I'm going to second the Juki. If you want more than a straight stitch, Juki came out with a line of machines - the f-300 thru 600 - that has as many stitch choices as the big names, at 60% less $. Juki's will go thru anything. So many of the big names have sissy motors that bog down when the going gets tough. I bought mine off the internet, just thru reviews and I love it.