Wanting to sew....

[calebsdoodee.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone. I've been around here for a while, and have finally decided to take the plunge into the world of sewing... but first I need a sewing machine, so I was talking to my grandmother (a fantastic artisan who crafted all my prom/formal dresses and my wedding dress from my pitiful drawings) last night and mentioned that I was finally interested in purchasing a sewing machine so that I could learn to sew. She told me that she'd been keeping her mother's sewing machine for me, in case I "ever came to my senses about wanting it." She said it's a very old Singer that is in it's own cabinet table, and that I would have to have it professionally "adjusted." So, what do all of you experienced in sewing think? Would I be better off paying for the old machine to be fixed or adjusted or whatever that entails, or should I buy a new machine? If I buy a new one, I'll probably start with a relatively cheap one since I don't know how great I'll be at this whole sewing thing. Anyway, thanks ahead of time for any suggestions...