I am totally in agreement, buy her a real sewing machine, and I also agree with the Bernina. I bought my first sewing machine when I was a new wife (1967) and then sold it to buy a new singer 648 (1971) and I STILL have it in the cabinet and I still use it, even though I do have a newer Bernina, a new Pfaff and two older Pfaff. I have found my two Pfaffs on Craigs list for a very low price, and I take them in, have them cleaned and checked out, and they are FANTASTIC...hence, the new one. A real machine will last indefinitely, until they decide to get a newer model on their own.