Thanks for the info. I'll check that out.

I bought a small Janome for 60.00 at Hancock Fabrics and it is light weight and perfect for grandkids. A starter machine. A little noisie but runs great. This way you can see if they really want to sew and maybe get a better one later on. Also check the comments when looking on the internet, The Singer had the worst review. :lol:

In NJ, a store named Boscov's has small, electric adult sewing machines, between $30-$50...even the drug stores(ie.Rite-Aid, Walgreen's,etc. carry them)...they'd be perfect for eight year olds.

For a 17 year old, the Singer 221 is great and portable. Many quilts remain in these machines. Just purchased a 1936 221, cleaned the dust bunnys out, oiled, lubed and she runs like new.....check www.livingwellforless.net for other good sewing buys

I'm in agreement with everybody here - don't get a toy machine. My feeling on the Hello Kitty machine is: even though I know women who have bought them to take to class and love them, let's face it, teens are very self-consious and when those 8 year olds get to be about 12 they're not going to want to sew on a Hello Kitty no matter how good it is. By the time they're 30, they won't care anymore but when they're teens it's not gonna be cool. I have 14 and 16 yo daughters and I know this. So either plan on replacing it with a "grown up" machine in a few years or get one of the Janome Jems. Or, if grandma would like the Hello Kitty to take to classes, buy that one now and trade with grandaughter for another machine in a few years. Then everybody goes home happy!

Sounds like you have almost heard enough on this subject but I have to weigh in. Let me first say that my sewing background is extensive and part of why I have such a strong opinion. Our High School sewing labs used Singers and Elnas and our Community Colleges and Universities used Berninas. The Singers were junk. The Elna's were good until I purchased one in 1994 and it was a lemon. I didn't think I could afford a Bernina, but could have paid for one I am sure with all the complications of an inferior machine. I finally purchased a Bernina 1260 QPE in 1997 and it is worth more than diamonds and gold to me. I am retired from teaching now, but work with a fantastic group of ladies doing Charity Quilting. "My" ladies have a variety of sewing machines (Janomes, Jems, Viking/Husqvarna sp?) and they are only adequate at best. Recently I helped two of these dear quilters each purchase Bernina's bottom of the line 1080 mechanical sewing machine (last of the cb hooks I think) and they have reached sewing nirvana. I believe the purchase price for the 1080 was $799. Note that for a quilter there are add-ons you won't be able to live without that I wish Bernina would just include. The Patchwork foot, free-motion foot, walking foot (pricey at $150) and extension table are must haves. I sew with people ages 10 to 85 years old and hands down they fight to sew on the Berninas I have in my studio. I would save for a Bernina before I wasted money on a sewing machine that will only serve to frustrate its user.

dont go with the toy sewing machine i bought 2 of my grands one for Christmas and they were a pain in the but!! i would spend a little more and get a good starter sewing machine i have 2 in my sewing room one for me and the other for the girls to use it is for both but stays at gramma s house !!!!!! that way they are busy and so am i we sew together

I have granddaughters ages 9 & 12 and for Christmas I am giving them each a baby lock sewing machine. They are having a sale through Dec. 31 and the machines are $99.00 and originally sell for $249. I believe. If you don't have a baby lock dealer in your area try the brother machine.

I bought my college bound g'daughter a Janome Jem Gold for her dorm. She's in love with it. It was also my first machine for carrying to quilting workshops and I loved it too. It's the least expensive of the Janomes and sometimes you can catch a sale. It's a real work horse, I've been using mine steadily for so many years, in fact since the year it first came on the market. You can't go wrong with it. 8)

My grandaugther is 12 and she wanted the Hello Kitty! She has a Janome Gem to use but the Hello Kitty is the have to have machine for her and her friends. :D