I started quilting on my old Kenmore. I'd read all the quilting blogs and see the gorgeous work others were doing on their expensive, fancy machines and I longed for one so very much. I just knew that if I had one like that, I'd be an incredible quilter and artist. A couple of years ago, I got what for me is an expensive machine. It does have a few features that are very convenient, mostly for free motion quilting, but more and more I find myself appreciating the old Kenmore. It's basic and it does the job. The new machine is finnicky and choosy about threads. I have to keep stopping and correcting settings when what I want to do is just power on through. Anyway, I hear great things about Juki machines and I think they aren't too expensive.