I've had mine for about 10 years and it's gone from my main sewing machine to my class machine as I've upgraded to larger Janomes. The beauty of the 3160 is its size and weight - around 12 pounds. The limitation is the throat space. If you are making small quilts such as lap quilts it should work fine with the quilting. I chose this machine before I started quilting and one of my criteria was for it to be able to sew on light weight as well as thick fabrics. It has done well. I hope you find the right machine for your needs.