Go with a Singer Rocketeer - it is hip and it sews with the precision it was made to do.

more frustration that not IMHO, new ones are not like the old ones.

I will be getting a Janome for my 8 yr old DGD, she wants a machine for Christmas.

If you are buying new I would work with a local dealer so you can get lessons and have a close by repair shop. I have several Janomes and love them all. My dealer is great with classes and repairs.

I have a $199 Brother from Wal Mart and love it for straight stitching and it does come with many attachments; walking foot, 1/4 inch foot and the little open end"quilting" foot (can't remember the name) and many more. Really surprising the value, quality and capabilities of this "cheap" machine...have used for a couple of years and no problem at all! Check it out..bought the $149 one for a back up (who knows why, don't need back up for the other one), but it is not the same quality at all...

I wouldn't buy a new machine. I have a Dressmaker from the late 60s and a Kenmore from the mid 70s. These machines are awesome! They far out sew the White I bought about 6 hrs ago simply because I wanted an open arm machine. Just used the Dressmaker to mend DH's canvas boat cover. It sewed through that bugger like a hot knife through butter! Vintage machines are made better and stronger than newer machines. If they find they really enjoy sewing then they can determine what they need in the future. A healthy vintage machine will get them off to a good start.

Whatever you buy, if it's a used one, be sure to get the manual. They can be found online of course if it doesn't come with one. I just got 2 manuals on cd from eBay for a couple vintage/antique machines I got recently. I'll print them out and get them bound.

I have had White, New Home,Singer,Brother and Pfaff. They are all good machines. I would opt for an older machine for the kids just because they are user friendly, no electronic boards. If something needs adjusting, they can do it themselves vs buying a board. Try to find one with a manual. Where do you live? allsewjo

look for a good used machine preferably a mechanical one. It should at least have a zig zag stich.The more basic the better. The fancier it is, the more things can go wrong specially for a novice sewer.

I love my Brothers. From the inexpensive to the very expensive. Get one from Walmart for less than $100 or go to a sewing machine store and find a good used one. There are a lot of them out there that will do what it sounds like they need.

go get a Kenmore! Seriously, they are made by the same folks that make Elna & janome and you get better service/warranty on them. sears carries all sorts of feet, etc. Do you homework and research the Kenmore machines..there are many out there that are superior to the so called quilting machines...after all, a sewing machine is meant to last, the modern quilter will go thru 3-4 machines in 10 years trying to find the PERFECT one....