While considering what you want to have for yourself, try to practice on a sitdown machine like the HQSweet16. I won a free long arm class with a master quilter who is an excellent teacher, but after 3+ hours standing up at the machine I was physically very uncomfortable. I felt that it would take a LOT of practice at her usual fee (I think it was $20 and hour to rent time), and I am really not drawn to that type of quiting. The sitdown machine is only a fraction of the cost of a long arm, and includes an adjustable height table. If you like using your machine, it is a similar activity. You might be able to fit it into your home a lot easier, too. I'm trying to figure out how to pay for one, but feel sure it's what I want.