I just love embroidery. I wouldn't be without my unit. Good luck with your decision.

I have several embroidery machines and love them, I have been able to use these in many ways with quilting as well as fancy embroidery on other items. You can make really great quilt labels as well. My Pfaff Creative Sensation will also allow me to use the regular and fancy stitches in the quilting mode. It just depends on what you want to do. But if you get the machine you will regret it later if you don't get the embroidery unit.

I started out with an embroidery machine and it was a huge learning curve. I did a lot of it, have 2 machines, but now am mostly using one as a regular sewing machine and concentrating on my longarm. I may go back to embroidery at some time

I have Viking machine and embroidery ..I wanted the embroidery so bad.thought of all I would do with it..bought all kinds of hoops ..thread..etc.I used it for maybe 6 months..I get total bored watching it.until it is time to change colors..plus there are only so many things u can use it for..I have all sorts of patients. So that isn't the problem.u can't just go do something else while it embroidery for long..there may be a problem.I haven't had it on in years now..and I do sew most every day..but only u know if this will happen to u..and if u care if it does..I keep all of my embroidery things..cause who knows..I may change my mind..plus one more thing..I have to keep an older lap top for my system..so I can put patterns on the blank card to use..after so many years..u have to buy a new program to up date the older machine..so the hundreds u spent to begin with isn't any good now..or u keep the older and use what u have ..I had put all kinds of patterns from the net .on thumb drives ..so I have all kinds to use..most of them free..it is all like every other thing with computers..they keep making more programs..so u either up date..or be happy with what u have..all that said..whatever u decide ..enjoy and follow your instincts..

I have had an embroidery machine since the early 90's, too. I have upgraded 3 or 4 times and now have the Pfaff Creative Sensation. I love my machine, and have never regretted buying it. My first embroidery machine was a Bernina. They are very expensive. My next machine was a Brother ULT and it had many more features and cost quite a bit less. Brother machines are very user friendly. The learning curve is not steep with a Brother and Brother accessories are a lot cheaper than Bernina accessories. I traded up to a Pfaff because the Pfaff at the time had the largest hoop. It definitely had a higher learning curve but the local quilt shop offered free classes for one year so it was not hard. I have upgraded my Pfaff twice and am so happy with the Creative Sensation. Not only is it an awesome embroidery machine, it is an awesome sewing machine, too. If I couldn't afford a Pfaff, I would get a Brother.

It is really hard to determine what you might use. Most of the Bernina shops have an embroidery club monthly I think why don't you see if they won't let you attend that and maybe you could just sit in on one of the classes for the embroidery module to see what all is involved. Also look at the samples they have using embroidery and ask yourself is that something I would like to do?

I have a cheap Brother that only does a 4 in design. It cost $300. It is a great little machine. I do 6 in quilt blocks with it. Made a table topper with leaves on it, a baby quilt with teddy bears, have blocks of nursery rhymes to use.
Have a stack of blocks with nice red work designs on them.
So far have only done red work patterns with it. Not into anything but quilting designs for blocks.
Did have to buy Ped-Basic for it. It only uses a card and would much prefer USB connection.
Would love to have a machine with a large hoop to quilt blocks with. Sure would save sending out to a long armer.

My input - I bought my Viking with embroidery unit when I was about 50 - thinking back, I have used it for many quilt labels, a large craft project for my daughters Nursing Assistant class, kitchen towels, embellishments for 2 quilts, and lots of playing around with designs to get the experience. I'm now 59 - it's been fun, but looking back, I really didn't need it or feel I got a lot of value out of it for the money I spent. The software for the digitizing is no longer compatible with my current computer, but I can still download designs from the internet and load them on a stick to transfer to the machine. I really just "had" to get this back when I was "young" personally now I think I'd pass. :) Oh ya, I just bought a Silhouette Cameo to try fabric cutting. With this quilting bug it's hard to stop once you get started!

I love my embroidery machine, but it is not a combination machine. I paid $750 for a brand new Brother PE770 that does up to 5x7" designs. I buy most of my designs from Embroidery Library, and usually on a good sale. I do not have software on my computer to look at the designs. I keep a printout of the design and the color changes with the design number in a binder. I look at the binder to decide which design I want, then I go to the computer and get that design number. I buy thread in 1400 yd cones and I shop online where the thread is no more expensive than good sewing thread. Yes, I spend more on thread because I want all the colors. The cost has not been an issue for me. I also have a high-end sewing machine that I bought on sale for less than $1500. Between the two machines I can do anything a nearly $8000 Bernina can do, and I am quite happy. I would never limit myself to 1 machine as I would be up the proverbial creek if it were in the shop. When my embroidery machine was in the shop (once in 5 years) I was still able to sew with my other machine. Besides, catastrophic failure of an $8000 machine would kill me!

I bought a Babylock Crescendo last year. I loved it, but I traded it in for a Babylock Destiny sewing/embroidery machine a month later. I don't regret trading up.