I bought a very basic Brother Cs6000 five years ago when I wanted to learn to sew. I have never before being interested in sewing, but a new baby brings some new interest... The Brother was so user friendly, fun and easy to use that I felt confident to go from a project to another. I bought the Brother PC520 six months after and a Brother PE770. I kept them for several years until I found a used Bernina 730 for a price so good I couldn't pass it. I have a very high opinion of Brother sewing machines. They may not be the most sophisticated machine, but they are in my opinion the best choice for a beginner because they offer so much features for such a low price that it make sewing fun and easy. They are strong and will survive a lot of beginner mistakes! So it's a good choice for your DIL.