Overstock.com has a nice variety of basic sewing machines. I bought a portable Brother (without case) for just a little over $100. It's the best machine I've ever had. I would love to own a serger, but they're much more expensive.

My mom bought me a Bernina Bernette sewing machine last year and I love it. The Bernette is the beginners sewing machine from Bernina, which is a quality brand, and I think that it was a couple hundred dollars, but worth the investment, as I've never had any problems with it. It's pretty compact and fits nicely in my not-so-huge apartment, and I've easily carried it back and forth with me to classes and to my mom's & sister's houses. Easy to use (I made my own throw pillows, too!) and a lot of different options to work with.

Janome makes a small machine called the Gem, which I hear good things about. If you can find a used Elna Lotus, you will really like it, but they are a bit rare. The other used possibility is a Bernina Record, which is a compact machine.
Just don't buy anything without trying it first. You can tell a lot by the sound and feel of a machine.

The sewing machine itself won't take up space - it will be the table you set it on, your fabric cutting area, your design wall, your fabric storage that will cost you the most square footage.

I second the recommendation to purchase a portable Brother machine - I have a mid-range starter machine I picked up for about $150 on Amazon and it has been nothing less than a workhorse. I also recommend purchasing a plastic case for your machine so you can stow it when not in use.

If you're lucky, you can often find old sewing machine cabinets with the (working!) machines still in them at thrift stores. The machines often need to be serviced, but the cabinets are rather compact and they're a great, petite solution if you want a permanent sewing area in your apartment.

I have an antique Singer Featherweight that I've used since the dorms. It ironically weighs a ton, but it's a tiny little machine in a nice neat case. Mine is from 1938 and still running. There are some on ebay for under $300 with case.

http://bit.ly/rbMnXa

I once borrowed a Brother while my Singer was in the shop, and I nearly chopped it up with an axe and threw it in the alley. What a POS. Planned obsolescence can bite me.

I used at Kenmore machine from Sears for years without a problem before I bought a Viking. If you are planning on sewing multiple layers of heavy fabric a more expensive machine may be worth is to avoid the frustration of many brooken needles. The Kenmore was inexpensive never needed any repairs. I used it on any table in my house without a problem. I sew on a iKea gate leg table, great for cutting, sewing, has storage and I can fold it down so it doesn't take up space.

Try to find an old machine with all metal parts. I have four Singers from the 1970's that were made in Great Britain. They come in nice retro colors too, if you can find one. They don't rattle, vibrate or feel plastic-y. ebay, goodwill, salvation army.

If you're on a budget, consider a used sewing machine. You'll find good advice at a sewing machine repair shop, too.

Used sewing machines are awesome. I bought one for $5 at a garage sale and it's still going strong to this day.

As a fellow apartment dweller, I'd recommend getting a machine with a box, or buying a padded box that fits. That way it's very easy to tuck the machine away in a closet or even under the bed while you're not using it.

I'd reccomend an Elna. The cheaper models are compact and fairly lightweight but they're tough machines and easy to use. I bought one after my used machine bit the dust several times (repair costs, ouch...). I've been told that Elna's are often used in sewing classes which tells me that they must be able to take some abuse! I adore mine.

I wouldn't bother with a sewing table if space is limited. I would just set up the machine on the dining or kitchen table when I was planning to use it, then pack it away when I was done. In fact, this is what I used to do. I cut out fabric on the floor.

I have the Brother CS6000i. I used to use it sitting on the floor in my apartment, so I didn't need a big table, etc. I had a storage ottoman that I kept the fabric in.

I second the old Singer Featherweights. They are about the size of two shoeboxes stacked on top of one another. I'm still using the one that my mom gave me - it's HER college machine, so it's been going strong for about 75 years now LOL. Find a good sewing machine shop that does their own service and repairs and keep your machine in good repair.

For cutting board storage, I have a cutting board that folds - stored behind a bookcase with my rotary cutting mat and rulers. Fabric and yarn storage is in underbed rolling bins. I do have several stacking 'gearboxes' for all the bits and pieces (needles, thread storage, scissors etc, etc), but basically, everthing fits under my desk neatly.

My grandmom left me her 1957 singer - similar to the one here: http://pics.hoobly.com/full/ZA3213R5WND3RWS33T.jpg

It's perfect for my studio because when the machine is put away it's just a side table.

Instead of a pedal, there's a knee control bar that drops down when it's in use, so there's nothing on the floor.

Honestly, this 60 year old machine is better than any new machine I've used. It might not have bells and whistles, but it's a work-horse.

I have a Kenmore machine that my father picked out for me as a Christmas present when I was in college- he's the king of Consumer Reports. The best thing about it is actually that it has a soft tapestry carrying bag instead of one of those bulky plastic covers. I don't think its a particularly large or small machine, and it lives in my dining room closet on top of a stack of clear totes of fabric.

A few years ago I bought an antique Martha Washington sewing cabinet at a yard sale for less than $100.

The cabinet takes up about as much space as a small dresser, expands, and has enough storage for a recreational sewer like me. And closed up, it's a super cute entry table!

If you can sacrifice 3 square feet, I'd highly recommend keeping your eye open at yard sales.

I live in a small beach house, and agree with other posters than the size of the sewing machine is the wrong thing to focus on.
My 1940's Singer with metal parts sews great straight and zig-zag, and it's in a small cabinet that looks like an end table - only taller. It's in my bedroom, using it as a nightstand, with a basket underneath to store small things. When I want to sew, I just open it up and am ready to go.

