Sure can be expensive. Wife took up quilting. She has a 3k machine, a fabric cutting gizmo.....
http://www.accuquilt.com/fabric-cutters/go-fabric-cutter.html along with $500 or worth of dies (with more coming)
as well as several tackle style boxes full of odds and ends. She went to an estate sale a few weeks ago, this elderly woman had a 4000 square foot "hobby room" and was selling it all. Gave Ernie $400 or so, she spent it all on fabric. We now have half a dozen good size tubs of fabric.
Neighbor gave her a 1950's era sewing machine....she had a shop go thru it and tune it up. She is bugging me to get her another sewing machine, a simple non-embroidering one to carry to her club meetings. She belongs to one club, her friend is starting another one up closer to home.
We went to a shop in Athol ID a month or ago. They were using a long arm......$9500 sewing machine.....And we thought cars were pricey.....
But it is nice her interested in something. She has made a couple of small quilts already. Her first big one is nearing completion, do not think it will be ready for the quilting show next month but you never know. She has a few projects that she is working on while she is trying to finish her quilt.