :thumbup:

Several years back I purchased a ruler to cut setting triangles for a quilt that is on point. Love it. Use it frequently

Two years ago my Pfaff Ambition sewing machine. Love it to death!

when i attended my first quilt show, i bought a fluorescent 6.5x24" ruler - i couldn't live without it!

i always look for black and white or white and black fabric that i collect. i almost never get a duplicate unless i "need" it.

I bought my curve master which I just love!

I forget what it's called but it a seam ripper that looks like a miniature hair clipper. I love that thing!

Diannia

Curve Master foot???

Waaaaayy back when i think about 25 yrs ago my rotary cutter, ruler and mat.
most recently my brooklyn revolver ( a mat on a lazy susan).