I agree with most of the other people who have posted. I quilted for years with a $200 second-hand Nelco. On really intricate blocks, I pieced by hand and have friends who still prefer hand piecing and hand quilting their work. All the expensive toys are nice to have but not essential to enjoyment of the hobby or the quilter's ability to produce beautiful work. One of the prettiest quilts I ever saw at the Paducah quilt show was made by hand because the quilter was a trucker's wife who liked to go with her husband and she just took her sewing basket with her and pieced blocks while he drove. By the way, I think it's great that you are so supportive. That's waaay more important than a high-end machine.