Do you have any local dealers? If she is willing to spend up to $500.00 she may be able to get a fantastic machine someone traded in. Some dealers will get a limited warranty on such machines. (Mine gives 90 days.) They also sell demo machines with a good discount.
My sister bought her Brother machine at Costco many years ago, it game with the extended table and loves it. It was called a quilting machine it was on sale and about $200.00. She said the working directions were easy to follow. She took a class but that was to learn how to make t-shirts. I gave her a little featherweight to take to classes, but at home she is still using her Brother.