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).

My dreamweaver at the LA County fair a month ago,most shows I only buy fabric, nd patterns, usually nothing big.

My Alto's Quilt Cut 2. I wouldn't be quilting as easily without it as it is the cutting that gets to me. My hands will only do so much. I did get a good price for it.

Also I bought my Martelli cutting mat. That thing has outlasted many other mats. It also seems to save blades.

One of my friends was able to buy a very high end machine at the large quilt vendor show here in our Valley at a good discount because it was used at the show.

ali

Best thing I can think of is just the fun of going and meeting new people.

I've only been to one, but I found a massaging pillow that is great!

I just got one of these, then had an opportunity to use it and it was wonderful. I just purchased two Loc-bloc templates, half square triangles and flying geese. I have used both and glad I got them. makes geese fast to make.

My Janome 6500 and got the Jem Gold free (great price on the 6500, too). DH now has the 6500 and I donated the Gold to a great program that teaches kids to sew -- it went to a graduate who had no machine.

My best purchase so far my 4in sq ruler and rotating mat.

My Koala cutting table with full size mat and a huge bonus box of Madeira thread. Bought it years ago at the International Quilt Festival on the last day at 4:55. I had kept the Koala booth "under surveillance " that week, lol. I don't know if they still make this model or not, but it was the bigger cutting/craft table which retailed at the time for about $1100 and is the same finish as my quilting table. The salesman accepted my offer of $300 and wheeled it to the front door for me while I ran and got my van. I remember being so pumped driving down the freeway but was a bit worried that we had enough money in the checking account. The check did not bounce and I LOVE that table. :-)

is it quicker ripper I love mine best seam ripper ever got mine on etsy

What a fun question! I started thinking about the items I bought over the years - mostly it is fabric because you see things that are not in the stores. But at the San Diego Show I found this wonderful spinning thread holder. It really is a piece of art - it holds 7 different colors which is great getting my embroidery picture organized. It looks a lot like a miniature of the item kids spin on - but it is tiny of course and he burns then paints an item on the bottom of the block of wood it sits on. I fell in love with it one day and went back to spend money on the second day. (If I con't stop thinking about an items, I figure I really will use it.) I bought my Accu-Quilt cutter at the Road to California show last January. Haven't really used it yet because I want to finish a few of my UFO's and put my fabric on comic books supports before doing more.

In August I got the Merilee's numbered quilt pins and they have made my life simplier. I no longer have to write numbers on paper or scraps of fabric to number my rows and columns of squares when I go to sew them together.

I'm not sure I can narrow it down to just one thing. The very top of my list is my Martelli Ergo 2000 rotary cutter. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that cutter. When I helped out at my friends quilt shop, I took my own cutter. #2 on the list is my Tutto rolling bag and serger bag. When I go to retreats if it doesn't fit into those two bags it doesn't go. I'm really surprised at how much use I get from the serger bag, I had to be talked into getting it. #3 the vibrating pillow -- although there's got to be a cheaper version. This is not so much for me, but for my husband. He's worn 2 of them out!

The Dublin 4 in 1 LED light and magnifier by craftlite Converts from floor model to table top to clip on and has battery adaptability. 21 LED lights surround the magnifying lens and there is no distortion.

Elaine's goatskin leather thimbles in extra small. They are hard to find.

My night shirt that I wear at quilting retreats! It reads "eat. sleep. quilt."

Most expensive item I love my juki sewing machine with a large throat only goes back or forwards but great for FMQ. NOw adays I spend weeks before a show looking for new gadgets or ideas to look at before a show and not spend hours wandering. Love the expectation of finding them but most of all love having a sit down and chat with new friends about their quilting and purchases, usually it is husbands I chat to they know so much about quilting.( I live on my own and rarely speak to a male).

I boughtmy first Bernina embroidery machine. I bought one of the demo machines. Got me hooked!

My Walk The Walk shoes. I love them! It was the busiest booth at the 3 quilt shows Ive been to recently

I actually have two best buys----the first was my Gammill Premier (she and I don't always get along---but I am sure glad I have her); and a small little ruler that I use for binding. I put the binding on in long strips and join them at the corners into mitered closed corners. Couldn't do without either.

The worse thing I ever bought was my Tin Lizzie Long Arm quilter. The best thing is the Nolting Long Arm that I replaced it with after only 2 and one half years.

