Hello, I am new also, I watched my grandmother quilt by hand so I knew enough that I was not going that way. A local quilt shop had Mr Floyd (owner of Tin LIzzie) in to demo the new Tin LIzzie 18LS.....I took her for a test drive and it was very, very nice.....and, a lot cheaper than others on the market. A friend had a JUki and burned it up......but, after many, many hours of sewing.....another person I know has a Juki and the throat space is very small (like a regular sewing machine) therefore, she has to roll the quilt often. Check them out on line and read about them and you'll be able to decide. I do believe that I am going for the TL18LS. Good Luck! :-D