Feed Dog, Clamp Screw & Electric Shock

I have my old sewing machine which is broken, and my former mother-in-law's, which is also broken. So Steve surprised me with a new one two days ago, because I want to make some curtains.

I just sat down to set it up. Now I'm remembering my high school aptitude testing which told us that while I was on the bright side, I should stay away from machines forever. I was in the 20% range, as in I had no clue as to 80% of what I was asked about machines. My chart had a slightly wiggly line ranging between 95 and 100, except for the deep gash at mechanical skills. It was like a red arrow pointing down that said, "she's really stupid at this stuff."

There were a few phrases in the machine's instruction booklet that left me sweaty and broken. "Feed dog" was first. Then tension, shuttle cover, clamp screw, shuttle vase, spool pin, presser foot and electric shock! I'm so scared now that I want to just board up my windows... screw the curtains!

After being near tears for an hour, and now able to think in only monosyllabic words, I got the dang thing threaded. But will it sew, or jam and break? I'm almost afraid to try it. The only thing I felt confident with was when I found the plug and plugged it in. Nothing blew up anyway.

Inside the base, which only took me 25 minutes to pry open, having to first realize it had bright blue tape (which for some reason was invisible to me) sealing it shut, I found a small bag of sewing accessories. There are 11 pieces. I identified three bobbins - hey I know what a bobbin is!! - two packs of needles (which I never plan to use since it would mean having to install them - no way) and all the rest was alien stuff which I have no intention of even looking up to identify. I want to sew straight lines only.

So now I'm sitting across from it, looking at it as though it was about to attack me. I can only see the back, which isn't quite as scary. The knobs are on the front, the ones that I have no clue as to what they're for. But I am not about to let this hunk of plastic and metal get the best of me. And I absolutely cannot let Steve know how terrified I am, of a machine.

I AM going to do this, and I'll let you know when it happens. Just don't wear our your current wardrobe waiting for me.