Karen, I beg to differ with you. I teach sewing and quilting and have talked to my sewing machine repairman about machines, as I have to recommend to my students from time to time. He has said to stay away from all new Singers, as Singer has sold out, and all of their new machines have trouble, and are mostly junk. He recommends a high end Brother or Baby Lock as the best new ones being made now, and the best for the money. Others have said the same thing about new Singers. The older ones made by Singer are great. It is too bad the new company keeps putting Singer name on them when they are really not worth the money.