I have a little Janome that's ok for classes. You might want to look at Babylock- they have a big selection of smaller machines. I also recently read a review of the Eversewn Sparrow machine, in Barbara Emodi's blog sewingontheedge.blogspot.com/

I haven't seen one of those machines, but the review brought up a number of good points to consider when buying a smaller machine.

Kathy

I have a little Bernina 350 for that purpose, and it has proven to be a great addition to my studio too. It has such wonderful stitch quality and I use it for things like needle punch (got the attachment), and ruffling (have that attachment) too. It's great for piecing because it holds things well throughout the stitching process.

I am looking to purchase a lightweight machine to take to classes. I would love any input or advice on which brand/model is a good one.