Right after getting married in 1963 I bought a 1940s Necci-Elna. What a workhorse, burt only straight stitch. In my mind I thought I needed a machine with fancy stitches, so I bought a lightweight one with cams and put my old one on a garage sale. What a mistake! The old one would sew 4-5 layers of blue-drill denim while the new one would barely sew a couple layers of dress fabric. Live and learn. Traded that one in after a year on a newer model w/out cams, just a few fancy stitches. After about 10 years gave it away and bought a computerized Singer which is ok. Two years ago, sewed on my SIL old husqvarna #1 and fell in love; so I bought a used #1+ which I absolutely love. I also have two that were given to me: a Singer slant needle and a Montgomery Ward in a cabinet which is also a workhorse. I also own two sergers, one of which is new (many new features over my 20 year old one). Think I will stick with the old workhorses. I am sewing machine poor but each has its own reasons for staying here in my home...

Now I look back and wish that I had the money that I have spent on what I thought I needed...

I too am in your shoes I dream of an HQ 16 sit down machine but Not in the budget right now but I can dream.

I say Amen to that!! (It's hard, though)

I understand completely and agree you /we should be grateful for what you/we have.....but dreaming is okay too!
I wanted a tin lizze longarm for about 10 years. I could never afford a new one, and never found a second hand one I could afford until this past Feb. I found it on kijiji for $2000.00. It was 4 years old so this was an unheard of price.
I tried it, fell in love ,thought long and hard about it and took my annual bonus and bought it. So dreams do come true!

This reminds me of upgraded technology. Everyone wants the latest Apple or android phone, but not many use all the features that you pay for. There will always be a bigger better more featured machine coming out next month or next year. But my 47 year old Kenmore handles upholstry fabric without a hitch while I have had to have my 1+ repaired twice because it couldn't handle heavy fabric.
Thanks to one of the other posters for mentioning the LQS teaching and renting time on LA machines. I am lucky that there is one only 15 min from me. I am going to sign up for the class and time on the machine this fall. We are in the process of downsizing and moving into hopefully our final home. I too look around at all the things I thought I needed but now have to get rid of and wonder how I could have better spent the money.
The good thing about renting LA space at the LQS is that there is always someone there to help if you run into problems and you are with a community of like-minded souls.
Now if only I hadn't bought all that upholstry fabric because it was a bargain!

So very true. I have had the same problem. My cans don't keep up with my wants. But, I just have to realize I need to be satisfied with what I have. God Bless

Beautiful post. Sometimes though, you can "have your cake and eat it, too." That is, you may be able to quilt on a sitdown at a dealer without having to buy one. By the way, you might also look at HQ Sweet Sixteen which I personally think is a better machine with fewer problems and made in USA. I fell in love in one at a quilt show a few years ago and test drove them whenever I got to a show. Then I discovered that a local machine quilter sells them and she would let me use hers. Often you can pay a reasonable fee to use one to do your quilt. I did eventually buy a demo machine from her, and now I'm open to having people use mine to do their own quilting. So look around, and see what is available near you. There are good used machines much more reasonably priced, too. Tiara and Sweet 16 are basically the same machine, and it's just such fun to use them.

just got a tin lizzie 18 and while am still learning.... love it already!

I am content to let my friend do the longarm quilting. She is exceptionally talented and discounts her prices for me! My DH offered to get me "any machine I wanted," but I am happy with just piecing away on my $189 portable Brother. I was tempted by a Pfaff Passport until yesterday, when I realized it was really similar to the one I already own (and it kept jamming). I am grateful to have a machine that is simple and not tempermental. :)