I started my DGD with one of those toy ones. It was a piece of junk. Didn't sew well and was a pain. When Hancock Fabrics ran their Janome Sew Mini on sale for $39 I got her one. She loves it and it sews great. It's a real sewing machine , bobbin and all. She loves it. She started out sewing on my dinning room table, but I moved her to her little table and it's much easier for her to sew. By the way she was 6 when I got it so it is kid friendly.

I'm looking to buy my 17 year old a sewing machine for Christmas. I started sewing not long ago and she has completely jumped into with me. But I really want to get her a machine of her own. She graduates high school this year and then it's off to college. I thought it would be a good hobby for her to continue since I can't keep her out of my fabric or off my machine. She made her first purse a couple of days ago and has made some coasters. Today she went nuts in the LQS. She also found glow-in-the-dark thread she just had to have :lol:

Any ideas for a 17 year old?

Yes, start her out with a mid range Bernina. It will last her for years and be a great back up machine for her in the future.

I would go ahead and buy her a real machine, for one it would be money well spent and it would last her for quite some time.

If it was me I would buy a vintage machine just for the fact that you can get them fairly cheap and they are very well made.

I have a 1974 Kenmore 1320 with all of the accessories that was only used a few times in its life and only paid $15 for it and the pecan tri-fold cabinet. I sold the cabinet and put the machine in a portable case so I could use it for classes. For a full size machine it is very light and it would be a perfect beginner machine.

Billy

Maybe check a dealer on a used model, that way they could get some decorative stitches too and a machine that will last them into their teens and beyond....

littlehud: your granddaughter looks so happy in the 2nd picture--she's adorable :D

We got the girls each a Singer "Pixie" (sssshhhh don't tell em) for Christmas this year. They are "crafting and sewing" machines, small enough for little ones to use. They're cuter than all get out...purple and green. I haven't test driven them yet, but the lady at WalMart said her granddaughters love theirs. They were right around $40 each in the store. They're a bit more on the website...
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...ct_id=10992860

I gave my g-grandson who is 12 my old sewing machine that I bought in the '70s. It is a brother and a work horse. It has lots of decorative stitches and feed dog drops down so he will be able to do quilting on it when the time comes if he wants to.
I really prefer the older machine even though they are heavy. When you place them on a table they stay put.

Thanks everyone. I told her I would post the question when I got home from work yesterday and I would have some suggestions for her today. I know you would come through for her. If anyone else has any suggestions I will pass them along.

I'd probably get her a Janome Jem because it weighs only 12 lbs or so and is therefore very portable. I think the 3/4 size is great for dorm room storage too. Many quilters get one of these to take to classes. I love my vintage machines and my Bernina, but they are heavy. I think the Janome Jem is the modern equivalent of the old Singer Featherweight and Bernina Minimatic machines (the only two vintage machines I have that could be considered a practical portable for a high school graduate off to college; however, much harder to find and more expensive than the Janome Jem).