Originally Posted by
TanyaL
No, you misunderstood. When a beginner has asked in different threads what is needed to begin quilting; what should they have, what should they be wary of, etc. Many members have recommended buying the best sewing machine they can afford; buying the best fabric from a LQS as many members are very vocal that big box stores do not carry fabric of sufficient quality to warrant the effort involved in quilting. There has been much advice offered by some members along that line while some members offer more practical advice. But most of the advice is geared to buy what you can afford to spend implying that if you can afford to start with a $5000 sewing machine then get it, if you can afford a $300 machine get that. My question implied that the beginner status would have nothing to do with what person could afford, but what would do the job. And when the skill level exceeded the tool then a more expensive tool with more capabilities was a practical consideration. No one seemed to consider the poor beginner who could afford the $5000 machine and got and discovered quilting was boring for her. And the questions were geared to the artist quilter not the hobbiest. The hobbiest will spend anything for the sake of the hobby. The artist will spend what is needed to further the art. The art for the artist is the main thing and the striving to achieve something different and original and compitive is a driving force for an artist. That's why galleries are so full and the field of fine arts, fiber arts, etc. is so popular.
I understand what you're saying. My husband is a musician, and he would never recommend buying the caliber of instruments he owns to a beginning payer.
However, what I think you might be missing is the rest of the sentence: "Buy the best you can afford"...to spend on a new pursuit, something you aren't sure you'll continue past a year. Most of us just assume the reader has enough common sense not to spend $5k on a lark -- unless it's a negligible sum for HER, since budget is a relative thing. If it fits her budget to try something new in an expensive way, why not spend the money if she wants? In the vast majority of comparisons a more expensive machine really WILL be better than most cheaper ones, and she can always sell it later if she decides not to continue quilting.
Yes, some people are brand snobs, true of ANY type of group. Everybody has their thing, some with good reason and some not. But for the most part we're a group of people who've been through the fires and know ourselves, and trust others to know what's best for themselves, too.