Originally Posted by Teacup
Brother CS6000i is a good cheap machine...do a search here for recommendations or read other reviews online. It's lightweight, not hard to use and has lots of features that would grow with the girls. You can check Walmart, Amazon, Overstock.com or other places to compare prices.
I would avoid the cheap new Singers, they are just frustrating. I'd pick a Brother before I did a Singer.
Don't overlook Sears Kenmore, which posters say are made by Janome and have many of the same features in a more affordable machine.
I have the brother CS-6000 and I love it! I've been sewing on it for about 6 years now and it's great for basic sewing and I've also done some quilting on it as well. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another. it's the machine I'm taking to my class today and it has all the extra stitches I might need but don't use too often. You can't go wrong with this brother... it's the machine I learned on and fit me well.