Weddingbee boards

I have a Bernina from my grandmother that I LOOOOOOOVE!  When she died, she gave explicit instructions to my aunt that I was to have it.  Stay away from Singers.  Buying a sewing machine should be something that you keep for years and pass along to children kind of thing (in my humble opinion).  So if you want something dependable, go with something a little more pricey than what Wal-Mart sells.  Look up reviews online.  I agree with alli if price is an issue check eBay and craigslist.  The last thing you want to do is buy a new sewing machine and it breaks.  So quality is key.  Also make sure when you do buy the machine there is a store/shop in the area that will fix it for you, if it does break.  Some of the older models that's hard to come by.