Just a thought for you about my experience with a local dealer. She sold me my machine, offered free classes that were only available as a group thing, and when I asked her about individual classes because I have learning disabilities, she offered to charge me by the hour! I love my machine, but I got no classes, no instruction, and now that dealer no longer handles the brand I bought, and "will no longer be offering servicing" so I use the local Mr. Fixit for problems, and found a yahoo group for owners of my machine that I can go to with questions. I agree that the money you save buying online will buy lots of fabric and tools to play with.