I'm on a budget -- what kind of sewing machine should I buy?

Sewing tip

Q. I would like to ask what you think about the Brother sewing machines available at Costco.

A. Thanks for asking. I seriously avoid the Brother, Kenmore, Singer and White machines sold at Costco, Sears, JoAnns and Walmart.
Sadly, they are made of cheap plastic in China. They don't sew well and quickly quit making some stitches -- leading the sewer to think it's her fault when it is the machine. And no one will fix them.
If you're on a budget, you might consider the Babylock Anna http://www.babylock.com/a-line/anna/
It's made of ballistic plastic and metal in Japan or Taiwan and costs about $199.95. Babylocks and Janomes make well-built starter machines. Montavilla Sewing Center and other sewing machine stores carry them

Praise for Lisa Silveira

Sharon,

I just completed the Learn to Sew series, under Lisa's instruction. It was

such a wonderful and satisfying experience (even the frustrating bits).

Lisa was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and patient. Lisa seem to have a

knack of providing excellent instruction while still allowing us to make

our beginner mistakes (and then patiently helping us fix them).

While I would like to believe that her attention was specific to me, I

noticed that she offered the same level of attention to everyone in the

class.

I really enjoyed her class and feel lucky to have received such great

instruction.

-- Cheryl