Favorite Pilates exercises anyone?

If you're into muscle toning and regular resistance training, are you into Pilates? The renowned stretching and toning exercise method (which is good beyond that of course) is great for millions of people.

The problem is the cost of nicer Pilates equipment. Do you use bargain Pilates equipment or have you made your own? I know a few people who have made their own tables and the quality was outstanding.

It's interesting to me to see some people make their own equipment, which I think gives them more of an incentive to actually engage in the exercise, due to pride in having made the equipment they are working on.

What Pilates equipment do you use, and how does it work overall?