Welcome, MistyK, from south central Kentucky! So glad to have you with us.
I highly recommend to stay simple while you try the waters. There are so many notions, gadgets and gizmos out there ..... which are <mostly> great.... but can be daunting! ;-)
The rail fence would be an excellent pattern as your first quilt. I did a red, white and blue one and loved it!
Regarding the machine ---I started with a low-end Brother machine from Wal-Mart and it did just fine. It is still going strong today.
Best wishes as you begin your journey!