Originally Posted by Treasureit
No it doesn't need to be new and I like that idea. It reminded me I have an old Elna machine that needs some work on it...maybe I should see what that would cost to fix and give her that. It was a great workhorse for me. I don't recall the model but it used Air to sew. Does anyone know anything about how that would be for her?
It seems she is going to need lessons on what ever she gets...that could be a problem on an old machine if it doesn't come with the original books.
I have an Elna air electronic model 68. Love that machine, and I am hard pressed to say which I like best, it or my Bernina 830. If you have a good service person available for the Elna, by all means I think she will love it.
It is great for light weight or heavy fabrics. Go for it!
Jan's advice regarding a quality machine is the best advice anyone can give. When my first Elna "bit the dust" courtesy of the repair shop, I bought a cheapie. Big mistake on my part and will never do that again. I was lucky and sold it to a gal who just wanted to sew bandana's and make pillows with them. It was great for that, but not much else.
A quality machine makes a big difference especially someone learning. If the machine does a good job, they will enjoy sewing. If not, they may become discouraged and decide they don't want to sew after all... Just my 2 cents...