I say don't play with the embroidery module until you are comfortable with the machine. At Bernina-USA website they have a few videos. Also the Thequiltshow.com, on the left column, they have videos using different Bernina feet, some of which you have in your computer. You need to relax, read the book and get to play. Enjoy your machine.

You got a wonderful machine. You will learn to appreciate that bobbin loading in front when you are doing an embroidery design and the bobbin runs out.

When I took my mastery classes the dealer simply followed some of the lessons in the mastery book. I found a site where you can download the mastery book for free, and there is a separate one for the embroidery unit:

http://www.byrnesewing.com/mastery.html

That should have you up and going in no time!

I also felt overwhelmed with my bernina. I got the 440QE. I was unable to get to the free classes but I just started out slow and added a few of the features as I felt comfortable with what I had learned. I wanted it for the stitch regulator to do stippling. It took reading and playing with it but i finally mastered using it. Just try to learn a few of the features at a time and you will soon feel comfortable with it. Don't give up. You can do it!

I don't have that machine or anything near as fancy, but I do have the brother SE270D. But what I would do is start with one thing about the machine read the book, learn it , practice and when you feel comfortable then move on to another thing. Also do not be afraid to ask lots of questions here and in the Yahoo groups.

For the embroidery on my machine it came with a book and I read that, studied and keep it right next to me. My machine did not have the options of classes, so it was all self taught . And I still learn new things all the time, but you won't learn if you don't try :thumbup:

Dear momwood
The ladies here have given some great advice. Just take it one step at a time. I bought my 640 a couple years ago and I am very comfortable with it. I'm sure with a little help you will be very happy. I will pm you if you'd like or please feel free to pm me and we can walk through the questions together. I have the time and would love to help you with your questions or whatever you need.

You will learn to love the front load bobbin case. I can refill a bobbin and change threads, ect while the work is still on the machine. I do not do embroidery, but I would think that is a feature you will be glad that you have.

When I feel like I just can't figure out how to do a new thing, I take a deep breath and look around at all the people who can do it. Then I ask myself, "Are all those people smarter than you are?" They can't ALL be smarter than me, so I start trying the new thing again. In the end I always figure it out.

I'm sure you can do this. Just don't let it intimidate you. It's just another type of sewing machine with a few fancier buttons.

Don't you suppose the ladies who got the first treadle machines were a bit intimated, too? If they had not overcome their fears, and kept buying those new fangled machines, we'd all still be doing nothing but hand sewing.

Can you make a day trip to go to your dealer? My dealer (man that sounds bad) is an hour and 45 minutes away, but if I plan to head out there (and get there when she opens at 11) she will make/schedule/create a class for me and she is pretty incredible.

Other than that -- the manual is your best bet. (and the boards)

I just bought a new machine, and then a month later an embroidery machine -- I'm using up some scraps learning how to use the special features on both! trial and error, and lots of scraps and random extra thread

You will NEVER believe this! I finally got the courage to try, thanks to you all, and I got it all out and tried to calibrate the embroidery module and it wouldn't respond so I called and the dealer tried to talk me through it and that didn't work so I had my husband take "us" in and the dealer said that something is wrong with my machine and I had to leave it. What luck! Anyway--- there you go--- my progress --- zero.
:? :?

Not true! You made lots of progress, you got it out and found out it's sick. And you had the courage to try to work it out and then made arrangments to take care of the problem. I call that progess! Way to go!