Yesterday I took the day to visit the local sewing machine dealers and actually try out some of the newer machines. I wasn't easy to impress having only sewn on my 35 year old Kenmore, but I was really surprised to see that the new machines in my price range (I foolishly thought that $1000 would buy me somthing "high end") didn't have any more harp/throat/working space than what I had now!
I was also surprised to learn that the Babylock machines I've heard so much about are made by Brother. I'd always thought of Brother as a lower end machine but they really aren't. Well, they do have lower end machines, but their higher end ones are truly top of the line. They are clearly Babylocks with a different paint job. I guess if you buy Babylock you're just paying for the name.
I was fortunate to be able to speak to some good people and got a real education in what is going on with sewing machines today. I've decided to wait and save up more money so that I can get my dream machine (which is for now the Brother Dreamweaver VQ3000 but that is subject to change
with not only a larger throat space but some bells and whistles as well. If I can live frugally for a few months I will buy a very nice Christmas present for myself