I sew and quilt on my 1986 Pfaff 1471 all the time. I have a fancier Brother 1500D and it is a good machine but I still go back to my Pfaff. It is one of the first computer ones and I paid $1000 for it which I thought was terribly expensive at the time, but believe me I have gotten my money's worth out of it. I have never had to have many repairs, just minor things like a new cord for the foot pedal, plus servicing. I understand now you can hardly get parts for it but I will use it until it can go no more, love that machine.