Go to Walmart and buy the Brother with the embroidery hoop. Not only is it a good little light-weight machine, but you'll have one that can do embroidery as well. That's what I use mine for. Besides, it has 2 piecing stitches and it has the built-in cutter for cutting your threads. It works really well. You can always take it to the local shop that sells Brothers and they WILL service it. I know that for a fact.