you can use any machine in good working condition. you do not need anything special to make good quilts, only the desire, motivation and gumption to do it...and practice. plenty of people use their grandmothers old singer, or an old treadle, a $89 brother from walmart or a $5000 viking from a dealer is going to make the same great quilts...as long as the machine stitches a nice consistant stitch nothing else really matters...the rest is just (icing on the cake)