Thanks for the Bernina info, I got one and a tip!!
While I was pondering what I was going to do regarding the purchase of a new machine AND while waiting for old Faithful Elna to be repaired, I made some string squares. I pieced them together on my granddaughter's little Brother we got at a yard sale. (I did discover I don't care for that machine!)
So I picked up Elna and she sewed along just fine and dandy. AND I picked up a Bernina 350 that came with a lot of stuff plus a quilting foot and a walking foot.
Here's the tip - I practiced with the quilting foot on the string square patches and I practiced some of the fancy stitches, and put the squares together with a little more batting and a nice backing and I have a bunch of nice pot holders and I got to practice machine quilting without having to maneuver a big 'quilt sandwich'!! Sew easy!!
You all have probably done this before but I feel like I discovered gold! LOL!