Don't pay any attention to your 80 year old mother. My 90 year old mother graduated from college with a degree in home-ec and all she had was a treadle chain stitch machine. She traded it in on a FW in 1948. She had an old HC long bobbin we used until I sewed a finger. I think I have better control due to learning to sew a straight line with a hand crank. I'm amazed at what I'm able to do on my favorite, an ancient Singer 115 fitted with a HC. I was able to do flat felled seams on a curve on a HC. If your machine is not sewing straight check to see if the pressure foot is straight with the feed dogs. Also check foot pressure.