A beginner must have a machine in good working order, or will be turned off to sewing before (s)he even begins. Adults cannot sew successfully on toy chainstitch battery machines; neither can a child be successful. I love the little Hello Kitty machine I picked up for my 4 year old granddaughter--she will get it eventually. Her first machine will be a 3/4 size vintage Singer 99 that I plan to convert to hand crank. It is very hard to sew over your finger while turning a crank. There are several vintage machines, such as the Singer 99, that can be purchased or converted to handcranks.