I love my little Janome Jem Platinum. It's a small, lightweight machine with a speed control, and a needle up-down feature. Other than that, not many bells and whistles. Because it's lightweight I don't use it for machine quilting (sewing the top, batting, and backing together) but for piecing it's my favorite. I also have a mechanical Bernina which is heavier in weight and which I do use for machine quilting. I prefer a non-computerized machine (though my little Janome does have a computer in it) because long after the brains are gone out of the computerized machines, the mechanical machines keep truckin' along. I still sew with my mother's 1970's era Viking-Husqvarna, a good machine in its time, and one which has held up well over the years. So -- bottom line, I guess, is this: For quilting you need a machine that can sew a straight line. Really, there isn't much else necessary, other than that. You may want to try something like an entry-level Brother, which would not be terribly expensive but would give you a chance to see whether you like quilting. Let us know what you decide!