A 1960s electric machine will be good for clothing repairs and alterations. Replacement controllers can be bought for very little and modern electronic ones ramp up the voltage more gradually, so they work well at low speed. And new motors are cheap as chips nowadays.
The learning curve is steep but short: using a sewing machines is frustrating and fiddly at first, but you get it a feel for it after a few sessions, and then you can sew almost anything.
And when you're ready to consider n+1... ...you might enjoy using a straight stitch machine with all-metal internals. All metal probably means 1950s vintage or earlier, and it probably means Singer (because for a while they held patents for many of the design features that made sewing machines easy to use). Singer's high end domestic model was the 201 (http://www.sewalot.com/singer_201k_sewalot.htm) which was smooth, and almost silent.
The mechanical simplicity of straight stitch machines means maintenance is easy, which is a bonus. For sewing small items, a handcrank allows precise control and the feedback you get through the handle is useful.