Thank goodness for Stitch Witch

This AM found me frantically trying to "hem" Beans uniform pants with Stitch Witch. My mother is buying me a sewing machine for Christmas. Any recommendations for something for a person who has never used a sewing machine in their life? (Yes, I will be taking any and all lessons from whereever I buy it.) I don't want to spend more than around $250.

I'd like to get something that will last me a while and enable me to hem jeans and other heavy fabrics as well as do some beginning quilting. (If I'm going to learn how to sew, I might as well learn how to quilt since a quilt shop just opened up near me.)

You know those Mastercard priceless commercials? Yeah, mine would all deal in time rather than money. I have Too Much on my plate these days but I have been very firm about not signing up for anything new, so I'm learning.

Girl Scout Daisies - 1 hour
Dentist appointment with small child - 1 1/2 hours
Church cookbook meeting - 3 hours

8 hours sleep? Priceless

And, right now, I'd pay an awful lot of money to have had that 8 hours.

Maybe tonight.