I do piecing and free motion quilting on my Pfaff 2034 with no problem. It does take me a bit to get the FMQ foot attached but I think that's me. I do keep my older Pfaff 1209 on a table next to me that I wind bobbins on so I don't have to interrupt whatever I'm doing. They both use the same bobbin. I'm fortunate to have enough room to keep them plus a Singer 201 in a cabinet ready to sew. I should say the 2 Pfaff's are just sitting on a table. Yes the single needle throat plate is wonderful and helps make much nicer stitches, I don't understand why but it does.