Shootingstar,

Check out the TOL Babylock. There's a camera in there so you can align up everything perfectly. You can see it through the computer screen and adjust. Wish my Ruby had that feature installed.

Sewing machines have drastically changed over the years. My mom is terrified of a computerized sewing machine. She won't admit it, but she gets all confused.

I love my Viking Ruby sewing/embroidery machine. It's touch screen and I just go through the menus as needed and make the adjustments. It cuts the threads, the bobbin stops when it's out, the hoops move back when I need to change the bobbin, and all the other extras.

That being said, You don't need that fancy of a machine, but it's nice to have if you do a lot of sewing. There are so many great machines out there at different price points depending on your needs. The only thing I wouldn't do is buy a Wally World one. It's the same as buying a bike. You get what you pay for in a bike or a machine in a retail store.

It blew my mind looking at bike prices when I first starting shopping. It's just a bike right? 1000 dollar sewing machine gets you a lot of features. 1000 dollar bike is considered low end with components and the prices go up from there into the thousands for better bikes.

Patterns aren't cheap and a lot of the clothing fabric out there isn't cheap either. I don't worry about it too much since clothing drives me nuts. My mom can look at any pattern, draft it out and sew it up with ease. I can barely cut the pattern without it ripping. I hate tissue paper patterns. LOL.

I can design and make a queen size quilt, but a shirt would make me curse the entire time I was making it.

I did tell my mom that I want her mechanical Bernina someday. They don't make machines like they used to even if does everything.