Back in the old days :-D My little sister is only 4 yrs older than my son. I was making baby quilts and she was helping when I lifted the foot to rearrange the quilt she stepped on the pedal the needle went through the middle of my thumb and it broke off. I felt so bad for my baby sister she cried so hard -even harder than I did She just turned 41 in January and she's still afraid to be around a sewing machine