Thank you all for your replies. Schoolteacher and I are going through the same experience. My mechanical Elna died a couple of years ago and I bought a gently used Bernina 1630 with owners manual and have been trying to fall in love with it ever since. I am determined that machine and I are going to become beyond good friends or even the best of friends but it is a tough go.
My next project is to figure out how to embroider words, the size I want them to be, with it.
I am determined and pig headed so it is going to happen. And your kindness and support are really appreciated.
All that "vini, vici ...." stuff and forward!
Pat