You are right. I haven't always had Bernina machines. When raising my children I took care of their needs first and simply used an old Kenmore machine that I worked and paid for while I was a senior in high school. When I first heard of Bernina, I certainly couldn't afford one. It was many years later that I finally was able to purchase one. Yes, I now have 3 of them plus a serger, each bought a few years apart. There are a lot of tools out there to quilt with and I've used my JoAnn's coupons and bought things one at a time. We should all remember and be sensitive to others and their ability to buy. Machines are like cars....some like Ford, some Chevy, some Honda, and the list goes on.....so while I wouldn't want to buy anything other than a Bernina, there are those who would only want a Janome or Brother or some other brand. Let's just all respect the other person's right to choose what they can afford and be supportive of those who are getting into quilting and can't just go out and buy every tool and loads of fabrics. I try to make every purchase count by looking at the tool and deciding whether or not I would really make use of it. I personally would love to see more people get into quilting..