Hi there, I can thoroughly recommend any Toyota sewing machines. I have used them for 13 years now and still going strong! I bought a second hand one on ebay a few years back for ?50 which has seen many a wedding dress pass through its feeder. I also have a Toyota overlocker which is equally good. As for sewing books....check out Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_23?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=basic+sewing+techniques&x=0&y=0&sprefix=basic+sewing+techniques Good luck! Tim
