Not Such A Good Day

Oh No!!! My poor sewing machine has finally had a nervous breakdown!  This one I believe is serious and no amount of cajoling or tinkering was able to get her up and running as she should.  I thought she sounded weird last night when filling bobbins before calling it a night, but, then I really wasn't paying close enough attention to the sounds. 
It began this morning, with loose stitching and then the thread seemed to jump out of the needle, then the thread knotted with the bobbin thread. 
I had eight of the 36 blocks already quilted (free motion) and after stopping last night because I had just used the last bobbin, I was tired I left it believing the rest could be finished today.  Not sew!!!
My darling machine finally had a serious breakdown and after spending the entire day taking her apart, cleaning again, changing needles, rethreading, nothing, nada!  I picked out the stitching I had already done because when I took a good look at the back of the quilt I saw loose stitching, seems like I should have noticed that before doing eight, but again I wasn't paying close enough attention. 
Now I have it all unpicked, nice little holes where it all once was, and not machine.  I have my tiny lightweight Singer, but she won't be able to tackle this quilt!
Finally it is nearing 6:30 in the evening and I have given it my all today, and it is time to set it all aside for the day.  No progress today at all other than lots of frustration.
It 's Ground Hog Day, maybe thats the reason, LOL

Thank goodness I finished all of the other Frost Fest items and those have all be delivered, and if I hope with a little help from my friend Liz I might use her machine tomorrow, hopefully her machine will take my BIG Foot and I can begin the free motion process all over again and get it finished, if not, then Frost Fest is without a Donation Quilt this year.  Poor Betsy isn't even sewing straight lines without a problem. 
I got myself frustrated for sure, and who can believe Wireton Willy when he says we are in for an early spring?  You know those Ground Hogs aren't that reliable....LOL

Guess it is time for me to go shopping for a good used sewing machine.  
I have read from members of various groups I belong to and bloggers who have had to face similar problems but I cannot seem to get a fix on a good and solid brand of machine.  Will it be a Bernina, A Husquavarna, another Janome (mine is a Janome) which will I be able to find in my price range (free, LOL) that I can learn to use without a huge learning curve to overcome?

Which brand of sewing machine do you use and prefer?
I could use your input to be sure because it is next week that I will have to get out there and find myself a new sewing machine.
Thank you for stopping in this evening, it has't been a great day for me, but I am hoping it has been a good day for you wherever you are. 
Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day.  ~Author Unknown