My Beba cutting mat 2 years ago at the Hershey show. I love it so much I searched out that they were attending the Oaks, PA show so I went and got a larger (30" by 58") mat. Also a seam ripper that looks like a pointed/curved razor blade.

I have never been to a show - I don't know if I will ever get to one. But listening to all of you and seeing the quilt pictures, I feel like I haven't missed a whole lot. I feel like I am at my own little private show and see what you all have done and what got you to where you are and what you use and what is best. I learned about the Side Winder (which I love), I learned about the inexpensive Harbor Freight rotary blades, which I bought cheap and am still using them with no problems whatsoever and I learned about the Fabri-Calc which I take with me when I go fabric shopping and I love it! So, thanks to all of you, I don't feel like I missed that much. And the money I save will get me more fabric to make more quilts and table runners and enjoy! Edie

Ditto. None of my friends are quilters so it's nice to discuss things with other women (usually). You can just strike up a conversation with anyone at a quilt show and they know what you are talking about. I have tried to share my love of quilting with my friends and although they are kind, they just aren't interested.

I think though you've learned alot on here if you ever went to one you'd love it. I went to my first a few yrs ago and went everyday except for Sunday and that was because that's when I start my work week and couldn't go. I have 6yr old grandson who loves going and seeing the quilts. When it's getting close to the show we use this as a bargaining chip to get him to behave or clean his room. He loves talking to all the venders, Martenile (wrong sp) even let him work their table that lifts up and down with a button. He loves the quilts and wants pictures of them all except for the mini ones about the size of a placemat because she says "GiGi, those aren't really quilts". I laugh at him.
The first yr my DD went with me and she found a fabric that I'd been looking for to finish a quilt that was already started; that was great. I don't buy many fabrics because for the most part I can find the same ones in our area for about the same price. I did buy some for jackets when I went down to Raleigh's expo this yr; that was a great show and I loved the classes. I'll go next yr and be more prepared (money wise) to take more classes. In NC I also got into dyeing fabrics so I got the special dye for that. Along with a few jacket patterns. Here one of the things that I got is a ruler organizer that goes on the wall and it holds my big rulers and I have one that sits on my cutting table for the small rulers. I want another one next yr when it comes to town. It was easy to put on the wall and even my biggest 14 x14 rulers fit in it. This past yr I also got some silk ribbon for flowers and really good deals on my thread for embroidery. I mainly just like to walk around and see what all is out there. It seams each day I see something that I didn't get to see the day before, even though I know it was there. So I may buy a little each day I try to wait until the last day to buy in case I see a better deal or something that will do the job better. If you get the chance to go you would enjoy it. I now prebuy my passes so its cheaper and you get more benefits

That's how it is for me, too! I even have lots of church friends who love to sew and some even quilt, but not with the same interest as me (which doesn't make me any better!), so I love to roam at a show and listen to other's talk and then pick up some fun fabric or a notion or two. This past summer I stopped to get some lunch and ended up talking to 2 MI ladies who had quilts in the show! They were so kind and interesting~they thought I ought to try entering a quilt in a show, but I don't think I have the talent or patience, so I'll just enjoy the looking!

Lynnie, I am sooooooo glad you explained that your brooklyn revolver was a lazy susan!!!

Google it. There are tutes and it helps with curved seams.

My best buy is BoNash bonding powder and a non stick ironing sheet in a kit. I use the pressing sheet on many applique projects. The BoNash powder is the same product as the wonder under or other fusible products.

My favorite item was a purse kit with pattern, all the fabrics need to complete, trim and a cd with 3 embroidery designs. Cost about 35.00 was sooo well worth it. All the profit went to local women's/children's shelters. This group offered new fabric combos for the next few years. The pattern had several "versions" so you could make several designs. I proudly carry the one bag I have completed, as a tribute to women and their children who have survived abuse.
I look for unusual fabrics and ideas. Someday I may get to work less and play more!

I love going to Quilt Shows! I can't go as much as I would like due to being my husband's caregiver.
However, there are so many ideas there; and if I want to buy quilting books I can look through them before buying. (To be honest I often buy them later online at a cheaper price!)

Two things come to mind. This year DH bought me the Janome Horizon at the quilt show in Augusta. That is my birthday, anniversary and Christmas present for years to come. The other was a quilt kit purchased at the same show but years earlier from a quilt show in KY or TN, forget which one. It was so much fun to put together and hangs over the bed in the guest room.