I also have a brother SQ9050 and love it. I have never sewn before and the machine was easy to figure out and has lots of features. The manual is easy to understand and also comes with a DVD.

Chiming in again to say I have 3 different mechanical Brother machines that have not given me a bit of trouble and are not fussy about thread or anything else.

My sister bought the Brother sewing machine at Costco - she bought it years ago and it is still going strong. It came with the extension table and a walking foot, which I believe is a must now. I have a 64 year old Singer (15-91) that I learned to sew on, sewed clothes for me and my sisters when we were in high school. It is also going strong. It is in a cabinet, so when I tried to sew on a portable it just didn't work. It also didn't help that my 1973 Singer had plastic gears that were junk and was in the shop more than it sewed.

Until she knows for sure that she likes to sew, she should start either with a refurbished machine (providing you have a dealer you can trust) or check out the Brother machines.

It may be worth a look at your local Craigslist to see if you can find an older model machine and have it serviced. She would be able to get a nice machine for alot less than out of the box new.

I love my brother machines I have a cheapy that I use when my embroidery machine is in use. it is a very reliable machine and has speed control, stitch width, and a variety of stitches.

Just a thought here. Younger sewists are so used to computers and ease of use. A newer sewing machine will have the automation they are used to.

I agree the older machines are well made, but sometimes the models with the front loading bobbin cases are a bear when they get a jam. And newer sewists will most likely have a jam or two. It could make it frustrating for them.

To keep within her budget she would probably be best looking for a decent second hand machine with more bells and whistles than she could get buying a new one. I just got my first ever sewing machine in April last year which was a Janome txl 607 and I have to say at that point I wouldn't have wanted anything more complicated and might have been less nervous about it if it had been a simpler model. With hindsight I wish I'd bought second hand for my first machine because if she gets the quilting bug she may find a smaller machine makes pivoting a quilt very difficult and may well want to get a larger one as soon as she can.

Good idea! I'd also check the used machines at the dealerships. That way she could get a better machine for less money. And at the dealerships they refurbish them so they should work really well.

I agree with checking out any dealers/repairmen in your area. Some people trade in their machines on a regular basis and you can get a lot more machine for the buck. The tech should have gone through any trade ins and made sure they work well. Happy shopping.