I borrowed my wife's computerized Janome. It starts to slow down at 2 layers of tramp material plus 2 layers nylon webbing but it will sew it, if you go slow.

My mother gave me an 1950's Singer that she claimed would work but I never had it serviced. My wife's is just so easy to use. It's touch screen, with a walking foot and just so idiot proof.

The moral to this story is many families have sewing machines that are not used and they would be happy to loan them to you or give them to you. The high end computerized machines ($1500-2000) are normally very sturdy with huge motors.