Still in the Works Comments
Good for your cousin! Sewing is very rewarding, and can be tons of fun. If your cousin has never sewn before, she might want to consider taking a beginner's sewing class.
I have a Kenmore machine. In my 30+ years of sewing, this is only the second machine I've owned. The first was also a Kenmore. They are reliable and quite simple to use.
As for books on sewing, there are almost as many books as there are seamstresses, but I have an old book that I always go back to if I have a question - it's the "Complete Guide to Sewing" put out by Reader's Digest.
There are lots of sewing sites on the 'net, though, with some great tips and easy patterns.
(I don't buy fabric on-line, so I can't help there).
Good luck to your cousin, and many happy years of sewing to her!
I have a Husquvarna Viking. Great I only have the low end model and it is still a great machine - a bit pricey as an initial investment but worth it.
Well, I'd say Singers are good machines...my Mum had one and mine is one as well. The main thing is, unless you're just going to hem pants or do basic basic stuff, don't skimp and buy a cheap machine. It's tempting, but there will be a lot of materials you can't sew or do because the machine won't be strong enough and won't have a lot of stich choices...which will matter later.
As for fabric online, fabric is something I pick out in person (to picky) but patterns online can save you a lot of money. A Fabricland card membership is worth the $$
I'd say the easiest way to start sewing is find some easy patterns and have a go. The more you do the better you'll get.
Reader's Digest and Singer both have a good sewing basics book - the local library likely has a few basic sewing books that will get her started too.
The other thing is to have enough of the basic notions - pins, seam ripper, a cloth pencil, measuring tape and a GOOD pair of sewing scissors. You will go insane trying to get by without them...
I have a Pfaff now (beauty! and only because I had a car accident and a settlement), but for years I had a Kenmore 30 stitch and it was just fine.
I don't buy fabric online unless it's something like Liberty lawn, where I already know what it feels like and just need to pick the colours I like. Otherwise, I like the tactile experience of fabric shopping.
I have a great sewing machine...at ACE TAILORS down the street 
its sad really
I ordered something and it arrived and Id love love to alter it a tiny bit and lack the machine AND the SKILLZ.
I hated my mother's sewing machine, and hated sewing, until I got to use my great-great-grandmother's treadle machine (1874) and discovered that I could actually make it behave. I went to the store and tried various machines until I found one that was gear-driven, not belt-driven, and I've used it for 32 years now (although I use the treadle machine too). So my advice to your cousin is to go try out as many machines as possible, and choose one that _feels_ good. Most of the time, if you buy a new machine from a good dealer, it comes with a few lessons to teach you all the tricks of that particular machine. And if at first you don't succeed--try more lessons. Sewing is one of those things where having someone show you is likely to be better than a book.
Mary Anne in Kentucky
Commenting by HaloScan
