[Ansteorra] (OT - sort of) Bernina Artista 180 Machine Embroidery Software help?

[Traci]

Hello Everyone,

My Lord suggested I post to the list as we know that there are alot of
people out there with embroidery machines and thought someone might be able
to help.  Please contact me off-list with replies; my direct email is
traci at crimsonvision.net

I have long wanted an embroidery machine to use to embellish our garb & I
recently became an owner of a Bernina Artista 180.  It is in need of repair;
I went to a class on how to use it and an hour into it the machine died.
Was told yesterday that it needs the main circuit board replaced; $400+
later we'll have it back in just over two weeks.  While I was in class I
asked the teacher about what I needed to do to create my own embroidery
designs from images of my own (not editing images off cards but rather
starting from my own designs) and she told me I needed a Software Suite.
They just happened to have it on sale this week too! Great! I asked how
much; she said it's normal cost was $1900 but they were having the sale on
it for $1600.

I about fell off my chair. I had originally thought all I needed to do my
own designs was a 'magic box' which was going to cost me $2-300. Not that
big a deal. But $1600 for software?  It just seems like a crazy amount to me
for a cd. I've been watching ebay for something similar and saw a version 4
go for $700 but that was the lowest. I'm not really comfortable buying
software for that much without knowing that it will do what I need it to do
and I don't really trust the store to tell me what the LEAST amount of
software I need to get what I need done.

Help? Does anyone have an Artista 180 and the software I'm talking about?
is it worth it?  How easy was it to use?  Anyone know where I could get a
better deal on said software?

Thank you for your help!
Elizabeta