Okay...that's where I was going with this...it is an expensive startup...but you don't have to have everything in your first piecing machine... better to have one or two of the best tools, and fabric and instruction classes and no regrets for investing in more machine than you need. There's always a machine that will do more down the road. Give yourself a chance to find out which of the options you'll personally want when you personally know what a difference they'll make in your production. I've got buddies that use simple straight stitchers when they're going to bees, group sews, etc... and have expensive computerized machines at home... piecing doesn't require bells and whistles... look into the smaller, lightweight, less expensive machines...give yourself a little time to grow into the machine of your future. I do all my sewing on a vintage Singer Featherweight...light and simple and no need for professional maintenance. I keep talking myself out of newer machine....but I have my eye on the AQS 2009 for some of the fancy features...it's still a small machine that I could carry.