If offered in your area through your district school, see if they offer "getting to know your machine" type class.

I thought this also. I read a post a few days ago about a woman who bought a machine and while she didn't actually apologize for it not being top of the line, she did seem a little defensive. I think we all need to remember that we buy what we can afford at the time. If we all waited for money for top of the line, none of us would have ever started quilting. Personally, if the machine works and it is all you can afford, buy it! If you lose interest in quilting, then you haven't invested a lot and can pass it on. If you love it and wear out your machine, then you can upgrade. Please never apologize for not being able to immediately afford something expensive. We all have budgets.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. There's NO excuse for such rudeness to customers! Reminds me of the scenes in Pretty Woman when she is treated like trash at a dress shop, then goes back when transformed and says "Huge Mistake" and flaunts the sales they lost out on. Back in the late 80's I took my 1st quilting classes, and though the LQS didn't sell machines there were several unfriendly comments about my "old" '76 Kenmore- by teacher and classmates. It bugged me, and I didn't take any more classes. Moved upstate, and about 2 years ago I took a class on beginning FMQ using my Brother CS6000i- never learned a thing. Instructor spent her time newbies how to thread and put feet on their fancy Bernina machines, and again there were snide potshots. There are a few "machine elitists" in the Guild I joined, and much worry about damaging expensive machines hauling them to and from sewing sessions. My machine is very light, has 60 stitches, table and many feet included in the package, and didn't cost as much as a car! Bought it used from another quilter. Still have the Kenmore that I use to teach some newbie sewers at a charity group. No one should be intimidated- sewing isn't brain surgery. Love the old metal machines- much more sturdy, and easier to maintain without the expense of a mechanic!

It's all about business, someone wants to shame you into buying expensive machines. It's like putting on pants on leg at a time. Any sewing machine must sew a straight line, and that can give you all kinds of pretty quilt tops. Plus people like that get off on making themselves feel better by belittleing you. You are a good person. Quilt on!

The same people who look down on me for buying a used, older model Janome that I could afford, also look down on me for driving an 11-year-old Toyota Camry (with 84 thousand miles, not a scratch on it, and it runs like a top). Both "machines" are in "like new" condition, and are paid for, and work well. Why should I go into debt just to satisfy some snob who thinks owning the newest and best is just "the cat's meow". I am so far beyond caring what other people think about my belongings, that I just let it go over my head. So don't let it get to you. Besides, I quilt better than the couple of snobs I'm thinking of, and I think that ticks them off, because they have the super duper machines, and thus no excuse for not turning out wonderful quilts --- except they're lazy So they focus on resenting me and my "inferior" machine, when what they really resent is my energy, talent, ambition and perfectionism. Perhaps they do with you as well?

I remember my first quilt teacher saying to the class "As long as you can sew a straight line you can make a quilt". Most LQS are dealers for one or several brands so of course they want to sell you something. What she had no right to do was to try and belittle you or your machine. Think of all the members here who love their FW and other older machines. As EasyPeezy say, there is so much information out there. You don't need to deal with rude people. You can also get lots of help here, as well as lots of encouragement. Keep going and don't let people like this ill mannered woman discourage you.
Happy Quilting

Yep, there sure is. Some dealers won't even service machines if they aren't bought through them. Of course they're all mass produced. If they weren't they'd be custom and cost a lot more. I just found out. through talking to a Brother dealer, that Brother machines, as well as others, are built with a 10 year life expectency. That's nice to know. And that came from the service man who should know.

"I remember my first quilt teacher saying to the class "As long as you can sew a straight line you can make a quilt". See...THIS TEACHER was a very good teacher.. encouraging no matter what!

Several years back I had a friend who made a baby quilt with an old childs hand crank sewing machine. The little vintage ones? I about fell on the floor laughing, but it had been her daughter's BELOVED toy sewing machine and her daughter was having her first baby. THE BABY QUILT TURNED OUT DANG GOOD too...lol

Even tho' I've already posted I came back to say take your class IF YOU WANT (hopefully you can ignore the snobby woman).. and then keep your eye peeled for your "♥ quilt shop". Eventually, you'll find it and you'll feel great. When you walk in you'll feel like you're walking into your best friend's house. You'll know it when you find it. There are a few fabric stores in my area, but I love a smaller one were everyone is like sweet family.
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Want to have fun? Want to learn the "tricks of the trade"? Want to meet new friends who have the same love of fabric? Join a guild!!! No one is a snob there! We all share ideas, share machines, help each other to "grow" into our favorite techniques, tricks and expand our horizons, pieced, patched, recovered, appliqued - we all have fun.

I am an educator for a local sewing machine dealer and fabric retailer. We are dealers for 4 lines of machines and service all makes and models. The comment about "mass produced" machines I think is being misunderstood. Sewing machine companies produce machines specifically for the "mass merchandisers" (Walmart, Target, etc) that the dealers do not have access to. The dealers are also limited in their access to parts and service training for them. For the dealer who offers service on machines, I have seen a lot of people with machines purchased from the mass merchandisers leave our store very upset because we are unable to get parts or even service the machine and then blame us for being "machine snobs". As an educator, I try to not to take offense at these emotional moments because I have owned less expensive machines and try to help those who need to learn their machine, whatever brand. Yes, there are dealers who are machine snobs, but the very machine companies who they represent have sometimes forced them into that position by their own making.