I am new to the world of sewing...well, relatively. I couldn't sew a garment straight away and the terminology is all still Greek to me for the most part. As a child I had a few sewing machines and spent some time using my grandmothers but no significant use.

With that having been said, however, I'm a relatively quick study who is looking to take a class or two on garment construction and I'm relatively sure this is a hobby that will stick to me to some extent. It is, of course, a hobby. My interest would be mostly in the basic napkins-pillowcases-a hem here-a nip there realm save the occasional longer term project of a reproduction dress or a cute, designer-knock-off top that fits properly and pays for the sewing machine in the first use, etc....

So, I come to you for advice.

Of the sewing machines I've used I've discovered that thread that gets constantly jammed and tangled will turn me off of a project faster than anything and if that is going to happen, I may as well throw away the machine. Will a machine with an automatic tension help this? I also know that complicated bobbin loads, while something I will tolerate for a $50 price decrease, are something that I would like to avoid if possible.

Are fabric types something to consider when choosing a sewing machine? For instance, if I know I may want to hem denim, should I be looking for a machine with more power or is that a matter of needle strength? I have surmised that I should be looking for something electric rather than manual and also that I will want to find something with a free arm (though I have no idea what that is)

This machine was reccomended by the singer website's "reccomend a machine" function.

http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=&PRODID=xprd623999&source=search

I did, however, find this machine, which is still within my price range (approximately $200-$250) as a refurbished model that has a few more features and seems more in line with the articles I've read.

http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat333844&PRODID=xprd612936

All in all, I'm looking for some insight.