need advice: looking for a basic backup machine

Hi everyone,

My mom is looking for a basic sewing machine to have as a backup when hers is in the shop. She just wants to be able to do basic piecing with it (straight and some zig-zag/buttonhole/applique). She found one that is on both Amazon.com and Overstock.com. It is a Brother LX 3125. She also found another Brother on Amazon.

Brother LX 3125 @ amazon

Brother LX 3125 @ Overstock

Brother XL2600I @ amazon

First question: Does anyone have any experience with either machine or Brother's in general? Good? Bad?

Second question: If you don't recommend either machine, what are other(s) you would recommend? She'd like to stay under $100.00 including tax and shipping.

Third question: Has anyone ordered off Overstock? Do you recommend (or not recommend) it? I order off Amazon.com all the time, but have no experience with Overstock.

Fourth question: Anyone have a basic machine they would like to sell (and in the Lex or Cinci area) that would be a good backup?


Thanks,
QB29

My fun afternoon/evening .... and my mom sews

Look whom my mom and I babysat for a few hours today.... Isn't he getting big? He's almost 19 months now! His big brother had a baseball tourney.

Also, my mom sewed for me. I'm working on a Bonnie Hunter Star Struck quilt for my dad and brought up several squares/strips to make the blocks. She wanted to sew for me, so I all I had to do was "match" the small squares to the rectangles. She even got into the matching with me on the last set :-).

My mom sewing:


2 of the ones she worked on. I had all the strip sets made. She just added the corner triangles. I even got her to do the bonus triangles :-).




The stack that she did:

All for now :-)

~QB29

~QB29

EQ7

So any one have any thoughts on EQ7? I got it in my mind that I want it :-). My mom told me she'd buy for my bday since I've not really asked for anything yet. When shopping this weekend, we saw that the local store carries it. My mom asked about the price and the girl said it's eligible for the birthday discount (1/3 of your age percent off). So my early birthday present is turning into a late present :-(. Oh well, it's not like I need to design any quilts right now. I've got plenty of other patterns to choose from.

So the question for y'all, is, do I need EQ7? Pros/cons of using? Please share!

~qb29