As someone else said, it just happens. I was given my first machine as a gift over 20 years ago by a boyfriend. I kept the machine but not him. After I got married, my husband bought me gifts; a serger one year, an embroidery machine another year, a 9" machine on a small frame another year. A friend gave me her old Wow, and I bought a Singer in a cabinet at a garage sale, and another 9" machine from a friend.
I have never purchased a machine from a dealer (not counting the serger that my hubby bought). The only machine that I don't use is the first one, from the boyfriend.

I have 7 machines. Mostly vintage singers with exception of my computerized quilt PFAFF. Each has there own features and strenghs (15 treadle, 15-91, 201-3, 285, FW).

I recenty learned to do basic repairs on them and it seems I always find them for around $20 or free. The art of sewing is lost on many! There is something about saving them that makes me feel good.

I recently purchased a Featherweight which I plan to use on rainy days in the RV while camping.

When one is serviced always have a machine to use. I set my machines in different parts of the cottage for different things. Juke on my long arm . Bernina ready for sewing any small quilt. Small portable machine now to take to classes.
I also hand sew so machines wait for me to come back. I also have janome and brother which do not work correctly having been dropped but still run them occasionally.also hav vintage machines which also play with .
I must admit I am single and live with 3 dogs who fall fast asleep with the running of the machines. They also snuggle while I play on the computer.

I'm a newish quilter and used to think exactly the same way. I quickly 'outgrew' my first Janome as the lack of 'needle down' drove me nuts. When I upgraded to a new Janome, it about paid for itself with the in-built thread cutter, lol. I can set the speed with the slider (with no foot control) which makes FMQ so easy - everything is controlled by your hands.

Having bought the first one in a half-price sale, I sold it for what I paid for it. :)

At a quilt show a few months ago, I saw a Pfaff Expression 4 demo. I was impressed not only by the throat space and IDT so I didn't need a walking foot, but the fact that there was an auto pivot feature. I can set it so that as soon as I stop sewing the presser foot lifts a little - a godsend for machine appliqué which I do a lot of.

I bought one from my local dealer a few months ago and the other week when I tried to FMQ on it for the first time, it skipped stitches. It's now back at the dealer and luckily I still have my Janome, which I take to class - the Pfaff is too big and heavy.

In short - until there's a machine that has all the features you want, has a huge throat, built in dual feed, yet is still light and easy to carry, people will probably need different machines for different things.

I only started quilting a couple of years ago but had three machines by the end of the first year, a second hand Pfaff, a new one (bigger throat for FMQ) and a Janome Jem for classes. I have given the older Pfaff to my DSD after we did some sewing together and she loves it, so now I have two. That's probably how it will stay.
Annie

for a long time i had (2) machines- my big machine---viking, with embroidery unit---and a small 1956 singer---the singer i took to classes, i didn't like hauling the viking around-
and when the viking needed service i had a back-up to use...the viking (croaked!)
and thank goodness for that little (old) stand-by singer- i still am able to sew a beautiful straight stitch while shopping for a new machine.
used to have 3 or 4 brother's and a white too---for the kids, grandkids, friends to use when taking classes, working on projects---i wound up allowing each to be (adopted) by the family member who loved it the most.

I have two. One for home a Husky/Viking Diamond 850 and one I take to class or to the cabin, an 8 year old Kenmore. The Kenmore is my favorite. The Kenmore needed some work and long story short, 3 months later, I still don't have it back. (someone wasn't doing their job, then the cords got lost and the machine got damaged then they still were not taking care of it. I can't get it back till I pay for it, Im not paying for it till it is fixed right) I am thankful for the Viking. Don't know when I'll get the Kenmore back, if ever. Supposedly around the first of February. I am now considering getting another back up machine, just need to decided what and find it.

We have a bunch of machines. One serger, a Pfaff, Babylock, several Singer Featherweights, a couple of old small machines (don't know the brand), an upholstery machine, an antique tailor's machine (very small in a case), a Grasshopper, etc. etc. Love them all! Mostly use the Pfaff and Babylock sewing and embroidery. Also have a small Babylock to take to classes. It's like collecting paperweights, only they are larger!

Right now I have my Bernina,which is my main machine, a Janome I bought last year when my Bernina was being serviced, a 1952 Featherweight, I use it for paperpiecing. A beautiful redeye treadle (sits in my diningroom) and an 1865 hand crank. Plus I have given sewing machines to 3 Granddaughters and 2 machines each to 2 of my daughters.

I guess I can compare it to pots and pans, your needs change and your skills grow. I have a 11 year old janome 10000 - then when quilting became my primary interest, I bought a husky 875q - larger harp, auto thread cutting. I bought a few singer featherweights - I take one to classes. My goal is have one each for my grand daughters for when they set up their own house. I now have a singer sphinx treadle (a prepper convinced me to have one), and I love it. And then there was this cute one - well - at least I have stopped buying pots and pans!! Oh by the way, the Janome 1000 has taken up permanent residence in my dd's house. She may be on her way to become a quilter!