This is what I was going to suggest too. I really like mine and this option has come in handy several tiimes. Amazon has it for under $150 now and in the past several members here have liked theirs here too.

Can you fashion the foot pedal to a board that would be long enough to reach the interior of your seat next to you where you could lean on it to push the pedal. You state you already use your elbow as your foot. So if it were closer to lean against, the board could be a clip board and you could fix a hook the board could hang onto when not in use. Duct tape works wonders. Just tape the foot pedal to the board. I say a clipboard because they can be fairly lightweight.

My Bernina has a button to use when the foot pedal is unplugged. I hope you can find a way to sew!

I too, have a disability. (Cerebral Palsy) and sew in a similar way. I am saving up for a machine with a stop/start button but I got to thinking the other day that maybe there is a way to mount the pedal to the chair back or table so I could just lean into it (by sitting back or forward.) I'm not sure it works. It came to me last night while I was sleeping. I will keep you posted.

Would a hand crank machine work? I believe you can still buy new ones just like you can buy a new treadle or look for a vintage one.

If you can find a speed regulator like is used with long arm machines, you can presset the speed you like, and then just push a button to start or stop. I have one attached to my Elna--it plugs in instead of the foot control, so must be compatible. Mine was a Grace model and only cost $50 at ebay. I love it cause it keeps my stitches so even. Otherwise, a machine with stop/start button is my next suggestion. Have a look at the Brother models--many of them have this. The button is in front of the needle, so you should have no problems.

What a great idea!! I was thinking the same thing as I read this post. I have motor skills coordination problems so I have learned to cut carefully and sew slowly and keep using simple patterns. Wish you the best of luck that you can find the solution to your problem and keep on sewing.

Thanks to everyone who has graciously commented on my situation. My biggest problem is that I have no "real" control below my midsection--I have no balance or am not capable of controlling my butt, knees, or even back. Keep the ideas coming tho-that 's how I've solved my problems in the past-just keep trying. (My stubbornness has allowed me to do some great things in the past 20 years that I've had this disease--and I refuse to give up now!!)

Pfaff has come out with some hand controlled machines. We have one at work that runs with a foot control or by pushing a button on the machine itself. You can control the speed too, with a sliding button from slow to very fast.

Maybe a hand crank?