I have been lurking on this board for some time, feeling shy about joining because I'm such a beginner. (An 'older' beginner -- I'm well into my fifties -- but a beginner nonetheless!) I came to quilting because I have always been so dazzled by quilts new and old -- their variety and sophistication is astonishing. Also, I have a serious jones for fabric, and (who knew?) an equally serious jones for old sewing machines. It started with an Elna Grasshopper, which I bought at a yard sale about a million years ago for $10, and spiraled from there. It's hard to pass up lonely, unloved older machines, so I find myself adopting additional strays when the price is right. I really enjoy reading the posts here and find much useful information, especially about bringing these older machines back to life. (Special thanks to Billy for his advice on cleaning and repair.) Also, everyone is so friendly! Someday I hope to post a photo of my still-in-progress very basic nine-patch quilt, so chosen because I'm deathly afraid of those scary triangles. Anyway, thank you all.