There was a period of about 20 some years when I did no sewing. Becoming a single mother and going to work fulltime and raising two kids took everything out of me. Then when my daughter became an adult, she said that I needed something to do and waiting until retirement to sew again was silly, and we embarked on quilting together. We bought cheap Kenmores and started. (Which by the way are stil going strong! Good machines.) A few years later she bought me my first Pfaff.
Now she has had to give up sewing for a while - too busy, house is too small, husband is ill. She misses it and will come back some day.
So yeah - like 20 years or so!