Let the machine run without your hands touching the material. You will notice that it will slip and slide in many directions. To guide the material, hold your left hand on it with your fingers curved as if you were holding a ball in your hand. If you hold it gently, you can guide the material as it slips under your fingers without interrupting its movement as it is being sewn. Try it!
Your right hand will also help you to guide the material. As soon as the machine is in motion, take your right hand off the balance wheel. You will soon discover that you will have to practice the trick of sewing straight.
Slow down your speed when you near the end of your material so that you can stop when you reach the edge. Roll the balance wheel to raise the needle—then lift the presser foot to remove the material.
How to use the stitch regulator
If your sewing machine has a lever which makes it sew backward, try to use it now. Move the stitch regulator up as far as it will go. As you start the machine you will see it moving backward. In order to stitch forward again, push the lever back down as far as it will go. As you will learn in your projects, you will always have to sew very slowly and carefully when you sew backward in order to do it nicely.
Another reason the stitch regulator is on your machine is to make the stitches larger or smaller for you, whichever is best for the material with which you are working.
