I use my decorative stitches a lot. They are especially useful for applique. In addition to the decorative stitches, there are some utility stitches that are included with the pretty ones. One of my stitches is two stitches forward and one back, which does well for embroidering lines on applique pieces. The longer I have my machine, the more I use the decorative stitches. You could probably get by without them, but I'm glad I have them. More than I thought I would be.