Sorry to be the naysayer here, but I have owned one since January 2010 and have had nothing but problems. It has been sent back to Singer twice already (to Tennessee, because there is no service center anywhere around me). I have posted here in the past about the problems I've had with the machine. I would be extremely cautious about the L-500. I've owned Singers most of my sewing life, but this one is a huge disappointment.