Check out this photo to see something similar to what I have. http://shesewsseashells.blogspot.com/2008/04/craigslist-singer-saga-conclusion.html

If you ask this question on a sewing forum, you'll get such a wide variety of answers it will make your head spin. My recommendation is a Sears Kenmore (Janome makes them for Sears, although I hear that will be changing to Juki soon- Juki's are good machines, too). I have also bought reconditioned Janomes on Overstock.com, and Kenmores that were re-badged as Janomes. Great machines for $100-200. (I love the one I got for $95 as much as the one that cost $200, so don't fear the lower prices) Don't buy used unless you have a good repairman to give it a tune-up. In my area, a tune-up costs $89.99, so might as well buy new from overstock.com.

My only advice is to not let yourself get overwhelmed by options. You really only need a machine that sews straight seams, zig-zags and does buttonholes! Anything else is gravy.

My last machine was a Singer that was well over 40 years old. I'd still be using it if my mom hadn't bought me a new machine.

And to echo what Muffy said above, it's not really the machine you have to worry about space-wise...be sure you have a big surface to lay out your fabric and pattern pieces for cutting!

I was actually looking for a sewing machine and decided against Overstock because you don't get the machine's warranty. J&R has machines that are priced about the same, plus you get the warranty. Very important.

I bought a machine from Overstock (re-badged Kenmore which is great) and it came with a 25-year warranty. I think it depends on the machine.

Another vote for a solid used machine, rather than a budget-minded new machine. You'll get more value from an old metal workhorse than from a lightweight digital machine under $500.

A few things most people don't know about their machines:

1. A machine should be serviced every few years if used regularly, or stored for years. They have belts and gears that need to be calibrated and oiled. A tune up is about $25-$50, depending on where you live (Manhattan vs Clovis). If you buy a used machine, budget enough to get it tuned up.

2. Use the correct gauge needle for the fabric. Super fine chiffon takes an 8 or 9. Heavy sail cloth takes a 19. And change your needle after a big project, even if you're not changing fabric weight. Needles get dull, like knives or scissors, and a dull needle can create thread-pulls along your stitching line.

3. There are all kinds of feet that you can get for most machines, even old, out of production models. There's a zipper foot, an invisible zipper foot, a rolled hem foot, pintuck foot, overcasting foot, etc, etc -- and many of these feet are good alternatives to a serger.

PS: best sewing reference book, bar none: Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing. You can get used copies on ebay for about $3.00, or get the latest edition for about $45 -- the information is the same, but the photos and illustrations are modernized.

I've been sewing for 50 years (eek). I learned on a Singer Featherweight which I used until I was about 30, then I got a Bernina Record, then I got a Bernina 1230 which I will probably die sewing on. Berninas are the best. I just got one on Craigslist for a friend for $60 and my daughter inherited my mom's, which she got at a yard sale for $50. They're out there!

What I love about Bernina is the quality and the even feed. It'll sew perfectly straight without you having to guide the fabric at all. I have used machines that listed to one side and it was a pain to have to fight to feed the fabric in straight.

Singer Featherweights are great for general sewing; not so hot if you want to do heavyweight stuff like welted pillows of upholstery fabric.

Used machines can be a good deal but you should count on having to get an overhaul ($75 where I live). All metal is generally a good way to go but it helps to know brands. Many mentioned above are good. Some people think Singer is hands down great but the truth is that they had a long spell of crappiness in there! Dunno what the deal is now.

I wouldn't buy a Brother machine or any of the others offered by discount places or stores like Target. Just not worth it.

I recommend a Kenmore or vintage Featherweight!
i have a 1967 Singer Featherweight that my grandmother bought me when I graduated from high school about 15 years ago- I LOVE it, total workhorse, and so pretty! but 5 years ago I got a new Kenmore because I wanted fancy stitches, easy buttonholing, and stretch stitches. Love it!
My Featherweight now lives in its carrying box in the closet (it's tiny) and the Kenmore is on my desk, always ready for inspiration to hit, and/or clothes to rip & need immediate repair.
I learned to sew on my mom's early 1980's Kenmore and it is still going strong.

My father bought my mother a Singer with the cabinet for when she came home from the hospital with me. (1950s) After 3 boys, she was dying to sew for a girl.

He laughed that he'd come home from work and there would be new slip covers and curtains all over the apartment!

She eventually sewed her grandchildren's christening gowns on it.

I have had a New Home compact machine for years, and it is very well built and a real workhorse. It is essentially the same as a Janome Gem. Janome is generally a very good brand.

I have what is now a "vintage" Kenmore from Sears (bought new). The year I bought it, Consumer Reports rated it better than White or Elna, the two most expensive machines then available. All metal, no major plastic parts. You can get reconditioned ones for a decent price and they last forever. Mine is in a plastic carry case and is about 10 inches deep, a foot tall, and 16 inches wide or thereabouts. I have never had trouble finding a storage place for it, even in a tiny studio. And SOOO worth having for hemming curtains, making pillows, and dozens of other DIY projects.

What a great story, mjs.

The advice here is outstanding. I, too, have been wanting to learn how to sew and get a machine but I live in a small studio. I know I will be looking into some of the pieces mentioned here, thanks all!