Originally Posted by Nanax4

I have a very old Kenmore machine for which I paid $50 at the outlet store...in 1978.
It's been great. It's electric, zig zags, I have *all* the fancy feet. But the motor is giving out.

Time for a new machine. I had no idea how much new machines cost, or what they could do. Oh my!
Long story short, I've fallen in love with the Baby Lock Crescendo. It does everything but vacuum!
For $4500.

I'm struggling. How do I justify such a fancy/costly machine???

I make quilts to give to relatives, sew clothes for the grandchildren, sew Halloween, ballet, and gymnastics costumes, alter my rtw clothes, mend, hem.

I'd started out looking Bernina's...too costly for what you get. I'm pretty frugal. I'd rather have a lesser machine and get more attachments/bells & whistles. I don't need top of the line. But I do love my gadgets!

I then looked at the Symphony, but realized that the Aria had an 11.25" harp space. To die for!!!!

I realized that by the time I bought the Mu-Vit foot for the Aria (their new dual feed foot) the difference in price between the Aria and the Crescendo was only about $600. And I really was attracted to that laser light, and the cool electronic pen.

This will probably be the last sewing machine that I buy. I'm 64, and hoping to retire in two years. If not now, when? I've always been frugal, have always gone without. It's time that I buy something nice for myself. I have the cash to pay for this, so I won't be financing it.

So....what do you guys think? Is this a good purchase? Will I be happy with it? How do I justify that expensive of a machine for the kind of sewing that I do? Or will I regret that I spent that much money on a sewing machine? The difference in cost between the Symphony and the Crescendo would buy a lot of fabric.

Help me sort this out!