I usually prefer myou(make your own up) I find that way you can vary the threads a bit and I also think they are cheaper because I usually have most of the materials.
I have had some horrible experiences with kits especially when the threads come in a bundle, one kit I bought recently took me a friend and my partner hours to sort out so now if I buy a kit I make sure that the threads are sorted.
I used to be an exclusive myou, but recently I've been buying kits and it's worked out really well. I have lots of threads, it's the fabrics -- especially some of the more unusual ones -- I don't have. So kits are good if you want to try a new fabric but don't want to buy more than you might need.
The real problem, though, with myou is the extras: beads and things like that. If you only get the chart, how do you track down all the other bits?
I would say half and half.I buy Cross stitcher and do some things from there and have done a couple of charts like the christmas one I told you about. Most of the kits I've done are dimensions infact I'm doing 'Maggie the Messmaker' ,'Blessed Santa' and 'Elegant Palm' at the moment.
I don't know about anyone else but I think the dimensions floss is thinner than dmc and I really think it gets into knots more than dmc. Maybe its just me.
I definately think it's cheaper making up your own. Dmc Foss in Dubai works out about 23 pence. Is that cheap?
I have only bought 2 kit my whole life (one was a wedding present) the rest of the kits I've done has either been gifts or I've won them as prizes in magazines/online.
Due to our financial situation, I cannot afford to buy the kits, as I find them very dear, but make my own from designs in magazines or online. At the moment I'm in a little bit of pickle, as I need to buy threads... normally i'll make sure I got enough before I start, but I didn't have similar colours in my Anchors, and had to start with the Madeira silk threads... and have run out of most! lol! Luckily I've found a place online that sells them, as my local store doesn't.
I tend nowadays to buy charts or get patterns online, unless it is a kit that I really want to do. Used to do kits when I first started stitching.
As I have stitched for many years I had built up a fair collection of DMC threads, but recently decided to buy all the outstanding ones as like Catkin in Dubai I can get them in Saudi for about 23p a skein. So now I have the whole collection with the exception of one or two which the store didn't have in stock. Only problem with buying the outstanding ones in one go was putting them onto bobbins, but have got them and stored away in five bobbin storage boxes.
i have only bought one kit because i really wanted the pattern. I ended up destroying the floss and using my DMC floss as the kit floss was breaking on me and knotting up plus the time to seperate the colours ugh. i ahve been stitching about 20 years and do my own as i find it alot cheaper.
Floss here in canada is pretty cheap. Right now it is on sale 3 for $1.00 cnd which makes that about 50p. Floss is cheap but the patterns are not. Adia cloth we can get 14 count for $13 a meter ( 6.50 pounds) so i don't know if thats cheap. the average pattern here is about $15-20 (7.50 - 10 quid) what do patterns run there. Hey i know i won't be complaining about the cost of DMC floss anymore as its alot cheaper then you guys. May be you could buy in bulk from a canadian supplier and have it shipped
Kits seem less effort to me, although they are very expensive, i don't have enough threads in my collection yet to make much more than cards and stuff.
I very rarely use kits, the are tooo exensive and I hate sorting out the threads. I have all the DMC colours and I have lots and lots of patterns , more than I will probably do in a life time, but I will try to finish them all. lol
When I first started, I bought some kits, 2 of which I still have and not done. The other, a Christmas Rocking Horse, took me awhile to do, but I really like the way it came out. Now, since I have so many charts, and nearly completed my collection of DMC floss, I make my own, though I can only get 14ct aida where i live. No beads, evenweave, linen, specialty floss, etc. But, I don't complain, because there are others that can't get even that.
fairie56, I got quite some evenweave, if you'd like it. I can't really sew on it, so you're more than welcome to have a couple of packs (got plans to sell the rest on e-bay! lol!). Let me know if your interested, and I'll tell you what I got, and I'll be more than happy to sent it to you! I'm afraid I got no beads or anything though.
I prefer not to use kits as I don't think the tread is as good as what DMC makes. Like some of you have found out the thread tends to knot and break. I also like to mix different items from differnt patterns and make my own unique picture. I have done a few kits but not many.
I was complaining about the price of floss here until I found this forum and realized how much it costs in Europe. WOW we get it for a song.
I am not creative enough to make my own up. I use magazines to get charts or buy charts/kits.
I have found a seller on ebay who sells all dmc and anchor for 25p each and light effects for 80p each. My nearest hobbycraft store wanted 49p for dmc and 63p for anchor and 1.20 for light effects. No contest is it. This seller also sells stitch bows for those who use them, and fabric, but I think they only do white aida, but dont quote me on that.
so now if I buy a kit I make sure that the threads are sorted. 
