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Is there a cheaper end sewing/embroidery machine that can handle a few small leather jobs?

I'm about to start learning how to sew for crafting, clothing, and costuming. I wanted to get a lower cost yet good sewing/embroidery machine around $700 is my limit for this artistic excursion. There are a few great deals I'm finding, but I have no clue what I'm getting into with these machines. Call me a "jack of all trades" I would love to have a machine with multiple uses and functions for later when I become more familiar with the basics and want to push myself to using a machine like the ones I'm considering to their full potential. I would like a machine that can handle leather (softer leathers for the most part but possibly some heavier ones not layered more than twice as well). This machines main use would definitely NOT be for leather working as I know their are machines geared just for that purpose, but the occasional ability to handle leather would be fantastic! I have posted my interest in the Brother LB-6800PRW because it is cheaper and has a great package deal other buyers on Amazon are raving about along with the quality of the machine itself. And the Brother LB6800PRW Heavy-duty because (again a novice due to my lack of understanding and ability to find anything concrete on these machines online) the "Heavy-duty" made me think it would be able to stand the leather even though it does not have the nice accessories the other Brother comes with. I am not a fan of any make or model, I would just want it to be able to take a flash drive/USB or other storage card from my computer and make a design. The Janome's are beautiful but so expensive, and the same can be said for most of the others. I have seen much posted that makes me want to stay way from newer Singers, and even the Brother company, but the prices are very alluring. If anyone knows a good place to direct me for deals lesser known than Amazon, NextTag, or eBay, or even a well rounded sewing/embroidery machine that they stand behind with the functions in possibility I have listed, please inform me. Any help from a hardcore/long time crafter would be of great help to me as a novice to this realm of crafting :) Thanks so much!

Public Comments

1. Many household machines can handle leather up to about pigsuede. Thicker than that and you're looking for a commercial leather stitching machine. Most of my friends who do computerized embroidery have separate embroidery and sewing machines, so they can actually sew while they're hanging around waiting to change the thread color on the embroidery machine yet again. Generally not much more money than a combination embroidery/sewing machine. What you're asking a single machine to do is sort of be a luxury sportscar humvee dump truck. While that may be possible, single purpose machines often do a better or easier job. More: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100516223306AAHNY2H