believe me, we've "been there, done that, got the tshirt" with the budget (we've been married going on 45 years after all.... the deal with DH getting laid off when I was pregnant, laid off with 3 kids in school, no money for bills let alone food, etc etc - did all that.... so don't think we have money to toss around - if we did, I'd have a big fancy machine...
That said - the Bailey will certainly make quilts - and just like any other quilting machine where the operator is the one moving the machine, it's up to YOU how the quilt looks - the only way you get 'perfect' is one of those $$$45,000+ jobbies with a computer running it... not something most of us can afford...
I'm just saying that in this day and age, with what stuff costs, $2500 is NOT an outrageous amount for a really neat way to get your quilts done. I think the only other way any less $$ is one of the 9" machines and I can't see wasting the time, effort or money on them. We looked at them at the various quilt shops and frankly weren't impressed. We (meaning DH and I) knew we wanted something that still had room to maneuver after rolling a quilt on the rail.
Even the machines stretched from the Singer 201s cost more than a Bailey and the Bailey is a new machine.
Yes, I wish it ran faster, but in the overall scheme of things that's about the only major thing I'd change for the money... I also wish I did have thousands more to spend but that ain't happening...
I like to quilt - (make tops) I had a few done at the lqs and when I looked at the cost of having quilts done and then the $2500 for the 15" Bailey I figured I could do a whole bunch more quilts for the money....
You can only spend the money once (never mind that it can be taxed 20 gazillion times) - and you have several choices:
1. Get a Bailey
2. Get one of the 9" machines
3. Get a more expensive machine
4. Don't get anything...
nobody is making you make a decision, I'm just telling you that *I* am happy with my Bailey - sure I'd be even more happy with more "bells and whistles" but I'd also have to pay more money for the said bells and whistles...
I was willing to bypass those to get a machine with a long enough throat area to actually use....