I think the fact that machines like the Feather Weights are so acurate and will stand up to the abuse of packing around to classes etc. make them a great partner for quilters. Most of us who have older machines like them for those reasons. My husband has now been smitten by the beauty of the older machines and currently we have 4 FW (he's restoring two of them) a Singer Fiddle Base, a childs teaching Singer, a white, a Wilcox & Wilson, a New Home, a Pfaff and a couple others. We've been able to purchase a display case and display them along with various acessories at Boardwalk Quilt Shop in Long Beach, WA. What a kick.