What is a Stitch Worth?

Last week I spent a bit of time drooling over sewing machines. Not my own of course, but the machines in the fabric store that has many models with a variety of bells and whistles. There are the basic machines that sew. Imagine that? Then there are the next-step-up machines that are electronic and pre-programmed with stitches, thread tension, and other things that make sewing a bit simpler. From there, it gets a bit out of hand. 

I am in the market for a machine that does what my current machine does but maybe a wee bit better. When I began doing some free motion sewing I wanted the machine to regulate the stitch length because I can’t be trusted. I slow down and speed up too often and I can see the error of my stitching ways. Of course, that does exist, but it comes at a cost, and not a small one. ‘

The machines I looked at also have larger bobbins. Why does that matter? Have you ever had to wind a bobbin multiple times during a project? Let me say, it’s annoying. The machine I am leaning toward has 70% more thread once wound. I’m a math person and will hedge my bets at 70%!

Now comes the decision point. Is it worth the cost? How many seams must a person sew to make a sewing machine worth the expense? If I sew 1 million stitches each year (which is actually less than I sew because my machine is smart enough to tell me that) and the machine costs $1,000,000 that’s only $1/stitch. This machine costs nowhere near that amount. It’s way less than a penny/stitch. 

What should I do? Would you jump?