I just bought a Viking Topaz 40 which is about the price range you are talking about. It has a lot of fancy stitches including a variety of applique stitches and quilting stitches. It does not have a stitch regulator....the only DSM machines that have that as far as I know are the mid and higher end Berninas. (I also just got a Bernina 590 too...ok, I may be a bit crazy). The Bernina has a stitch regular you can use with free motion quilting. but, it is higher than your price range. Both of these machines came with the embroidery arm and both came with some quilting embroidery designs you can use on your quilts. Neither of these two machines have those really huge throat spaces as I wanted a DSM that I could actually lift and carry around. I do have a long arm also for my quilting. Free motion quilting really does take practice. and some people decide they would rather quilt by check. If you go to sewing mastery . com. They have a lot of videos on both berninas and vikings.