I have a 10 needle, I started 12 years ago with an inexpensive Brother. Doesn't matter what machine you have or what you want to buy. You need to go to a dealer and test drive a machine. They will sit down and do their demo, but you need to sit down, thread it, change the bobbin, hoop something, make sure you can read the screen. Some of the less expensive models have do not have clear images of what you are embroidering. Ask to be shown how to go back a few stitches in case the thread breaks. As how to forward it to the next color in case for some reason you want to skip forward. Make sure they tell you how to transfer designs, not just how to use the ones in the machine. It should have a USB port so you can download designs from the internet with it. The machine should have some software built in for simple editing, and color changes. Purchasing software can be very expensive. Check into Embrillance or Embird. Very inexpensive and you can just purchase the basic module for starting out. Also, make sure the software is compatible with your computer, some are not compatible with MAC. Starting out you do not need $1000. software, if it comes in a package deal, tell them no and ask for a price reduction. You will need stabilizers, and thread, lots of both. I like iron on mesh for t-shirts, ironing it on keeps it from stretching when hooping. A medium cutaway is a must have on my list and for doing towels I like a medium tearaway. When embroidering towels, fleece or anything fluffy, I use a water soluble on the top to help keep the stitches from sinking into the fluffy fabric, it will get lost and won't been seen very well. I have black stabilizer for black t-shirts, beige for lighter thin fabrics, I mostly use white. I buy prewound bobbins, I do wind my own for some things. If you choose to wind yours you will need bobbin weight thread and of course bobbins that fit your machine. I purchased a bobbin winder from Brother. Do not buy any after market hoops, or fancy hooping aids until you get used to your machine and figure what you really need. The issue of thread is a tough one. I use embroidery thread, polyester, I get most of it from Metro Threads. I have tried some of the big name brands and a few other off brands. My machine will take anything, never have had any problems. Some people say their machine doesn't like xyz brand, the machine doesn't know what brand you use. It's probably a tension problem or some dark colors I've heard do break a lot, I don't know why. If a design calls for Floriani #123 yellow, you can use any color yellow you want. The machine will tell you to put #123 on but you can put any color number or color you want, it won't know you put green on instead of yellow.