Quiltingboard Forums - Brand new to quilting

The 12000 is not completely insane for a beginner. Ask me how I know! I restarted sewing by starting to quilt on a viking emerald 118 that I purchased in November 2012. Made at least 8 quilts including a king size on that little machine. Loved it. Then I thought I would like to teach myself machine embroidering. I did quite a bit of research and decided between a couple of machines. The 12000 was not even thought of as a possibility until I went to a local sewing center and spent an entire day testing out different machines. The shop said they would sell me the floor model which was just taken out of the box when I asked to try it for 60% off . I ended up bringing the machine home with me and have been in love with it.
The machine is self explanatory and is a piece of heaven to sew with...oh boy what a difference between the two machines I have. The more you use it and try out various techniques the more you gain confidence. It is definitely something to hone your skills with as you continue to sew/quilt. The best part is the various sizes of hoops.
I found that I like to do larger and more complex embroidery designs, which require a larger hoop than 5x7. It is so much fun.
for the past 2 months , I have been working on a quilt that has redwork embroidery blocks . Love coming home from work and sewing. The machine even has a sewing guide attachment for perfect seams. In addition to 20 feet. Still learning those but primarily use it for embroidering and quilting. I suspect pricing will be reduced as the new 15000 will be launched to the public in the next few weeks. The sticker price is out of my league . Needless to say, is the 12000 a lot of machine for a beginner - no.
Everyone has different preferences when it comes to machines. My advice is if you like it then find a way to get it.